Ethernet and WIFI at the same time. Need LAN for server access and Wifi for internet. How?

[TheAdster]

Hello world!

So I've had this issue for quite a while and it's time I get it fixed. I do work for several events doing access control for them, our system is a series of laptops. We have a laptop that has a MS Access database on it, and a handful of clients. We also utilize a special printer which is required to be hard wired. Basically, to keep this system operating, we need to connect everything via hardwire ethernet. That has its own set of problems, with the connection being an "Unidentified Network" unless I put in a gateway IP address. This allows me to use HomeShare to share the folder with the database on it.

The problem comes in with WiFi. A lot of the venues I work at have WiFi for Internet, but when using a hardwired connection, the WiFi internet doesn't work. This has bothered me for years and I'd like to get to the bottom of it.

How can I use Ethernet and Wifi simultaneously? WiFi would be for Internet and the LAN would be for Database usage. This works great with Windows XP but with the upgrade to Windows 8, LAN connections need to be identifies with a Gateway (as far as I know).

Thank you all!

 

[kanewolf]

Your WIRED connections should all be static IPs and NO default gateway defined for them. WIFI continues as DHCP. The private subnet for the two MUST be different.

 

[TheAdster]

Your WIRED connections should all be static IPs and NO default gateway defined for them. WIFI continues as DHCP. The private subnet for the two MUST be different.

I do use static IP's, but the problem is that if I do not put in a gateway for the LAN adapter, Windows shows it as an "Unidentified Network" and sets it to be Public, without the ability to change it. I've searched high and low trying to figure out that problem, but it's just a simple network with Cat6 cables and a few switches. If it's not set to a private network, HomeShare doesn't work.

Weird problem eh?

 

[kanewolf]

Have you read this article -- http://www.tekrevue.com/tip/change-network-location-windows-8/ I don't have Win 8 to test with ...

Or this powershell method -- http://blogs.msmvps.com/russel/2013/12/29/set-network-location-to-private-in-windows-8-1server-2012-r2/

 

[TheAdster]

Have you read this article -- http://www.tekrevue.com/tip/change-network-location-windows-8/ I don't have Win 8 to test with ...

Or this powershell method -- http://blogs.msmvps.com/russel/2013/12/29/set-network-location-to-private-in-windows-8-1server-2012-r2/

Thanks for your reply!

Yeah, I've tried those solutions as well. The main problem is the "Unidentified Network" that Windows assigns the LAN connection. Because of that, Windows doesn't create a network profile for the connection so I can't change it to a Private network (either through the registry or other methods).

 

[HopeMcCloud]

Your WIRED connections should all be static IPs and NO default gateway defined for them. WIFI continues as DHCP. The private subnet for the two MUST be different.

I do use static IP's, but the problem is that if I do not put in a gateway for the LAN adapter, Windows shows it as an "Unidentified Network" and sets it to be Public, without the ability to change it. I've searched high and low trying to figure out that problem, but it's just a simple network with Cat6 cables and a few switches. If it's not set to a private network, HomeShare doesn't work.

Weird problem eh?

Well all I really wanted to do was say THANK YOU !!!!

We had three WIndows7 PC's and a Network Printer on the LAN and wi-fi network to satellite for internet access. One Windows7 PC was upgraded to Windows10 PC and while it recognized the printer, nothing would print, not even a test page. As you say, the LAN was Unidentified Public. By changing the LAN to static IP it became an identified Work Network, and now documents would print.

HOWEVER - links stopped functioning in Internet Explorer. I suspected the DNS Server settings, but YOUR solution to eliminate the default Gateway seems to have worked.

Note - I still have the Default Gateway configured on the two Windows7 PC's and they work with that configuration.

Not that I care, but why would Microsoft think this needed to change between 7 and 10?

THANKS AGAIN!

 

[HopeMcCloud]

Thank you!