[RjBass]

Hey all, I have a couple clients who have laptops that they bring to and from the office everyday.

The problem that they face is that they have to manually input the ip address and dns server address everytime they get into the office, and chage them back to \'obtain ip address automaticly" when they are out of the office.

Since the laptop users are not the most computer savy people in the world, this usually leads to issues in which I get the dreaded phone call and have to go out of my way during the day to get them configured correctly to work on the office network.

I have attempted to create multiple network connections using their wireless nics, but I beleive I am missing something as XP Pro won't let me do that. Is their a way to save certain settings to work in various places, something easy so that all they have to do is click on an icon to connect properly to the network that they are on?

Thanks for your time.

[Advertisements]

In 99% of cases, a static IP address works on a network set up to dish out dynamic IPs. Therefore an ideal solution, assuming both networks have the same gateways and network range, fix one IP address which works on both networks.

[Neil Jones]

In 99% of cases, a static IP address works on a network set up to dish out dynamic IPs. Therefore an ideal solution, assuming both networks have the same gateways and network range, fix one IP address which works on both networks.

[RjBass]

Ya I wish it were that simple.

My girlfriend for instance is one of the users with a laptop. She is more computer savvy and thus doesn't need the extra help when it comes to configuring her network settings. Regardless, if her laptop is set up on the office network with a static ip. The default gateway, dns server etc... all have to be manually input into the settings. But when said laptop is brought home from the office, it won't connect to our home network or the Internet. The home router, wants to issue a different IP and the dns server is also different.

The same holds true for her boss, and her co-worker who also have laptops that they bring to and from the office. Neither can connect to their home networks because the dns server is not the same (and nor would it be) and their home routers want to set their own IP addresses and it won't recognise the static ip from the office.

[Neil Jones]

Reconfigure the home router settings in the routers so they use the same network ranges at home as they do at work.

This way you can permanently assign static IP addresses.

Alternatively, if the laptops are set up for DHCP (as they usually are out of the box), then the routers at work should also be set up to dish out IP addresses on a DHCP basis, as they probably are at home. This is the easiest solution because then the laptops get their IP addresses automatically without need for altering anything else.

[RjBass]

Ok two problems with that.

On my home router I can configure it all day long to work with her laptop. Thats no biggie. But for her boss, that will cost him extra money, and being the very tight penny pincher he is, he won't do it, but yet will still expect me to correct the situation on the current allotment of hours he bugets for every month.

So if their is another way, say to set up multiple wireless accounts to work off the same nic, that would be awesome.

[Neil Jones]

Go to Control Panel -> Network Connections -> Right-click your Wireless Connection -> Properties and view the properties of Internet Protocol TCP/IP. On this screen is a tab called "Alternative Configuration".

On this page you can set up the fixed IP addresses needed that the machines will use when there's no DHCP available.

[RjBass]

Thanks, that did the trick.