2 NICs, 2 connections, but only one at a time!

[GT]

I have a wireless router for my ADSL connection with 3 computers connect via
802.11b, 11mbps.

I have a desktop PC which is my main work computer, then I have a laptop,
which I use when in at the office (infrequently). When I plan to travel into
the office, I have to synchronise these 2 computers, but it takes ages over
the 11mbps link, so I have purchased a direct crossover RJ45 cable to
connect them directly at 100mbps. Both PCs have a wireless card and a wired
NIC.

If I disable the wireless card on both PCs and enalbe the wired card, then
run the network setup wizard, I can connect them directly, but then I have
to reverse the procedure to get them back to sharing the wireless ADSL link.

Can I have 2 networks on XP Pro (desktop) and XP Home (laptop), without
having to mess around every time I want to use them?? Both PCs have 2
network cards??

How do I do this?

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

I have a wireless router for my ADSL connection with 3 computers connect via
802.11b, 11mbps.

I have a desktop PC which is my main work computer, then I have a laptop,
which I use when in at the office (infrequently). When I plan to travel into
the office, I have to synchronise these 2 computers, but it takes ages over
the 11mbps link, so I have purchased a direct crossover RJ45 cable to
connect them directly at 100mbps. Both PCs have a wireless card and a wired
NIC.

If I disable the wireless card on both PCs and enalbe the wired card, then
run the network setup wizard, I can connect them directly, but then I have
to reverse the procedure to get them back to sharing the wireless ADSL link.

Can I have 2 networks on XP Pro (desktop) and XP Home (laptop), without
having to mess around every time I want to use them?? Both PCs have 2
network cards??

How do I do this?

Running the Network Setup Wizard shouldn't be necessary. What exactly
happens if you disable the wireless cads and try to synchronize files
without running the Wizard?

Here's a sure solution to the problem, which doesn't require running
the Wizard or disabling the wireless cards:

1. Assign static IP addresses to the wired NIC connections (e.g.
10.0.0.1 and 10.0.0.2, subnet mask 255.0.0.0).

2. When synchronizing files, refer to the computers using their wired
NIC IP addresses, not their computer names.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

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