How do I tell WinXP which connection to use for the internet?

[Guest Frank328]

Hi,

 

I have a computer in the lab which connects to spectrometer using the

ethernet adapter on a static IP. (I didn't design the system, that's just

the way it is).

 

This same computer has a wireless card that connects to the wireless network

in said lab.

 

Now, how do I tell WinXP to use the wireless connection to go online, and

use the wired connection for the spectrometer?

 

Right now the PC assumes that the wired connection is the primary one so I

can connect to the equipment but not internet (a real PITA when you need to

access online databases).

 

The only way around so far is to disable the wired connection when we have

to go online, then re-enable when we run a sample.

 

Hoping you guys have a simple solution that does not require always

enable/disable.

 

Thanks

[Guest Paul Knudsen]

Re: How do I tell WinXP which connection to use for the internet?

 

On Tue, 4 Sep 2007 15:52:03 -0700, Frank328

<Frank328@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>he only way around so far is to disable the wired connection when we have

>to go online, then re-enable when we run a sample.

>

That doesn't sound so terrible.

>Hoping you guys have a simple solution that does not require always

>enable/disable.

 

Dual Boot?

--

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[Guest John Wunderlich]

Re: How do I tell WinXP which connection to use for the internet?

 

=?Utf-8?B?RnJhbmszMjg=?= <Frank328@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote

in news:D34A9365-8DD9-47CA-A79C-5852733C05EC@microsoft.com:

> Hi,

>

> I have a computer in the lab which connects to spectrometer using

> the ethernet adapter on a static IP. (I didn't design the system,

> that's just the way it is).

>

> This same computer has a wireless card that connects to the

> wireless network in said lab.

>

> Now, how do I tell WinXP to use the wireless connection to go

> online, and use the wired connection for the spectrometer?

>

> Right now the PC assumes that the wired connection is the primary

> one so I can connect to the equipment but not internet (a real

> PITA when you need to access online databases).

>

> The only way around so far is to disable the wired connection when

> we have to go online, then re-enable when we run a sample.

>

> Hoping you guys have a simple solution that does not require

> always enable/disable.

>

> Thanks

 

The key here is the "Default Gateway". If both your wired network

card and your wireless cards both specify default gateways, then the

wired one usually takes precidence. Since your wired connection is

used only for lab equipment, it really doesn't need a default gateway.

Try removing it if it's there and see if it helps.

 

The biggest help would to be to bring up a command window:

start->run->"cmd"

and enter the command:

route print

This will show you how packets are routed. An entry of "0.0.0.0" with

a netmask of "0.0.0.0" will be your default gateway. If there are more

than one line like this, then the one with the smallest number in the

"Metric" column will be used. By default, wired connections are

preferred (smaller metric) over wireless. You can change this priority

by changing the number in the "metric" column using the:

route change

command to make the gateway on your wireless network the preferred

gateway.

 

HTH,

John