the one with the least "cost"
the slowest connection usually has the highest "cost"
so, if using a 10mbit ethernet, and a 11mbit wireless, then the wireless, but if using a 100mbit ethernet, and an 11mbit wireless, then the ethernet

What version of windows?

cannot assign the same ip address to two nics. one of them will take control!

If you have two NICs, when establish a share it will be associated with the appropriate NIC.  If you copy a file to the share, it really won't have much of a choice other that the NIC used to establish the share.  Even if you establish a share to the same location thru each NIC, they each have their own association; you can only pick one to copy the file to.
Actually you can assign multiple IPs to a NIC, but only one primary; the others will be aliases and therefore the same NIC.

When I say windows, I mean any version. But if it makes a difference, let's say 2000.

Steven: Who decides upon the cost?

cdsmark, ellesd: I insist on windows file sharing, where the IP addresses are transparent to the user. E.g. I am copying a file to a shared folder... just that.

ellesd: Same question again: how do you define "appropriate" NIC upon establishing a share? Who and how decides?

(As soon as I get a patch cable, I will try myself. However, the only thing I will be able to see is each NICs activity from the icon.)

>Who decides upon the cost
the operating system.

Stevenlewis,

Is your comment "authoritative"? Can you provide resources or bibliography? I still cannot understand which is or where is the mechanism that does this kind of "routing". If it's the OS in general, do all OS's do that?

I think Entersys cover me... Cheers!

Glad to help
Steve

steve,

There has been an implication! After all, the system doesn't seen to be very concerned. In the above configuration, the system prefers the slow (11M) connection, and doesn't user the fast (100M) at all. In other circumstances it did use the fast interface, but it looks like it chooses in random.

I presume that only with some static routing I will overcome the problem. If you're reading this, do u have any ideas?

Sorry for mistakes previously.

I have also tried a simple persistent static route, but doesn't work (unless I do it wrong).

please print your route(s) here
use route print

===========================================================================
Interface List
0x1 ........................... MS TCP Loopback interface
0x1000003 ...00 50 bf 58 81 30 ...... Realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast Ethernet NIC
0x1000004 ...00 09 5b 0c 8b a0 ...... NETGEAR MA101 USB Adapter
===========================================================================
===========================================================================
Active Routes:
Network Destination        Netmask          Gateway       Interface  Metric
          0.0.0.0          0.0.0.0      192.168.0.1     192.168.0.3       1
        127.0.0.0        255.0.0.0        127.0.0.1       127.0.0.1       1
      192.168.0.0    255.255.255.0      192.168.0.3     192.168.0.3       1
      192.168.0.3  255.255.255.255        127.0.0.1       127.0.0.1       1
    192.168.0.255  255.255.255.255      192.168.0.3     192.168.0.3       1
      192.168.1.0    255.255.255.0      192.168.1.1     192.168.1.1       1
      192.168.1.1  255.255.255.255        127.0.0.1       127.0.0.1       1
      192.168.1.2  255.255.255.255      192.168.1.1     192.168.1.1       1
    192.168.1.255  255.255.255.255      192.168.1.1     192.168.1.1       1
        224.0.0.0        224.0.0.0      192.168.0.3     192.168.0.3       1
        224.0.0.0        224.0.0.0      192.168.1.1     192.168.1.1       1
  255.255.255.255  255.255.255.255      192.168.1.1     192.168.1.1       1
Default Gateway:       192.168.0.1
===========================================================================
Persistent Routes:
  Network Address          Netmask  Gateway Address  Metric
      192.168.1.2  255.255.255.255      192.168.1.1       1

The 2 PCs have interfaces in the 192.168 domain:

0.3 and 1.1 for the first pc
0.6 and 1.2 for the 2nd.

So I need traffic between those two to go via the 1.1-1.2 interface.

this is not a network address
Network Address          Netmask  Gateway Address  Metric
     192.168.1.2  255.255.255.255      192.168.1.1       1
it is a host address
a valid netwowrk address would be 192.168.0.0
but both 192.168.1.2 and 192.168.1.1 are on the same subnet

route add 192.168.0.0 mask 255.255.255.0 192.168.1.1
(if the 192.168.1.1 NIC is on this machine)

can you please explain a bit that last line? remember that traffic from .0.3 must route as usual (through .0.1 which the gateway-router (& hub as well)).

I need you to explain this line
So I need traffic between those two to go via the 1.1-1.2 interface
traffic destined for the local network will stay in the local network, and will not use a gateway unless the ip address is not on the local net
so, if no gateway is defined, traffic for the 192.168.0 network will use the 192.168.03 NIC and traffic destined for the 192.168.1 network will use the 192.168.1.1 NIC

Thank you Steven; you have been more than helpful!