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I have two very separate networks that I'd like to monitor with one computer.

I am working on creating a simple windows form app that monitors the availability of each network by pinging a server downstream of each network.

What I'd like to do is plug a network cable from the router of one network to the Ethernet port on the laptop, and wirelessly connect to the other network. Or is there a better way?

But when a network cable is plugged in, the wireless on the laptop turns off.

Is there a way (preferable Programmatically) to keep the wireless AND the Ethernet card on and active at the same time?

I'm using Vista at the moment, if that matters.

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Try serverfault instead (or as well as) - this sounds less of a programming question and more of a networking one. – Will A Jul 18 '10 at 0:50
The OP is after a program-attic way though so could be a grey area. – Martin Smith Jul 18 '10 at 0:56
You may want to use a small switch to plug into both networks from your LAN card, and set it up with IP addresses from both network subnets. – devstuff Jul 18 '10 at 1:15
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4 Answers

up vote 1 down vote

But when a network cable is plugged in, the wireless on the laptop turns off.

This really shouldn't happen. Or since it does, it sounds like a hardware limitation of your laptop.

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The manufacturer's site may also have updated drivers or firmware to solve this issue, or an associated forum. – devstuff Jul 18 '10 at 1:12
wow, really? so are you saying that if I connected wirelessly to one network, then cable to the other network, then do a 'ipcofig /release' then a 'renew', it would reestablish an ipaddress on each network? If so, then I could probably simply direct my pings to the appropriate network adapter in c#. that would be sweet. To tell the truth, I just assumed it wouldn't since the other icon disappears when the network cable is plugged in. – Steve H Jul 18 '10 at 1:13
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up vote 0 down vote

Since it looks like you are using DHCP for both connections, check whether you are getting conflicting leases (say, IPs in the same subnet) on both interfaces. That would mess up the routing table.

Also, paste the output of ipconfig /all into your question.

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it will have to wait til monday when I get to work. But the probelm may not be real, i may have demonstrated ignorance here and jumped to the conclusion it turns off when my cable gets plugged in. I'll check monday. thank you for responding though. – Steve H Jul 18 '10 at 1:22
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up vote 0 down vote

I am using Vista and can ping the routers to both of my networks. I am running Vista Ultimate from a Desktop, with both a wireless and a wired network.

C:\Users\romain>ping 192.168.0.1

Pinging 192.168.0.1 with 32 bytes of data: Reply from 192.168.0.1: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64 Reply from 192.168.0.1: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64 Reply from 192.168.0.1: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64 Reply from 192.168.0.1: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64

Ping statistics for 192.168.0.1: Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss), Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds: Minimum = 0ms, Maximum = 0ms, Average = 0ms

C:\Users\romain>ping 192.168.1.1

Pinging 192.168.1.1 with 32 bytes of data: Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64 Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64 Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=2ms TTL=64 Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64

Ping statistics for 192.168.1.1: Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss), Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds: Minimum = 1ms, Maximum = 2ms, Average = 1ms

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up vote 0 down vote

You can definitely do it and it's as simple as connecting to both of them at the same time. Plug the network cable in and then connect in the wireless utilities. I know from personal experience that windows can support this and it will send packets out the interface that is connected to the appropriate network (in all honesty I'm not sure how it handles the decision when the target is not connected to either network ie which one gets priority). With regards to it automatically turning off, that's a driver/network utility issue designed to help reduce power consumption (my ThinkPad does it). If you can't find a way to turn that off, see if you can find a driver through another vendor.

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