Internet Explorer diverting its connection

[Bob A Job]

Never had a solution from my question last week, so here goes again.

I used to have net connection through a wireless PCI card to an Access Point which i shared with other friends on a WLAN. Its net was slow and limited on download speed.
Now I have ADSL through Ethernet to Router and works fine but occasionally Internet Explorer will start to use the WLAN for the net and i have to repair/disable one of the connections to return to working order again.

How can i tell Internet Explorer NOT to use the Wireless connection for net. but remain connected to the WLAN for chat & gaming?

[DanFlo]

Got to be your network config not IE

[Bob A Job]

ok. maybe a suggestion to fix it??

What needs changing? and why cant you just point Internet Explorer to use one connection only?

[ACtheTROLL]

I thought I'd answered this one - didn't check for a reply;-(

I think it's a timing thing .... if the wireless initialises first because of a hiccup


the simple way is to disable/enable the wireless lan connection as and when you need it.
(config the connections to display icon in sys tray - right click | disable)

It's not a situation you can fix .... because it's not broken .... It's exactly like talking on the phone .... you only use one connection at a time.

the only way to be certain is to disable the connection you don't want.

If you enabled bridging ....
try entering a fixed ip address
in this example
if the wireless is 192.168.1.254
and your router is 192.168,0.1

go to network properties .... enter a fixed address
ip address 192.168.0 120
subnet 255.255.255.0
with a gateway 192.168.0.1
pref dns 192.168.0.1

(open a comand prompt - enter ipconfig /all to find your actual ip range).

[Bob A Job]

ACtheTROLL.
Thanks for your answer,
I cant disable/enable the wireless network as and when because it is nearly always in use.
I currently have BOTH connections running without any conflicts and can chat/game over the WLAN, whilst downloading and surfing the net through our ADSL.
Having two networks running at the same time is NOT the problem.

the problem is that every now and then INTERNET EXPLORER chooses to acces the net through the WLAN instead of the Ethernet LAN, Ive learned alot about networking AND ip cofigurations, but the problem DOESNT seem to be with connections

The problem is with Internet Explorer, why isnt there a simple tick box on the settings saying "Use this connection for internet connection", Surely there must be a manual way of setting this?!?!?

[ACtheTROLL]

you misunderstand (I think)
you're only disabling the wireless connection on YOUR pc
if you go to network connections (control panel)
right click the wireless network icon the first option is disable (on this computer)

Once your network is established then to connect .... same again ... but enable.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/netwo rking/expert/crawford_02april22.mspx

if you want to get tekkie

the problem lies in winsock .... when it initialises it looks to the gateway ... it's not fussy ... any gateway will do.

if for some reason your adsl blips - because network timeouts are so long ... you rarely see an error message saying that your adsl isn't there .... so from your point of view all is well .... however winsock has latched on to the first available ...... which is the wlan.

you say it's not a problem having two networks connected - phsically you are right .... it's not a problem

but topologicaly it IS a problem windows networking expects ONE internet connection on port 80 .... so giving it two just isn't an option ... it just latches on to the first it finds.

If you want a propper multilan setup ... correctly bridged with load balancing to ensure you always catch the "right" gateway ... you are talking serious money

if you are willing to bodge ... it's free

[Bob A Job]

i see what your getting at, but surely there is a simple way of stopping your PC from using a connection for internet without completely disabling it..

At this very moment i am surfing the net, downloading updates for windows (through my ADSL) and chatting and file transfering through the wireless AP. it all works fine, but then i click on a link, or refresh on IE and get the log-on page for the Access Point (have to be logged on to access net through it) instead of my ADSL....
My connections are not bridged as i dont need other computers to acces either network through mine.

As you say it looks for port 80 and isnt selective, can i not just block port 80 on the WLAN???
Would that not solve the problem? if so how do i do it?

As more and more people have multiple networks at home and in the office, wouldnt a simple tick box for "use this connection for internet" be extreamly handy??