Is it possible, (and if so, how), can I enable my windows XP Pro PC to
connect to a wired and a wireless network simulatneously? The wired
ethernet work is my employer's intranet, and windows domain, which
allows me to access documents and printers on the company network. A
wireless network is also set up in the office, for outside customers
to access the internet when they are at our site. Right now, when I
want to access internet resources outside the company network (for
instance, use my university proxy server to access electronic
journals), i have to disable the wired network and the firewall, and
turn on the wireless connection. I would like to be able to connect to
both networks simultaneously, accessing all intranet resources through
my wired connection, and all external resources through the wireless.
I would prefer a software based solution over a hardware solution, if
one exists at all. Thanks!

Could you clarify some points:

*Why do you disable your wired connection when connecting to a
wireless connection?
*How do you disable your wired connection?
*What happens when you don't disable your wired connection and just
connect to your wireless network?


You should be able to connect to both networks at the same time. I
know since I have tried it many times. There is no limit to how many
networks you can connect to, provided you have enough network
adapters. As for accessing materials such as printers or web pages,
Windows will figure out which resource resides which network and
retrieve it automatically. It should be pretty seamless, you do not
need any special software or hardware.

I disable my wired connection by going to network properties, and
clicking on the properties of each connection (wired or wireless) and
the disabling it.
You're right, however. I dont need to disable my wired connection to
connect to a wireless one.

I tried your suggestion of just letting both the wired and wireless
connections be active together. Unfortunately, windows seems to be
unable to figure out which resources to access through which
connection automatically. For instance, when i have only my wired
connection on, i can access file sharing/printers and the exchange
server. As soon as i turn my wireless connection on, windows tries to
connect to all network resources through the wireless connection. Its
able to access the internet, of course, but fails to get to file
shares/printers etc on the company intranet. Seems like the wireless
connection takes precedence over the wired one..

How do you access your file sharing/printers? I'm guessing through My
Network Places, is that correct? If so, I don't understand why you
would not see shared files/printers.

You can however prevent Windows from looking in the Wireless
connection for shared resources. Here's how:

1) Go to "Network Connections". 
2) Right click the wireless connection. 
3) Select "Properties"
4) In "This connection uses the following items" panel, UNCHECK
"Client for Microsoft Networks" and "File and Printer Sharing for
Microsoft Networks"
5) OK, Close

Keep in mind this will disable shared resources through the wireless
connection. If you need to access shared resources on the wireless
connection, just recheck the options above.

I already have those options unchecked on my wireless connection. For
some reason,   as soon as I activate the wireless connection, i lose
the ability to share files and use printers and access the exchange
server.

I really appreciate all your ideas, though. Please keep them coming.

To further clarify: When the wireless connection is on, i get this
message when accessing a shared drive (mapped to G: on my machine)

An error occurred while reconnecting G: to \\*****\*** 
Microsoft Windows Network: The local device name is already in use,
the connection has not been restored

Sorry to say this, but I have run out of ideas. 

I don't understand why you would loose connection to your shares based
on which connections you have enabled.

And I don't understand this statement "The local device name is
already in use". Why would that connection be in use? And why only
when on the wireless connections?

Maybe you could try enabling different connections first. Such as
wireless first, then wired, etc. See if that makes a difference.

Hi,

You have to set up (static) routing in your pc:
type "route print" and "ipconfig /all" in a dos box to view your
routing and network settings when both of your networks are enabled.
It could be that you have both the same segments on both sides of your
network card.

Maybe you can solve this with static routing:
route add **servername** mask 255.255.255.255 gateway xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx IF 1 

the "IF 1" tell windows to find the server behind "INTERFACE 1"

try it, or post your "ipconfig /all" and "route print" from a dos box!

Success