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Multiple Wifi Adapters with Windows 10

GrumpyCrawdad9
By GrumpyCrawdad9
in Networking
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Go to solution Solved by RockSolid1106,
1 minute ago, TehDwonz said:

Don't do that in a corporate environment, it's likely a breach of their IT policy.

Agree. You might get into trouble.

Posted

I have questions about Windows 10 1909 and how it manages multiple wireless adapters and networks. I have about 2 Wifi adapters. They are connected to two separate SSIDs, Two separate Networks, One is our internal corporate network, the other is MIFI. The operating system seems to only connect to one at a time even though they are both set to "connect automatically."  Any thought or ideas would be appreciated. If you have any questions, let me know.

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10 minutes ago, GrumpyCrawdad9 said:

I have questions about Windows 10 1909 and how it manages multiple wireless adapters and networks. I have about 2 Wifi adapters. They are connected to two separate SSIDs, Two separate Networks, One is our internal corporate network, the other is MIFI. The operating system seems to only connect to one at a time even though they are both set to "connect automatically."  Any thought or ideas would be appreciated. If you have any questions, let me know.

If you want to connect to both at the same time, go to control panel, network and internet, network and sharing center, and then hit change adapter settings. Right click on any one of your active adapters while they are connected to the internet and then click "Bridge connections". I think you will be able to do thereafter because I presently don't have two connections as you do. Hope this helps. I am not sure if this will work.

On 4/5/2024 at 10:13 PM, LAwLz said:

I am getting pretty fucking sick and tired of the "watch something else" responses. It's such a cop out answer because you could say that about basically anything, and it doesn't address the actual complaints. People use it as some kind of card they pull when they can't actually respond to the criticism raised but they still feel like they need to defend some company/person. If you don't like this thread then stop reading it. See how stupid it is? It's basically like telling someone "shut the fuck up". It's not a clever responsive, it doesn't address anything said, and it is rude. 

 ^

 

bruh switch to dark mode its at the bottom of this page

VPN Server Guide

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If you want to connect to both at the same time, go to control panel, network and internet, network and sharing center, and then hit change adapter settings. Right click on any one of your active adapters while they are connected to the internet and then click "Bridge connections". I think you will be able to do thereafter because I presently don't have two connections as you do. Hope this helps. I am not sure if this will work.

Don't do that in a corporate environment, it's likely a breach of their IT policy.

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1 minute ago, TehDwonz said:

Don't do that in a corporate environment, it's likely a breach of their IT policy.

Agree. You might get into trouble.

On 4/5/2024 at 10:13 PM, LAwLz said:

I am getting pretty fucking sick and tired of the "watch something else" responses. It's such a cop out answer because you could say that about basically anything, and it doesn't address the actual complaints. People use it as some kind of card they pull when they can't actually respond to the criticism raised but they still feel like they need to defend some company/person. If you don't like this thread then stop reading it. See how stupid it is? It's basically like telling someone "shut the fuck up". It's not a clever responsive, it doesn't address anything said, and it is rude. 

 ^

 

bruh switch to dark mode its at the bottom of this page

VPN Server Guide

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Agree. You might get into trouble.

Yeah, would have to talk to the IT dept. It can be done manually - using your own "route add" commands and some firewall rules to avoid letting the two networks see each other. But I don't know of any (competent) IT departments that would even allow that...

 

@GrumpyCrawdad9 does your employer know about, or allow, what you want to achieve? Don't want to post a solution that might get you fired.

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@TehDwonzI actually am the IT department. We use this in our mobile cars in conjunction with a product call Netmotion (similar to a VPN) which does all the traffic routing. We have been doing this for years, and haven't had any security breaches. We didn't have issues with earlier builds of Windows 10, cars would use the MIFI for connection in the field, and would pull in and connect to the wireless ap in the parking lot(to upload data from the computer). Recently with 1909, 1903, they are not connecting to it if the second adapter is connected to the MIFI. I am not looking to bridge the connections, it is more of the "connect automatically" feature that appears to not function when there is already a network connected wirelessly. 

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13 hours ago, GrumpyCrawdad9 said:

@TehDwonzI actually am the IT department. We use this in our mobile cars in conjunction with a product call Netmotion (similar to a VPN) which does all the traffic routing. We have been doing this for years, and haven't had any security breaches. We didn't have issues with earlier builds of Windows 10, cars would use the MIFI for connection in the field, and would pull in and connect to the wireless ap in the parking lot(to upload data from the computer). Recently with 1909, 1903, they are not connecting to it if the second adapter is connected to the MIFI. I am not looking to bridge the connections, it is more of the "connect automatically" feature that appears to not function when there is already a network connected wirelessly. 

Ah ok, that filled in some blanks 🙂 

 

Does the second adapter *have* to remain connected to MIFI once the car reaches the base-station for upload? If not, you could just use a single wifi adapter and set the SSID priority so that the MIFI is below the home-base one, with the roaming aggressiveness set accordingly. ie, when home comes in-range, drop MIFI and connect to base. Then connect to MIFI on leaving - if the aggressiveness is set high, it should switch before the signal is actually lost.

 

If it does have to remain on MIFI, then you might need to dig into the registry settings for each adapter and make sure the auto-connect is actually being set properly, as it could well be a bug with the Windows GUI settings not dealing with it properly.

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We have tried that will limited success. But in some situations, it is required to be connected to two or three separate SSID as they are program required.  We have tested another program called NetSetMan Pro that will change the networks based on signal strength, but it uses the "windows network API" and it doesn't appear to be updating/scanning frequently enough to see the change in signal or sometimes it just doesn't work altogether. 

 

We have been using multiple network adapters in the cars for years. Windows 7 didn't have this issue, but since Windows 7 support ended, we were forced to upgrade the computers to Windows 10. But with earlier versions of windows 10, we weren't running into this. so Microsoft must have changed something. 

 

I know we can't be the only organization that is running into this issue.

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  • 3 years later...
Posted

@GrumpyCrawdad9 Did you find a solution to your problem?

We have a server at a corporation and they won't give us access except with a Wifi (cell) adapter connected. But it stops the connection to the Ethernet once the adapter is connected. So we can TeamViewer in with the WiFi adapter, but the server stops sending information to the database because it can't see it.

I actually think it cant resolve the names because its using the wrong gateway. I just blanked out the gateway on the WiFi adapter and I got kicked. So that didn't work.

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