Thinkpads Forum

Hi all.

I hope someone can help with my query - I've searched but can't find anything.

On my old Thinkpad T42 I can use Access Connections (v4.42, in XP) to simultaneously connect to two networks. One is a wifi and the other is ethernet. The wifi profile is set to not disconnect when another profile is launched. Access Connections quite happily connects to both, and I use the ROUTE command to direct specific traffic down the wifi link.

My new laptop is a Thinkpad T61p, running Vista and Access Connections 4.52. I've duplicated the settings for my profiles. However, despite my wireless profile being set to not disconnect, as soon as I launch the ethernet profile, it does just that!

If anyone else has experienced this issue, or has a possible solution, then I look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks in advance.
Andy

I am no expert, and I actually know only one or two persons who could route traffic down two different live connections, so this question does not come up very often.

Here is an observation, however, that plays into it:
The network connectoids in the system tray are unique and one-to-one for each connection type. That is, right now I see my wired icon connected, my wireless icon disconnected, and if I chose to PPPtP into a client, I would see a third connectoid.

In Vista, these connectoids merge into one and the traffic connection is much more automatic. Access Connections 4.52 is geared to that method from what I can see.

So whether Vista or XP, the newer connection methods are limiting what you do in order to provide better automation with good reliability.

Purely a conjecture on my part, as I do not know for sure.
... JDH

Hi there, and thanks for the reply.

Interesting observation, and certainly one I hadn't noticed!

So it looks like the problem might not be Thinkpad/Access Connections related at all, but possibly a Vista 'feature' ?

I'll investigate that avenue, and in the meantime if anyone else has any advise it would be gratefully received!

Thanks again.

I sometimes set up some temporary routes myself, and my two encounters with doing this on Vista resulted in failure. Vista kept acting as if the routes weren't there... so possibly even if you activate both connections (I did so on laptops without AC), you might find one more obstacle. I can only say that 10 minutes wasn't enough to resolve it.

pretty sure this is a Vista limitation. MS considers multihoming to be a server feature - not available on workstations.

I could understand that being the case in something like Vista Home - but not in Ultimate surely.

I've posted a question at Experts Exchange to see what their Vista experts come up with.

Cheers