windows XP networking profiles ??

[MUDr. Tomá¹ Hosszú]

Hi.

I have a notebook, with windows XP professional. I am using it in different
networks, mostly in two of them, with completely different configuration,
switching networks even several times a day.

network1: DHCP, smtp: mail-proxy, pop3: mail-proxy, internet connection
works only through proxy: proxy:80 - http and ftp support.
network2: DHCP, smtp: mail.smtpserver.cz, pop3. mail.popserver.cz, internet
connection works without proxy setting (transparent one).

and much more, it would be very good to change MAC adress for each network
different.

I couldnt find any workable winxp solution, like click-and-run-connected for
network profiles. all the software i found on internet is terrible, all of
them need restart and all can set proxies only for browser (IE or
netscape). (I use about 30 different aplication for internet communication
so what about the rest of them ?? i dont want always change application
preferences)

in linuxbox, the solution is simple and takes these steps.
1. mac setting - easy - ifconfig eht0 hw ether 00:00:00:00:00:00
2. local proxy server, no caching, sitting on 127.0.0.1:3128
3. NAT, e.g. for pPOP3 - iptables -t nat -A OUTPUT -s 127.0.0.1:110 -d
mymailserver:110 -j dNAT and same thing for proxy in network1.
(then setting all programs I use to proxy on localhost and mailservers to
localhost, NAT will do reroute things for me in different networks). these
several lines can be put in script, so changing network is just running
script - no restart, even of the applications using network connection.

How to do this is Win XP Pro ??
- yes, I found out how to change mac adress in .bat file - importing
registry record and devcon restart of that device. I really do not like that
registry operations for this, but it works.
- yes, the proxy can be installed - there is a lot of different available.
- no idea of how the NAT can be done - netsh routing ip add ..... says "NAT
must be installed first", and no documentation about this error code.....is
at least netsh the correct tool for NAT ?

OR maybe completely different solution ??

I wonder nobody has solved this problem (nothing on gooogle), this would be
a perfect application - I imagine - system tray icon..click...select
networking...GO !

thanks for any ideas.

tomas.h.

 

[Star Fleet Admiral Q]

Have we not figured out that Windows is not Linux/Unix?
In a true windows domain, you set up trusted domains which are
interconnected and allow for single point logon - thus giving access to all
resources of the domain from the single logon. As far as multiple logins -
say someone who travels from location to location, you can set up multiple
hardware profiles for the NIC, but it would require a reboot to change from
one hardware profile to another, also, as you have found out, 3rd party
software like netswitcher requires a reboot.
And as far as smtp/pop3 settings, that's the e-mail client setting
information, which you'll need to check in the appropriate newsgroup for the
e-mail software client you are using.
It seems you are more apt at running the Linux/Unix flavors, and I for
one stick with what I know best, Windows, so you may elect to stick with
other than Windows solutions.
I'm sure there are other networking guru's that can give you even more
details/options in a windows environment.

 

[MUDr. Tomá¹ Hosszú]

Well yes, I know windows is not Linux
But....most of users do have window...so development is much more required
for linux Most of simple users will not want to have Linux they do not
know how to use, just because of one application - and that would put me out
of business. It is not possible to work 100% with MS Office documents in
Linux (OpenOffice cant work with a lot of MSOffice features), and I receive
much documents I have to work with, and again all of them are produced in MS
Office and require answer in MS Office. I am forced to MS windows from the
site of simple users, and even from the site of support from hardware
vendors and at last - I need to develop for digital video...MS win solutions
are much more better. (why ?? there is nearly no vendor support for linux)
Sorry, but the networks I connect to are not trusted and cannot be, because
of data security (medical data).
Yes I can set different hardware profiles for NIC, but this does not solve
the problem with application settings. AND it does require reboot as you
mentioned what is very unconfortable.


I think I can solve my problem, just I need to know how to do NAT in windows
XP pro. or how to write own NAT application if someone is experienced.

anyway, thank you very much for your answer

t.h.