Two Broadband Connections

[ghosta]

I have two broadband connections to my home computer network-
1) ASDL connection through phone line
2) Radio broadband through dish on roof.
Both connect directly to ethernet cards, I dont have a router. My other
home computer is connected via a crossover cable/ onboard ethernet
The Radio broadband is provided to me free of charge, but if I use it
between 5pm-9pm it will cost me $5 per day every time this happens.
I switch between connections by disabling /enabling the appropriate
Network Connection. I have shortcut icons on the desktop for this
purpose.
I am worried that I will accidently leave the Radio Broadband connected
and my kids will use the net after 5pm incurring me the $5 fee. I would
like to set up some software to automatically disable this connection
at 4.55pm each evening. I could use Task Scheduler if I could find some
software which would disable the connection when executed. Even better
if it would enable the other connection soon after.
Anyone got any suggestions?

 

[V Green]

I have two broadband connections to my home computer network-
1) ASDL connection through phone line
2) Radio broadband through dish on roof.
Both connect directly to ethernet cards, I dont have a router. My other
home computer is connected via a crossover cable/ onboard ethernet
The Radio broadband is provided to me free of charge, but if I use it
between 5pm-9pm it will cost me $5 per day every time this happens.
I switch between connections by disabling /enabling the appropriate
Network Connection. I have shortcut icons on the desktop for this
purpose.
I am worried that I will accidently leave the Radio Broadband connected
and my kids will use the net after 5pm incurring me the $5 fee. I would
like to set up some software to automatically disable this connection
at 4.55pm each evening. I could use Task Scheduler if I could find some
software which would disable the connection when executed. Even better
if it would enable the other connection soon after.
Anyone got any suggestions?

Cheap Intermatic light timer on the power supply
for the "Radio Broadband" hardware.

 

[ghosta]

Good idea except the radio broadband antenna isnt connected to a power
supply!

 

[V Green]

Has to be.

You said it connects to a 10/100 card...can't get its
power from that.

Unless it's using a special, proprietary card like a
PCI cable modem card.

Most WISP CPE hardware consists of a square antenna
+ ethernet bridge combination which goes outside and
needs power from somewhere.

I guess you need to elaborate a little on the specifics of your setup.

What's the URL for your wireless broadband provider?

 

[ghosta]

This is the provider-
http://www.skyoptic.com.au/
Definitely no power to the antenna. Dont ask me how it works. Cable
from antenna runs directly to ethernet.

 

[ghosta]

This is the provider-
http://www.skyoptic.com.au/
Definitely no power to the antenna. Dont ask me how it works. Cable
from antenna runs directly to ethernet.

 

[ghosta]

Im wrong- it DOES have a power connection- into the cable behind the
computer.
I stand corrected!

 

[V Green]

OK, then. The little picture of the hardware on that
page is exactly what I was describing.

Unplug the power and verify that you've lost
the connection.

Wait a bit and plug it back in (may take a minute or
two to initialize and pass an IP to your 10/100 card)
and verify that it's working again.

I know the timer is an inelegant solution, but it ought
to work.

If there's a software solution out there, I'm not aware of it.

Maybe some firewall software would allow you to completely
block all traffic on a particular connection at a certain time,
not sure.

Perhaps someone will know if you can "disable" a named Network
Connection via a batch file - if you could do that, then your
original idea of using Task Scheduler would work.

But until then, go the timer route...