simultaneous wireless / ethernet

[zver17]

can they both operate simultaneously? I tried and in the 'networking' tab in task manager they both show 'operational', but the utilisation seems always to occur for the ethernet (with wireless showing 0.02%), even when I am tranfering multiple files over the network (using two different SSH windows). in fact i can get higher network utilisation when transfering a single file at a time rather than 2 simulateneuously (95% instead of 85%)
has anybody tried something like this? thanks

[thinklad]

Windows XP (as well as other versions/OS I'm sure) has a preferred interface order. It will attempt to use the interfaces on that list in the order they appear. Your faster ethernet is likely listed first.

Also, about the lower utilisation when multiple programs are using the internet. This is because they sometimes have to wait for the interface to become free. Both using it together trips both of them up. Similar to collisions between clients using a hub.

Someone correct me if I am wrong.
Thanks

[zver17]

yes, the poorer performance with multiple files over the same network connection is understandable, but its a pity it seems hard/impossible to get both wireless/ethernet configured for simulatenous use (even for different downloads/uploads, or even different apps).

[slagmi]

yes you can use both at the same time but this typically done to attach to 2 different networks and has to be setup carefully for security reasons.

if you do somehow manage to get both adapters connected to the same network at the same time some fairly strange problems will result. fixing may not be then quite as simple as unplugging one.

your ethernet is many times faster that your wireless so there would be no benefit from combining them

[thinklad]

slagmi is right,

If you try to connect both interfaces to the same network (i.e. DHCP server) they will both get different addresses which can cause problems.

Also, it is unlikely that you would be able to get more than the maximum speed of one ethernet card because your server/router is likely attached to your cable modem with a single 100mbit ethernet connection.

If you need absolute maximum speed consider gigabit networks.

[JHEM]

yes you can use both at the same time but this typically done to attach to 2 different networks and has to be setup carefully for security reasons.

I have no problems connecting via WiFi to the .11g router connected to my cable modem while I'm connected via CAT5 to the router on my DSL modem, or even vice versa.

But, as slagmi and thinklad have mentioned, connecting via WiFi and CAT5 to the same router at the same time is an invitation to a [censored] of IP problems.

Regards,

James

[CChoi83]

You must go and change the Interface Metric. Go to: Local Area Connection/Wireless Network Connection Properties ----> Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) ----> Properties -----> Advanced -----> Interface Metric and change both of them to 1.

If left on automatic, the interface with the HIGHEST speed will have a lower number and will be primarily used for communications. Thus, changing both to the same number will have it use both network interfaces. Hope this helps. And feel free for anyone to correct me if I'm wrong....

[JHEM]

You must go and change the Interface Metric.

That's an invitation to disaster if you're saying that's a method to use to connect via both CAT5 and WiFi to the same router!

It's fine if used to connect to two different routers.

Regards,

James

[zver17]

OK - many thanks for all the replies,

If I understood correctly, if I had a router with a wireless router attached to it, then connecting the ethernet to the router and the wifi to the wireless router could bring problems (although I dont exactly understand why - but my knowledge of network hardware/software is rather poor). Of course I presume in this case the bottleneck would be the connection of the router to the outside, so there would be little gain in combining wireless/ethernet

in my case the configuration is different (or at least i think it is) - I am in an office with a regular network hub (which I use for the ethernet), but the wifi signal is coming from a different location/router (I dont know exactly where it is). Of course they both connect me to the same network. unfortunately they're both slow - 10mbps for the ethernet and 11mbps for the wireless.

I am moving large files over the network so was hoping to halve the time. If doing this is difficult or risky then I will just persevere with one-at-a-time connection.

BTW, what is CAT5? - same as ethernet?

thanks!

[nikemen]

Technically, shouldn't the differant MAC addresses, for ethernet, and for wifi cards, get DIFFERANT DHCP addresses?

If you have your router setup correctly, it should deliver differant addressess to each MAC, thus enabling simultaneous connections. Although, I don't know how the OS manages routing from each connection

[Leon]

CAT5 is the standard for the actual cable, consisting of four twisted pairs of copper wire terminated by an RJ45 connector. It can support speeds up to 1,000 Mbs.

[JHEM]

Of course they both connect me to the same network. unfortunately they're both slow - 10mbps for the ethernet and 11mbps for the wireless.

Why is the wired ethernet running at 10mbps? Should be at least 100! 10 is archaic to say the least. Is this a T4X machine? It has a Gigabit card (1Kmbps) card in it and is capable of much faster file transfers!

Regards,

James

[zver17]

yes - its a T42. i am not sure why the ethernet is only 10mbps. I obtained this info from the 'networking' tab - is it a reliable indicator? When using SSH over the network is says file transfers of 1000 kB/sec, which is consistent with 10mbps.

Incidentally, in a nutshell, what governs the speed of a network? is it the type of ethernet cable, or router, or network storage?. Sorry if this thread is drifting from the original topic, but its turning very informative for me!

[Leon]

It will run at the speed of the slowest component (i.e. if ANY link in your network is rated at 10 instead of 100mbs, then your connection will run at 10).

[JHEM]

It will run at the speed of the slowest component (i.e. if ANY link in your network is rated at 10 instead of 100mbs, then your connection will run at 10).

As Leon has pointed out, something is choking your network.

Time to get your IT folks to start unplugging suspects until the culprit is found! Won't be a system (laptop or desktop) connected to the network, but rather some portion of the pipeline, e.g. router, hub, server, etc.

Regards,

James