Wireless Networks

[tdewey7]

Okay, so this may be in the wrong section, and if so i apologize. My situation is... I have a Strand Lighting Preset Palette II at my school, which i put on it's own wireless network without internet access for Remote Palette use. Now my school has a pre-existing network with internet access. What i am wondering is: Can i access one network for internet while still accessing the local network with the Remote Palette software using my Windows Vista Laptop with a built in wireless adapter?

I found a piece of software called VirtualWifi and i think this might do it, but the process seems vague and someone out there might be able to help me so i figured i'd ask. Any input is appreciated, even suggestions of a different method.

Thank you very much
~Trevor

 

[Footer]

No. You can only have one IP address on a single device at a time. You could buy another wireless card for your laptop or get a wired connection for either network. Two networks, two separate cards.

 

[Sony]

Like footer said, No, even if you had both a wired and wireless connection active at the same time, the computer will always default to one of the two connections (Almost always the wired connection.) The program being used would need to be programmed to be able to choose which connection to use and VERY FEW programs can do that and pretty much no lighting programs I know of can. Computers with two wired connections only have such for redundancy, if one connection fails it switches to the second instantaneously. Some certain programs will utilize multiple network cards for things like firewalls and VPN servers where the computer actually is physically placed between the LAN and the WAN for protection purposes.

 

[tdewey7]

No. You can only have one IP address on a single device at a time. You could buy another wireless card for your laptop or get a wired connection for either network. Two networks, two separate cards.

This software is supposed to be able to accomplish connecting to two networks with one wireless adapter. This article explains it a little: Multiple Wireless Networks with one Wi-Fi Card! — The NeoSmart Files

Also, a wired network is not an option because the school's router is bolted to the wall and inaccessible. The other network was created to use the freedom of wireless access so it would ruin the purpose to make it wired.

Also, i could use another wireless adapter, but this software gave me hope of not having to. And i don't quite know how to set that up either.

Thank you for the quick response.
~Trevor

 

[Chris15]

Like footer said, No, even if you had both a wired and wireless connection active at the same time, the computer will always default to one of the two connections (Almost always the wired connection.) The program being used would need to be programmed to be able to choose which connection to use and VERY FEW programs can do that and pretty much no lighting programs I know of can. Computers with two wired connections only have such for redundancy, if one connection fails it switches to the second instantaneously. Some certain programs will utilize multiple network cards for things like firewalls and VPN servers where the computer actually is physically placed between the LAN and the WAN for protection purposes.

Um, when the two are connected to different networks, you can get to the point of being able to access both. For instance, last week I had my laptop setup with it's main connection being via 3G to the web but also having it's wired LAN connected to a network, I had to manually set the IP and leave out the default gateway, but a tech overseas could use my laptop to troubleshoot that wired network (by directly going to the relevant IP).

If you couldn't route traffic between multiple interfaces then you wouldn't be able to establish a VPN connection on your laptop now...

 

[phenry]

I do this exact thing in my office. I have my laptop wireless card set for static ip connected to my lighting network and my wired connection set for DHCP and connected to the interwebs. I run windows 7, so I don’t know if XP handles thing differently, but I can go to control booth on one tab and log into my C21 rack in another tab in the same firefox window. I would wager that two wireless cards would work the same. You can pick up a usb wireless card for like $20 - $30 these days, so that is probably an easier solution than using a software solution. On the other hand, if the software is free, probably no harm in trying…

 

[zmb]

Windows XP has something similar to what P. Henry describes. However, I don't remember how to set it up and don't have an XP computer right now to try with.

 

[Anonymous067]

Like footer said, No, even if you had both a wired and wireless connection active at the same time, the computer will always default to one of the two connections (Almost always the wired connection.) The program being used would need to be programmed to be able to choose which connection to use and VERY FEW programs can do that and pretty much no lighting programs I know of can. Computers with two wired connections only have such for redundancy, if one connection fails it switches to the second instantaneously. Some certain programs will utilize multiple network cards for things like firewalls and VPN servers where the computer actually is physically placed between the LAN and the WAN for protection purposes.

Wireless Workbench allows you to pick the network!

 

[Footer]

This software is supposed to be able to accomplish connecting to two networks with one wireless adapter. This article explains it a little: Multiple Wireless Networks with one Wi-Fi Card! — The NeoSmart Files

Also, a wired network is not an option because the school's router is bolted to the wall and inaccessible. The other network was created to use the freedom of wireless access so it would ruin the purpose to make it wired.

Also, i could use another wireless adapter, but this software gave me hope of not having to. And i don't quite know how to set that up either.

Thank you for the quick response.
~Trevor

That software is 5-6 years old. It only works with windows XP, if it still works at all. Modern wifi drivers might not work with it anymore. Long in the tooth on this one is an understatement. You can give it a try if you still have an XP machine laying around but it won't work with Windows 7.