how to share both wireless and internet connection through switch in LAN?

what is providing the wireless access?  is there a Wireless router?

Why do you need to connect to both at the same time? Your question makes it sound as if you have one network that includes a wireless segment. But are you certain you're connecting to the right wireless network?

To get this to work, all you should have to do is:

1. Connect your ADSL router into your switch (wired)
2. Connect your wireless access point into your switch (wired)
3. Connect your PCs into your switch (wired)
4. Connect to the wireless access point with your wireless PCs

Can you be more specific as to what it is that you're attempting to do?

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There is no wireless router there is adsl modem which is working in router mode. I've got 2 computers, in 1 computer there is lan network card and wireless network card, in other computer there is lan network card. I've got ADSL modem Siemens C-010-I which is able to work as a router (and is working). Both computers and adsl modem are connected into switch with UTP cable. Currently I'm able to connect to internet from both computers, but I can't connect to wireless network with both computers (I can connect only with main computer, this one to wireless network).

Why is the source providing of wireless network important? About 150 people from my city are connected to this network, I'm connecting to it using biquad antenna attached to a satelitte dish on the roof of my house (I don't have access point, only biquad antenna and PCI network card. Signal is good and I'm connected to it with this computer). How to share(route) this wireless connection to other computer. Internet connection is already routed.

I am attempting to route this wireless connection to other computer in my home LAN (I'm already routing internet connection).

It's important because you never clarified if the wireless connection was from your own wireless network or from another source. (Thanks for that clarification right there)

Now that you've said that, you could buy a product like Buffalo's Wireless Ethernet Converter: http://www.buffalotech.com/products/product-detail.php?productid=118&categoryid=29

Configure that to work with the wireless network, and connect your own computers to it via wire.

But the real question is exactly what are you trying to do by connecting to both at once? You're really not going to get any real benefit based on what you have already.

I agree with MasNRock and the fact that I don't see why you would have DSL, and then want to have a wireless connection too.

I'm not sure what that Buffalo product is, and I'm not saying its not somethign you could use, but I could tell you from a networking perspective, that you could probably do something like this...

1.  Use ICS to share the Wireless connection
2.  Then utilize the LAN that was created(probably by the ADSL router) to connect to the HOST computer(one with wireless)
3.  Then configure the other computers, without wireless, to use that Shared wireless adapteras their gateway.

I need to connect to both wireless and adsl because that way i can use benefits of both. adsl is very slow(512kbit) and limited traffic to 2GB per month, and wireless is much faster.

I've already asked this question on other forums and although I was not given a working solution, I could extract one conclusion: there is no need to buy anything else, the problem is in winxp which has low support (if you don't have server edition) for routing and networks managing. So buying another piece of hardware is not an option (software maybe). The ICS is not an option too because since I have modem working in routing mode my Lan ip address is fixed and if I turn ICS on it would mess my ip addresses and network configuration.

No new hardware, no ICS. I got sugestions like: turn Routing and remote access in services, use this main computer as gateway to other computer by seting fixed ip addresses in lan and manualy adding route typing it in command promt: route -p add 10.0.0.0 mask 255.0.0.0 *gateway ip*, turn the NAT service on(manualy): NAT install, NAT add interface...... bridge lan and wireless connection and turn force compatibility mode between lan and wireless adapter.... but nothing worked.

I need to route the way from this computer to another for wireless, so I can use wireless on both computers.

I'm raising points for this problem...

To be sure I'm not mixing up anything, do you want both at once, or one at a time, but be able to connect to either one?

I want both at a same time, it means that I want to be connected to internet and wireless with both computers. As I said before I am already routing internet to both computers but can't do the same thing for wireless. It just doesn't work.

are you saying that you want to COMBINE the bandwidth?  because that won't work...

not combine! just like i can use lan and internet at the same time. so, I want to use internet and wireless at the same time, different connections running at the same time

give me a real life example of how you envision yourself doing that?

For ex:  do you want to use IE and have the IE using the WIRELESS, and at the same time download using the ADSL, or vice versa?

I don't understand what you are trying to achieve here, you need to give a practical example of what you are trying to do...

If I understand what you're saying, it sounds like you want to do this:

1. Access resources on your LAN using the ethernet (wired) connection
2. Use the wireless to access the internet

If that's all you're trying to do, this is actually pretty simple.  Get rid of the default gateway on your ethernet (wired) connection; just leave it blank.  Make sure your wireless connection has a default gateway.  Also, make sure that wireless connection has a different network ID than the wired connection.

This assumes a few things:

1. You want to access the internet exclusively through the wireless connection.  If you're trying to send *some* internet traffic through the wireless and *some* internet traffic through the DSL, this isn't going to work.  In fact, that's not going to happen... not without spending some serious money on serious routers that handle serious protocols like BGP or by spending serious money on failover hardware.

2. You don't have any other networks to which you need to route traffic (other offices connected by frame relay or VPN or point-to-point T1s or whatever).  If so, then you'll have to add static routes to the Windows box.

Also, make sure your wireless connections are firewalled.  You're opening your network to some security risks by doing this.

Hope this helps.

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Ok on this computer from which I'm writing to you now I got both wireless and lan pci card. I'm currently able to connect to internet via ADSL connection (which is given by my ISP) not via wireless!!! I am not trying to connect to internet via wireless, I don't need to. On this computer I am currently connected to a wireless network, it means I can do almost anything what I could do as if I were connected with all those users in lan. I can download data from their computers, play games with them, chat.... So at the same time (on this computer) I can download files from internet (via adsl connection) and download files from other users which are connected to wireless, or play games with them, or play games on internet...whatever.

I'm trying to achieve the same thing on second computer in my home LAN, so I can do everything which I can do on this one.

I already said before that I routed internet connection to that other computer and it is able to surf internet too, but I can't get that other computer to connect to wireless and play games on wireless, download files from wireless, chat,..... whatever else.

I hope you finaly understand what I want to do? Same thing I have on this computer, just to share it through lan. Buying another piece of hardware is not an option, ICS is not an option (can't use it, already explained why).

so you want to access the Internet through the ADSL on the PC with Wireless and LAN...

and you want the other PC's, that do not have Wireless access, to use Wireless for the Internet, but still be able to use the LAN?

vbr66 -

I'm sure this is very frustrating for you, because we don't seem to be getting what you're trying to do.  Please bear with us as we ask more questions... we're really trying to help you out here.

The reason why this is confusing to us is because:

1. You say you're not using the wireless connection for internet access, yet you say the reason why you want to use it is because your DSL is limited to 512Kbps and that the wireless is faster.  Well, the 512Kbps is the limitation on your INTERNET connection, not your LAN.  So, if you're NOT using the wireless connection to connect to the internet, why have it?  What is out there on that wireless network that you need to connect to?  There's more to this than we know, obviously.  Maybe you're using the DSL connection to VPN to some system on the wireless network and would rather connect directly.  Who knows?

2. You're giving us too many bits and pieces.  In your last posting, you mentioned your home LAN.  Is this a separate physical network?  How is it connecting to this LAN?  Is it even relevant?

3. Along the same lines, the wireless network part is confusing.  It sounds like you're just trying to use it internally to connect to your own computers.  If that's the case, then why in the world are you using a roof-mounted antenna to connect to a public (you said 150 people are on it) wireless network?  Why not just do an ad-hoc wireless network, or better yet, spend $50 or less on a wireless access point for your network?

4.  Assuming that you are only trying to use the wireless connection internally, if the computers are already wired into a switch (100Mbps), why would wireless be faster for connecting to them (54Mpbs or less)?  Is there a third computer you're trying to integrate into the network, such as a laptop, and you want it to connect  to your computers wirelessly?

Regardless, of any of that, tell me if this is what you're trying to do:

1. You have two PCs that are wired into your switch and connect to the internet via the DSL connection.
2. One of these PCs has a wireless card in it, the other doesn't.
3. The one with the wireless card can connect to the wireless network, the other can't.
4. You want to use the PC that has the wireless card to route traffic between the wireless network and the wired network so that the PC that doesn't have a wireless card can access the wireless network.

If this is the case, here's what I think:

1. You can't use ICS.  This is going to change the IP address of your ethernet card on the PC and you'll have to readdress your entire network.  Also, that computer will be forced to use the wireless connection for internet access and you say that you don't want to do this.
2. Windows XP's Routing and Remote Access Service is not a full-featured router.  For this, you'd need Windows 2000 or 2003 Server.  Or, check out this link, which may or may not work:  http://www.windowsnetworking.com/articles_tutorials/w2kprout.html
3.  If that doesn't work, then you have no choice but to buy hardware.  I know you said that in other forums, "I could extract one conclusion: there is no need to buy anything else".  Keep in mind, though, that before you said that you also said that in those forums "I was not given a working solution".  Most likely, this is because you have to buy hardware.

Windows XP does a great job of routing to multiple networks, but it is not a router and it was not designed to route traffic between networks for other hosts.  I would recommend that you purchase a wireless card for the second computer and call it a day.

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oh where to begin, there is so much things I obvisously need to explain to you and other to tell.

First of all I'm thankful because you're trying to help me and have patience and sorry for my lack of patience but its because I was already asking this same question at other forums.

Ok I'll try to make this short, everything you and rickyclourenco have said is wrong except this part:
1. You have two PCs that are wired into your switch and connect to the internet via the DSL connection.
2. One of these PCs has a wireless card in it, the other doesn't.
3. The one with the wireless card can connect to the wireless network, the other can't.
4. You want to use the PC that has the wireless card to route traffic between the wireless network and the wired network so that the PC that doesn't have a wireless card can access the wireless network.

Thats what I'm trying to do and I said it before and don't know why is it that hard to understand. Yes, I admit my "explanation" was fuzzy and didn't explain the problem sistematically but if you read post you should get the idea on what I'm trying to do, but ok, now that you did it for me, thank you.

http://www.windowsnetworking.com/articles_tutorials/w2kprout.html
I already seen that site, it's only about doing one thing (which I did). It explains how to turn routing on in registry. I did that thing but thats not nearly a solution, only beginning of it. There is much more things to do in command prompt and network connection, services...don't know where else.

I know that thing about ICS, already said that I cant and wont use ICS for reason I named (messes up ip address).

So yes I'm just trying to route traffic to that other pc through switch.

I said why I have wireless in my previous post but ok take it again: This wireless is almost same thing as if I were connected to lan with other users using this wireless. Since my internet is limited I can't spend that much traffic monthly (only 2 GB), but with wireless I can spend what ever I want by downloading stuff from other users computers not the internet and playing games with them not online. Is the reason clearer? But the reason doesn't matter anyways.

Okay.  I totally understand.

The reason why I was confused is because I'm trying to "read in" things based on some of the peripheral info you supplied.  Totally my fault, not yours.

Anyway, I think the answer is that you'll have to buy a wireless card for the other PC.

Windows XP doesn't have a Routing and Remote Access service to speak of.  It does, but it'sused for dial-up connections, null modem connections... that sort of thing.  Windows Server has an incredibly powerful RRAS which does everything you're talking about and then some (VPNs, etc.).  I know that you've gotten some advice from other forums, but they're wrong.  There's not an alternative to this... XP is not going to route traffic for you.  The only exception is ICS and you're right to not want to use it.

There may be some shareware or freeware router apps out there for Windows, but I did a quick peek at Tucows and didn't find any.

I'm sorry I don't have better news.

If anyone else has a tip for this, I'm interested to know.

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ok I'm getting tired of explaining the same thing over and over again so I made this poor picture of my network configuration which you can download from here:
http://www.angelfire.com/wy2/i_have_e-nough/network.TIF

The picture is made in paint (hehe) but surely a picture is worth a 1000 words.

Of course if you have additional questions about it just ask.

Holy cow, man.  A picure is DEFINITELY worth a thousand words.

XP still isn't going to route it, though.  Sorry.

Is there no way to have the antenna physically connected to both computers?

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one more thing which I forgot to comment from your previous post is about buying another wireless card for my second computer. its not just that simple. If I buy another wireless card I have to register one more time for wireless because just like internet I cant use same name and password twice and of course that costs more money. And another thing I'd have to do is to split the cable leading from my roof to wireless adapter and connect it to other computer and thats not very easy to acomplish too (don't want to get into details, it's not neccessary).

I was searching the net for some "routing" software myself too and found some programs like Kerio WinRoute Firewall but haven't learned it in details, of course there were some others but this one got to my eye. I wanted to do this without some extra comercial software or hardware, saved it as my last resort. I know I wont buy any new hardware, software maybe. I hate the back panel of my pc and floor, its crowded with cables.

vbr66 -

Yeah... mine's all crowded, too.  I've only got about a bajillion USB devices connected to my laptop.

Well, there are only things I can think of for you:

1. Buy a really cheap PC (really old... Pentium II or III... look at your local computer resale shop) and put one of the Linux flavors on it.  This, of course, is assuming that there are drivers for your wireless card.  But, if there are, then you can set up routing on the Linux box and use it as you would any router.  Fair warning - my experience with Linux has been that it is typically quicker and less painful to cut your leg off with a spoon.

2. Put Window 2003 Server on the PC with the wireless card and set up Routing and Remote Access.  Of course, Windows Server is going to cost around $750+, so that's definitely NOT an economical option.  But, it will do what you're looking to do.

3. I agree that another wireless card isn't a great solution, especially with the recurring costs.

4. The only other thing I can thing of is software routing.  I'm not familiar with WinRoute Firewall, but check out this link.  It looks like there may be some good stuff here:

http://www.tech-faq.com/routing-software.shtml

It looks like XORP may work on Windows, but maybe only Windows 2003.  All of the others run on some flavor of Linux.

That's about all I could find and that's about all I can suggest.  I wish I had more info to give you.

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Wait for just an minute. Is there a way to manually configure ICS instead of just turning it on? That way I could do the thing it is doing just without letting it mess with my ip addresses. I'm gonna search google and other forums for a way to do it and you guys if you know anything about it please let me know.

Q: IS THERE A WAY TO MANUALLY CONFIGURE INTERNET CONNECTION SHARING?

This is what I've found on this site: http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp_ics/index.htm

"You can create a Network Bridge connecting two or more local area networks and share the Internet connection with the computers on all of them. This is especially useful if your XP computer is connected to both a wired and wireless network."

I already tried to bridge my lan and wireless connection before but it didnt work. After bridging the connections I had to type in command prompt this command:
netsh bridge set adapter # forcecompatmode=enable, where # is number of adapter (1 or 2). That line should force adapters into compatibility mode as it says.

Is there anything else what I should do when creating network bridge?

First of all, I've always understood what the situation was, it just got to the point where there was no simple answer for you, and you were saying that buying hardware wasn't an option, and it didn't make any sense.  Now, that you have come out and said that you are trying to dupe the wireless company, now I understand why you are trying so hard.....

Check out this page, at the bottom it mentions troubleshooting network bridges, mentions the part you already stated above with the forcecompatible=enable....
http://www.netcal.com/news.php?article=11

then to follow up with that troubleshooting section, check this page out, seemed interesting
http://www.madge.com/_assets/downloads/lsshelp8.0/LSSHelp/AdvFeat/Promisc/Promisc2.htm

try explaining what exactly happens when the network bridge is created, keep in mind too, that whatever this wireless access company is providing, I'm sure that they know about bridging connections, and ICS, and whatever else we could probably think of doing, it may just not be possible

no, no there is no wireless company. it's the bunch of people in my city with strong will and interested in wireless technology who started this wireless in here. I said there is about 150 users in my town. When I had to pay and register my connection I noted them about this sharing problem and they approved it. It's nothing illegal as it would be if I was trying to connect 2 times, just trying to share this one connection. Nothing illegal. Wireless has advantages in comparisson with internet... I already stated them. Ok now.

I'm going into details now. This is how my network connections are set up.
I've got Local area connection and Wireless network connection on main computer with both wireless and lan adapter(this one).

LAN settings are: ip address=192.168.1.200; subnet mask=255.0.0.0; default gateway=192.168.1.1 (it's the address of my modem/router from which I establish connection to internet); dns=192.168.1.1

Wireless settings are: ip address=10.44.2.162; subnet mask=255.0.0.0; default gateway=10.44.2.1 (ip address of wireless server to which I establish my wireless connection); dns=10.44.2.1

With those settings I select both connections, right click and choose "Bridge connections". Then after bridge is created I need to set its tcp/ip setting too. Here I tried many combinations and if I used settings of wireless connections here then wireless would work but not lan or internet, but if I used settings of lan connection then internet and lan worked but wireless wouldn't work. Can you conclude from lan and wireless settings which I provided above what settings should I use here on this bridge?
My wireless connection never worked on both computers except at first time when I used ICS on it, but as I said many times, ICS is not an option (only if I could set it up manualy).

On second computer there is only Local area network connection with these settings: ip address=192.168.1.201; subnet mask=255.0.0.0; default gateway=192.168.1.1; dns=192.168.1.1

Guess what, you wouldn't believe but this is just why I wanted to write in my last post here. I was given an explanation on different forum and now it works. The great three on my computers work, lan, wireless, internet (on both computers). I noticed that now my home lan is open to wireless users and I need to do something about it. You're absolutely right, once again, about that being a bad idea. Seems to me I'll have to buy a router after all, or do something about disabling access to my data but then the other computer in my lan won't be able to access it. That's not good too.

So the real solution is: set the ip addresses of both connections into same domain, or in this case into 10.X.X.X domain and same subnets (both computers addresses and routers address too). Then create a bridge and route the traffic to correct gateway into each computers command prompt. So use the server computer as a gateway to other computers.

Thank you for your help SplinterCell and the others which tried to help me. I'm just sorry I didn't conside buying router much before while I was getting ADSL. Thanks again.

You're welcome.  Take a look at my last suggestion, though:

"You might possibly be able to work around this by adding a second NIC to each computer and run a crossover cable between them and give those NICs IP addresses on the wireless network."

What if you did this?  This way, only those interfaces are exposed to the wireless network?  I'd seriously consider giving this a shot.

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Yes I saw it but have yet to consider it cause as I already said before I've got no extra pci slots in this computer for one thing and there is already a bunch a cables on the floor and the backpanel and under my legs...
But I will not ignore this advice.

I forgot about the no extra PCI solts.  Maybe a USB ethernet adapter?

It'll be cheaper than buying a router... and what's one more cable? :-)

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