wifi setup with 2 cards

I have a built in wifi card in my laptop that I used to set up an adhoc
network with my printer. I will be buying another wifi card, more powerful
and with antenna to be able to use the wifi interent service in our marina.
My current wifi card is not sensitive enough inside the boat for good
connections to the interent. How can I set it up so that the new card
connects to the local wifi provider while my original wifi card only connects
to the printer.

Is this even possible. I don't have a router or other access point and have
no plans to buy any. I have very limited networking knowledge to begin with.

--
thanks in advance

Vern

I was hoping someone with a sure fire experience would answer this, but
.............

So, I'll give you the answer you don't want to hear - maybe.

Theoretically, there is no particular reason that your proposed setup would
not work, and Windows XP SP2 wireless zero supports two simultaneous
wireless connections. In practice the only time I tried this I was able to
establish a wireless connection to both networks using XP's native
capability. But, performance was flaky with multiple dropped connections,
reconnects, etc. I was finally able to get good results by disabling
wireless zero and using the connection software provided by the adapter
manufacturers - having two different manufacturers is probably an advantage
here.

Make sure your ad hoc network uses a different channel from the marina's
Internet service. You should have little problem distinguishing between the
two adapters or identifying the two networks. Most software including XP
provides settings to allow you to control auto connection, preferred
networks, etc on per adapter basis.

Also, if you get this working, you might want to consider enabling Internet
Connection Sharing (ICS) on the new adapter. This would allow a partner or
guests with laptops on your boat to connect to your ad hoc network and share
the Internet connection. Also, a boat is an ideal platform for an external
high gain antenna, but like all boat stuff this usually winds up being a
custom installation with extra hardware expenses.

Doug Sherman
MCSE, MCSA, MCP+I, MVP

"vern" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:08FC17F8-8DD7-481A-9908-(E-Mail Removed)...
> I have a built in wifi card in my laptop that I used to set up an adhoc
> network with my printer. I will be buying another wifi card, more
powerful
> and with antenna to be able to use the wifi interent service in our
marina.
> My current wifi card is not sensitive enough inside the boat for good
> connections to the interent. How can I set it up so that the new card
> connects to the local wifi provider while my original wifi card only
connects
> to the printer.
>
> Is this even possible. I don't have a router or other access point and
have
> no plans to buy any. I have very limited networking knowledge to begin
with.
>
> --
> thanks in advance
>
> Vern

Thanks Doug, I actually got it to work with only a few headaches during the
process.

"Doug Sherman [MVP]" wrote:

> I was hoping someone with a sure fire experience would answer this, but
> .............
>
> So, I'll give you the answer you don't want to hear - maybe.
>
> Theoretically, there is no particular reason that your proposed setup would
> not work, and Windows XP SP2 wireless zero supports two simultaneous
> wireless connections. In practice the only time I tried this I was able to
> establish a wireless connection to both networks using XP's native
> capability. But, performance was flaky with multiple dropped connections,
> reconnects, etc. I was finally able to get good results by disabling
> wireless zero and using the connection software provided by the adapter
> manufacturers - having two different manufacturers is probably an advantage
> here.
>
> Make sure your ad hoc network uses a different channel from the marina's
> Internet service. You should have little problem distinguishing between the
> two adapters or identifying the two networks. Most software including XP
> provides settings to allow you to control auto connection, preferred
> networks, etc on per adapter basis.
>
> Also, if you get this working, you might want to consider enabling Internet
> Connection Sharing (ICS) on the new adapter. This would allow a partner or
> guests with laptops on your boat to connect to your ad hoc network and share
> the Internet connection. Also, a boat is an ideal platform for an external
> high gain antenna, but like all boat stuff this usually winds up being a
> custom installation with extra hardware expenses.
>
> Doug Sherman
> MCSE, MCSA, MCP+I, MVP
>
> "vern" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:08FC17F8-8DD7-481A-9908-(E-Mail Removed)...
> > I have a built in wifi card in my laptop that I used to set up an adhoc
> > network with my printer. I will be buying another wifi card, more
> powerful
> > and with antenna to be able to use the wifi interent service in our
> marina.
> > My current wifi card is not sensitive enough inside the boat for good
> > connections to the interent. How can I set it up so that the new card
> > connects to the local wifi provider while my original wifi card only
> connects
> > to the printer.
> >
> > Is this even possible. I don't have a router or other access point and
> have
> > no plans to buy any. I have very limited networking knowledge to begin
> with.
> >
> > --
> > thanks in advance
> >
> > Vern
>
>
>

Go get 'em, Vern!

Doug Sherman
MCSE, MCSA, MCP+I, MVP

"vern" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:2CB6AACB-CEB2-4608-AC45-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Thanks Doug, I actually got it to work with only a few headaches during
the
> process.
>
> "Doug Sherman [MVP]" wrote:
>
> > I was hoping someone with a sure fire experience would answer this, but
> > .............
> >
> > So, I'll give you the answer you don't want to hear - maybe.
> >
> > Theoretically, there is no particular reason that your proposed setup
would
> > not work, and Windows XP SP2 wireless zero supports two simultaneous
> > wireless connections. In practice the only time I tried this I was able
to
> > establish a wireless connection to both networks using XP's native
> > capability. But, performance was flaky with multiple dropped
connections,
> > reconnects, etc. I was finally able to get good results by disabling
> > wireless zero and using the connection software provided by the adapter
> > manufacturers - having two different manufacturers is probably an
advantage
> > here.
> >
> > Make sure your ad hoc network uses a different channel from the marina's
> > Internet service. You should have little problem distinguishing between
the
> > two adapters or identifying the two networks. Most software including
XP
> > provides settings to allow you to control auto connection, preferred
> > networks, etc on per adapter basis.
> >
> > Also, if you get this working, you might want to consider enabling
Internet
> > Connection Sharing (ICS) on the new adapter. This would allow a partner
or
> > guests with laptops on your boat to connect to your ad hoc network and
share
> > the Internet connection. Also, a boat is an ideal platform for an
external
> > high gain antenna, but like all boat stuff this usually winds up being a
> > custom installation with extra hardware expenses.
> >
> > Doug Sherman
> > MCSE, MCSA, MCP+I, MVP
> >
> > "vern" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> > news:08FC17F8-8DD7-481A-9908-(E-Mail Removed)...
> > > I have a built in wifi card in my laptop that I used to set up an
adhoc
> > > network with my printer. I will be buying another wifi card, more
> > powerful
> > > and with antenna to be able to use the wifi interent service in our
> > marina.
> > > My current wifi card is not sensitive enough inside the boat for good
> > > connections to the interent. How can I set it up so that the new
card
> > > connects to the local wifi provider while my original wifi card only
> > connects
> > > to the printer.
> > >
> > > Is this even possible. I don't have a router or other access point
and
> > have
> > > no plans to buy any. I have very limited networking knowledge to
begin
> > with.
> > >
> > > --
> > > thanks in advance
> > >
> > > Vern
> >
> >
> >