Ethernet + Wireless card - simple question

S

shearichard

Hi - I have a W2K/SP4 machine and I've recently bought a linksys
wireless card (WPC54G) for it.

I just wanted to check I've done the right thing. All network adapters
on the LAN used fixed IP addresses - the ethernet adapter in the
machine is 192.168.10.5 and I've set up the wireless card to take
192.168.10.250.

When I configure the wireless card I get a dialog warning me (I think)
that both cards have the same gateway and is that OK ? I say Yes but I
have begun to wonder if it is OK - should the wireless be on a seperate
sub-net ?

The reason I'm wondering is that once I've logged off and logged back
on I find the TCP/IP settings have reverted to using DHCP to get the IP
address for the wireless card (difficult to do as there is no working
DHCP on the LAN !)

Any help appreciated.

thanks

Richard.
 
R

Richard G. Harper

You should not be using two network adapters on the same subnet - in fact,
you shouldn't be using two network adapters in the same computer at all
unless there's a compelling reason to do so. Pick one or the other to use
and disable the one not in use.

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] (e-mail address removed)
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* for the benefit of all. Private mail is usually not replied to.
* My website, such as it is ... http://rgharper.mvps.org/
* HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
 
F

Frankster

There are tons of laptops out there with both Ethernet and wireless nics.
Some hareware/driver combinations work better than others. I leave mine
always on and both have an address on the same subnet with all the same
TCP/IP properties other than IP, no problem. Only one is active at any one
time. I use a WAP on my lan for wireless. Authentication is still via the
LAN (domain) regarless of nic in use.

How is your LAN set up? Are you using a WAP or a router for wireless? If
you disable the Ethernet, does the wireless work? If you disable the
wireless, does the Ethernet work? If yes, you're fine. If not, you've got
some basic config problem.

Note: I never disable either of the two. Works fine on my hardware/drivers.
But... which one is active upon boot is sort of a crap shoot. If I really
want only one to be used, for sure, I disable the other.

-Frank
 
E

Enda

Hi

I have a similar problem....If anyone can help me with this I would really
appreciate it.

I have a working Ethernet connection, but for some "home re-organisation"
reasons, I need a wireless connection.
So I got a Belkin router and wireless G desktop network card (FD57001).

I put everything in place, carefully following the manufacturer's
installation instructions as I did so,
and without any big problem everything worked first time. If I didn't
specifically disable one of the two, I could have
both cable and wifi connections active at the same time.
That lasted about a week, after which the wireless card seemed to just stop
seeing the network.
I have had to go back to relying on the cable connection to my router which
gives me
internet access. It also allows me to check the router config which looks
fine.
But my wifi card is not picking up anything - neither my network, nor my
neighbour's which I could see previously.
I had WEP-128 enabled on my router, but I disabled it.
I am using W2K, and Norton Internet Security.I tried disabling NIS but it
didn't change much.

Also - the Belkin wireless config utility has a diagnostic tool which tells
me that the card is working fine. The windows device manager tells me that
too.

It is as if some background process is messing up the wifi card, but what is
it...???

Should Windows wireless config service be running or not?

any ideas?
thanks in advance

Enda
 

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