One Computer Two Networks

[KenGr]

I have an IBM A30 notebook computer. It is normally hooked to a LAN at work using the built in 10/100 to connect to an Ethernet LAN with a fixed address. It's all configured by the LAN gurus and works perfectly. The notebook also has a built in wireless system. At home I have a wireless network with a Linksys BEFW11S4 hooked to a cable broadband connection and using dynamic address assignment. Is there any simple way to be able to use this on the home wireless network without completely resetting the network settings?

 

[prosaic]

Originally posted by: KenGr
I have an IBM A30 notebook computer. It is normally hooked to a LAN at work using the built in 10/100 to connect to an Ethernet LAN with a fixed address. It's all configured by the LAN gurus and works perfectly. The notebook also has a built in wireless system. At home I have a wireless network with a Linksys BEFW11S4 hooked to a cable broadband connection and using dynamic address assignment. Is there any simple way to be able to use this on the home wireless network without completely resetting the network settings?

Yes. Each network adapter is controlled by its own set of settings. You may find, however, that it isn't a particularly good idea to have both adapters enabled at the same time. Sometimes routing issues will rear their ugly heads. If you only connect to one network at a time it may make sense for you to set the wireless adapter so that it is disabled and the Ethernet adapter so that it is enabled when you are at work, and to switch that arrangement around when you are at home. This would be easy enough to do if you set up a Home and a Work hardware profiles with the adapters set as I suggested. In that case you would be presented with a choice of hardware profiles to use when you boot the computer. There are also third party utilities that manage this sort of switching of active network adapters. For instance Toshiba packages such a switcher applet with their notebooks that include both Ethernet and wireless adapters. You can even just do a manual switching of which adapter is enabled or disabled. Or you can just let it all hang out and leave both adapters on all the time to see if you have any problems.

One thing I would advise, however, is consulting with your networking people at work before doing this. This is not just for the purpose of being polite and asking permission and such, there can be real security issues with computers that move back and forth between a home and work environment. And it's even possible that they'll configure the system for you. I guess I should also mention the possibility (a remote one, I hope) that they might also misconfigure the system for you. 😀

- prosaic

 

[JackMDS]

The Content of the Following Link Might Help:

The latest version of NetSwitcher, the popular and easy to use network configuration utility for Windows has been released.

 

[prosaic]

Re NetSwitcher --

Sorry, I'm kind of in a hurry or I'd go read about it at the link you provided. As it is, I'll just ask a question or two.

I've used NetSwitcher before, and I don't think it's what this user needs -- unless it has changed. NetSwitcher is used for switching between different network configurations for a single adapter, right? Unless I've misunderstood, this user has a notebook with TWO adapters in it. One is a wireless adapter which he wishes to use only at home,, and the other is an Ethernet adapter which he wishes to use only at work. In that case I'm not sure what use NetSwitcher would have, but then again I don't recall ever having used it on a dual adapter system before. Is there something I missed about the utility?

- prosaic

 

[KenGr]

It looks like two different profiles might do it for me. I'll go ahead and explore that route. The Netswitcher looks cool and might work but the info on the link isn't explicit about multiple adapters.

I'd have the IT guys set it up but it was originally set up for LAN and internet connectivity (works fine) but now I'm 6,000 miles away in a client office. Systems are similar and their IT guys got my address reset and found the printers for me, but they don't speak English and don't do wireless so I don't want to go any farther with them. We'll see how it goes.