Multiple TCP/IP settings
Hi!
Laptops are getting more and more popular here. People obviously like to go on working after office hours, in their homes. People also tend to keep an Internet connection in their homes; broadband or dial-up. As we are using static public addresses at this place, and home connections are mostly DHCP, I'm getting swamped with questions about how to deal with two different sets of TCP/IP parameters in one computer. Hardware profiles seems to be one solution in 98, as long as the choice is dial-up or NIC: you need to make a choice during boot-up, but I assume the users can manage this. If, however, you need to choose between two ethernet connections, it gets more complicated. Most users do not want to buy another PCMCIA NIC...
1) I'd appreciate input that suggests a method for easy switching between two sets of TCP/IP settings in win98. Third party software may be an option, depending on cost and ease-of-use.
2) How does one go about this in XP?
Regards
/RID
Laptops are getting more and more popular here. People obviously like to go on working after office hours, in their homes. People also tend to keep an Internet connection in their homes; broadband or dial-up. As we are using static public addresses at this place, and home connections are mostly DHCP, I'm getting swamped with questions about how to deal with two different sets of TCP/IP parameters in one computer. Hardware profiles seems to be one solution in 98, as long as the choice is dial-up or NIC: you need to make a choice during boot-up, but I assume the users can manage this. If, however, you need to choose between two ethernet connections, it gets more complicated. Most users do not want to buy another PCMCIA NIC...
1) I'd appreciate input that suggests a method for easy switching between two sets of TCP/IP settings in win98. Third party software may be an option, depending on cost and ease-of-use.
2) How does one go about this in XP?
Regards
/RID
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
ASKER
Thanks for your input. Hardware profiles do not seem to work if there is no difference in the hardware (sic!). I mean, if there is just one NIC and you need two different sets of parameters, you get to choose the profile you want, but the TCP/IP settings "spill over". If you have two NIC:s, you can create two profiles, where one of them is inactivated in each of the two profiles and the other one active, and you may then get two different TCP/IP setups. Most users don't want to buy another NIC, though.
Additionally, if you DO define DNS server, gateway etc, which is necessary for the profile with static IP address, will values offered from DHCP server override these settings? I ask this, because I noticed that these values will become the same in both profiles, even if one profile is set to use DHCP, as if they were "global".
Netswitcher seems like a nice little job.
I'll leave this open for a day or two.
Cheers
/RID
Additionally, if you DO define DNS server, gateway etc, which is necessary for the profile with static IP address, will values offered from DHCP server override these settings? I ask this, because I noticed that these values will become the same in both profiles, even if one profile is set to use DHCP, as if they were "global".
Netswitcher seems like a nice little job.
I'll leave this open for a day or two.
Cheers
/RID
Rid, you are correct in the hardware profile issue. I have tried it, as a test, to check this very type of question and the settings are specific to the adapter, and not the profile, and do "spill" over from one profile to the other
Just a note on XP & 2000.
You can change the IP setting in XP/2000 and it will not require a reboot. You will however have to renew for DHCP.
And yes the time the the hardware profiles is ideal is if they use a modem for the internet and a NIC for the network. This way you can disable on or the other depending on the hardware profile.
Regards
You can change the IP setting in XP/2000 and it will not require a reboot. You will however have to renew for DHCP.
And yes the time the the hardware profiles is ideal is if they use a modem for the internet and a NIC for the network. This way you can disable on or the other depending on the hardware profile.
Regards
ASKER
A solution well adapted to my problem. Thank you!
/RID
/RID
Rid, glad to help a fellow expert
Steve
Steve
Multiple LAN TCP/IP configurations.
Try http://www.globesoft.com/Common/frm_products.html
They may have a demo version. I know that it works well.
These are programs that let you switch between networks:
www.netswitcher.com
--------------------------
From: jhance Date: Friday, March 31 2000 - 02:41PM EST
If you're looking for a free solution you can download the massive
22MB Symantec Mobile Essentials V2.0 Personal Edition from their
web site. It's a crappy product but it is free
------------------------
A very good, and often unused, feature of Windows 95 is the Creation
of Hardware profiles. You can create two different sets of profiles, and
have each configuration in one. Thus, when you turn on your machine,
it'll ask you to please type the number for the hardware profile you'll
use.
(you can even create a third one for when you're on the road; I used
to do this so I didn't have to load Netware Client32 when I wasn't at
the office). Best of all, it's FREE!
--------------------------
I came across this question a few days ago and responded.
As has been the case for this site lately, much has not been getting
thru.
So...
Create two users, (control panel/users) one office and one home.
Assign the proper privileges and passwords and make the unique
changes to each user.
Log on with the preferred user at that time.
centerv
**************************
I also have a way to create a boot menu that will give the user the option to choose where they are at, but the solution above always seems to be the one most people choose.
Let me know if you want to know the boot menu option?
Regards