#263374 - 24/08/2005 03:13
Choosing network connections
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12341
Loc: Sterling, VA
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Okay, so I've joined the dark side. I recently experienced the slow breakdown of my Win2K installation, and started over from scratch with XP. Now I'm having issues with that installation.
Basically, for the past two evenings I've been tearing my hair out trying to figure out what's happened to my internet connection. I eventually uninstalled and reinstalled my wireless adapters, but was in the exact same place as before.
Here's what I've found: I have three network adapters. Only one of them is the one I use to connect to the network and the internet. The others connect to some devices. For the heck of it, I disabled all but the network-connected one, and I was suddenly able to browse the internet.
So does this mean that Windows is confused as to which adapter to use? Why then, am I able to get to the router's admin page when all the adapters are enabled?
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Matt
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#263375 - 24/08/2005 03:24
Re: Choosing network connections
[Re: Dignan]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 20/12/1999
Posts: 31600
Loc: Seattle, WA
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Stab in the dark: Make sure that the "Default Gateway" for the internet-connected adapter is set correctly, then deliberately make the default gateway for the others blank.
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#263376 - 24/08/2005 03:44
Re: Choosing network connections
[Re: Dignan]
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pooh-bah
Registered: 12/02/2002
Posts: 2298
Loc: Berkeley, California
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What do your IP/Gateways look like for the various network cards? Do they overlap? And do you really need the devices seperated with your computer in the middle?
Assuming you're using 192.168.x.x for your internet connection, I'd go ahead and use 10.x.x.x for your "devices attached to the computer". Make sure you don't have a gateway specified at all for your 10.x.x.x network configuration.
Matthew
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#263377 - 24/08/2005 03:44
Re: Choosing network connections
[Re: tfabris]
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pooh-bah
Registered: 12/02/2002
Posts: 2298
Loc: Berkeley, California
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Right. What Tony said.
Matthew
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#263378 - 24/08/2005 07:13
Re: Choosing network connections
[Re: tfabris]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 24/12/2001
Posts: 5528
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There is also a preferred order for the network adapters in Windows which you can alter.
Start -> Settings -> Control Panel -> Network Connections -> Advanced -> Advanced Settings
You have to open up Network Connections as it's only visible in the menu there.
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#263379 - 24/08/2005 10:35
Re: Choosing network connections
[Re: Dignan]
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addict
Registered: 01/03/2002
Posts: 599
Loc: Florida
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Windows XP with multiple network adapters sets the fastest network card to the highest priority. If you have a gateway on each of your network adapters but only one network adapter gives you access to the internet you may need to switch what network card does what or remove the gateways on the other devices.
From the command line (dos window) type in
route print
the lower the number on the right of that list is how XP will determine what network card to use. This command will even let you setup other routes but it's hard.
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#263380 - 24/08/2005 11:49
Re: Choosing network connections
[Re: tman]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12341
Loc: Sterling, VA
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Quote:
There is also a preferred order for the network adapters in Windows which you can alter.
Start -> Settings -> Control Panel -> Network Connections -> Advanced -> Advanced Settings
You have to open up Network Connections as it's only visible in the menu there.
That's the type of setting I'm looking for. I thought there might be one somewhere. I don't know why I can't seem to find the options I need in MS products. They either bury them or put them in unintuitive places.
I'll give that a shot. To answer some of the other questions, the internet-connected adapter is getting its IP automatically, and the other main adapter that I use has a static IP set in order to communicate with my networked DVD player. I'm sure it's seeing that adapter as the faster one, since the networked one is currently an 802.11b USB adapter.
Thanks for the help, I'll try these suggestions out tonight.
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Matt
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#263381 - 24/08/2005 16:03
Re: Choosing network connections
[Re: Dignan]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 20/12/1999
Posts: 31600
Loc: Seattle, WA
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Quote:
and the other main adapter that I use has a static IP set in order to communicate with my networked DVD player.
And since that's a static IP, I'll bet you can set its "Gateway" to blank or to 0.0.0.0. My guess is that it's got a gateway setting plugged in right now and that's the cause of the problems.
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#263382 - 24/08/2005 16:33
Re: Choosing network connections
[Re: Dignan]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 08/06/1999
Posts: 7868
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Quote:
and the other main adapter that I use has a static IP set in order to communicate with my networked DVD player.
Does the network DVD player support uPnP? (IE, will it set a 169.254 address if it can't find a DHCP server?) Honestly, I find this to be the easiest way to deal with a quick LAN setup these days between computers, since both XP and Windows XP know not to try and route over 169.254, even if the interface is a gigabit link and the internet is using a slower wireless connection.
Windows will pop up warning that the connection has "limited or no connectivity", but you can turn that off in the network properties of the connection at the bottom of the first properties page.
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#263383 - 24/08/2005 16:41
Re: Choosing network connections
[Re: tfabris]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12341
Loc: Sterling, VA
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Quote:
Quote:
and the other main adapter that I use has a static IP set in order to communicate with my networked DVD player.
And since that's a static IP, I'll bet you can set its "Gateway" to blank or to 0.0.0.0. My guess is that it's got a gateway setting plugged in right now and that's the cause of the problems.
Actually, I have the gateway set to some specific number. I can't remember what it is, but it matches the DVD player.
I'll see how it's all set up when I get home.
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Matt
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#263384 - 24/08/2005 16:47
Re: Choosing network connections
[Re: Dignan]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 25/12/2000
Posts: 16706
Loc: Raleigh, NC US
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Quote:
I have the gateway set to some specific number. I can't remember what it is, but it matches the DVD player.
It's not going to cause any problems (other than the one you're currently complaining about), but that's wrong. Gateway addresses are for routers so that you can reach other networks from that network. I seriously doubt that you even have any other networks connected to that one, and I'm certain that your DVD player is not a router. So remove the gateway, you fix that config problem, and your initial issue will probably go away.
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Bitt Faulk
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#263385 - 24/08/2005 17:47
Re: Choosing network connections
[Re: wfaulk]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12341
Loc: Sterling, VA
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Quote:
Quote:
I have the gateway set to some specific number. I can't remember what it is, but it matches the DVD player.
It's not going to cause any problems (other than the one you're currently complaining about), but that's wrong. Gateway addresses are for routers so that you can reach other networks from that network. I seriously doubt that you even have any other networks connected to that one, and I'm certain that your DVD player is not a router. So remove the gateway, you fix that config problem, and your initial issue will probably go away.
Ah, you are probably right. I finally got around to setting up the adapter to connect to the DVD player. I was using the internet after that point, so I guess I assumed it wasn't due to those changes. I'll correct that when I get home.
It's too bad, I have to have the DVD player set up like this since my PC and TV are not within hardwire range of the router. It really sucks when I want to download the firmware. I have to take the DVD player to the router, along with a small TV, and go through the process that way. I have a WET11 wireless bridge, but was never able to get the player to connect to my network using that.
Sorry, one more question: whenever I completely unplug or reset my WET11, its settings revert back to a operating on a static IP address. I can somewhat understand this, as in theory you'd still be able to access the admin page on the bridge by navigating to that IP. But in no case have I ever set this up to operate on a static IP. I want it to get it automatically, particularly because I am usually using the bridge to connect non-PC devices like media players.
Is there a way to make this thing default to getting an automatic IP?
*edit*
Just to clarify, no, I don't plan on streaming content over an 802.11b connection (and an 802.11g to the PC). This is just for updating the DVD player's firmware.
Edited by Dignan (24/08/2005 17:49)
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Matt
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#263386 - 24/08/2005 18:02
Re: Choosing network connections
[Re: Dignan]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 24/12/2001
Posts: 5528
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Quote:
Just to clarify, no, I don't plan on streaming content over an 802.11b connection (and an 802.11g to the PC). This is just for updating the DVD player's firmware.
Nope. Don't do that. You should never update firmware over a WiFi link due to the much higher risk of breaking something.
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#263387 - 24/08/2005 18:10
Re: Choosing network connections
[Re: tman]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12341
Loc: Sterling, VA
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Yeah, I guess you're right. Grr. Darn wireless.
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Matt
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