How to swap between two network connections

I've got two users who work between the main site and a remote office. They
want to use their laptops to communicate with main office through remote
desktop when they are at the remote office. the main site uses fixed Ip
addreses, the remote one has single phone point with home type broadband (no
fixed Ip). So - if I setup two different ntwork connection icons, how can
they easily swap between the two? (Windows XP sp2)

Look at NetSwitcher as a $$$$ solution...

http://www.netswitcher.com/

....or the built-in to XP alternate network solution...

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/283676/en-us

--

Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows – Desktop User Experience)

Please post *ALL* questions and replies to the news group for the
mutual benefit of all of us...
The MS-MVP Program - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights...
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375

"AlanTerrill" <AlanTerrill@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:839AEB03-A1A2-47FE-9149-56D6FA2EC760@microsoft.com...
> I've got two users who work between the main site and a remote office.
> They
> want to use their laptops to communicate with main office through remote
> desktop when they are at the remote office. the main site uses fixed Ip
> addreses, the remote one has single phone point with home type broadband
> (no
> fixed Ip). So - if I setup two different ntwork connection icons, how can
> they easily swap between the two? (Windows XP sp2)

Many thanks - I'm a little surprised you have to buy an add-on to make it
simpler - does Vista improve on this?

Alan

"Sooner Al [MVP]" wrote:

> Look at NetSwitcher as a $$$$ solution...
>
> http://www.netswitcher.com/
>
> ...or the built-in to XP alternate network solution...
>
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/283676/en-us
>
> --
>
> Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows – Desktop User Experience)
>
> Please post *ALL* questions and replies to the news group for the
> mutual benefit of all of us...
> The MS-MVP Program - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
> rights...
> How to ask a question
> http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375
>
> "AlanTerrill" <AlanTerrill@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:839AEB03-A1A2-47FE-9149-56D6FA2EC760@microsoft.com...
> > I've got two users who work between the main site and a remote office.
> > They
> > want to use their laptops to communicate with main office through remote
> > desktop when they are at the remote office. the main site uses fixed Ip
> > addreses, the remote one has single phone point with home type broadband
> > (no
> > fixed Ip). So - if I setup two different ntwork connection icons, how can
> > they easily swap between the two? (Windows XP sp2)
>

No, but have you tried the built-in alternate method?

--

Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows – Desktop User Experience)

Please post *ALL* questions and replies to the news group for the
mutual benefit of all of us...
The MS-MVP Program - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights...
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375

"AlanTerrill" <AlanTerrill@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news8281493-239F-4E05-A476-5AE4173E8BFB@microsoft.com...
> Many thanks - I'm a little surprised you have to buy an add-on to make it
> simpler - does Vista improve on this?
>
> Alan
>
> "Sooner Al [MVP]" wrote:
>
>> Look at NetSwitcher as a $$$$ solution...
>>
>> http://www.netswitcher.com/
>>
>> ...or the built-in to XP alternate network solution...
>>
>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/283676/en-us
>>
>> --
>>
>> Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows – Desktop User Experience)
>>
>> Please post *ALL* questions and replies to the news group for the
>> mutual benefit of all of us...
>> The MS-MVP Program - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
>> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
>> rights...
>> How to ask a question
>> http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375
>>
>> "AlanTerrill" <AlanTerrill@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:839AEB03-A1A2-47FE-9149-56D6FA2EC760@microsoft.com...
>> > I've got two users who work between the main site and a remote office.
>> > They
>> > want to use their laptops to communicate with main office through
>> > remote
>> > desktop when they are at the remote office. the main site uses fixed Ip
>> > addreses, the remote one has single phone point with home type
>> > broadband
>> > (no
>> > fixed Ip). So - if I setup two different ntwork connection icons, how
>> > can
>> > they easily swap between the two? (Windows XP sp2)
>>

I've still not succeeded in getting this to work - the link you provided for
the alternate configuration feature refers toa tab that I don't have - I'm
using XP Pro SP2, but if if open Network Connections, select the connection,
then TCP/IP and properties- I have only one General tab -if I click on
Advanced I get IP settings/DNS/Wins/Options tabs, but nothing labelled
'alternate configuration'. Any cluesas to whre I can find this?

"Sooner Al [MVP]" wrote:

> No, but have you tried the built-in alternate method?
>
> --
>
> Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows – Desktop User Experience)
>
> Please post *ALL* questions and replies to the news group for the
> mutual benefit of all of us...
> The MS-MVP Program - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
> rights...
> How to ask a question
> http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375
>
> "AlanTerrill" <AlanTerrill@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news8281493-239F-4E05-A476-5AE4173E8BFB@microsoft.com...
> > Many thanks - I'm a little surprised you have to buy an add-on to make it
> > simpler - does Vista improve on this?
> >
> > Alan
> >
> > "Sooner Al [MVP]" wrote:
> >
> >> Look at NetSwitcher as a $$$$ solution...
> >>
> >> http://www.netswitcher.com/
> >>
> >> ...or the built-in to XP alternate network solution...
> >>
> >> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/283676/en-us
> >>
> >> --
> >>
> >> Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows – Desktop User Experience)
> >>
> >> Please post *ALL* questions and replies to the news group for the
> >> mutual benefit of all of us...
> >> The MS-MVP Program - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
> >> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
> >> rights...
> >> How to ask a question
> >> http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375
> >>
> >> "AlanTerrill" <AlanTerrill@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >> news:839AEB03-A1A2-47FE-9149-56D6FA2EC760@microsoft.com...
> >> > I've got two users who work between the main site and a remote office.
> >> > They
> >> > want to use their laptops to communicate with main office through
> >> > remote
> >> > desktop when they are at the remote office. the main site uses fixed Ip
> >> > addreses, the remote one has single phone point with home type
> >> > broadband
> >> > (no
> >> > fixed Ip). So - if I setup two different ntwork connection icons, how
> >> > can
> >> > they easily swap between the two? (Windows XP sp2)
> >>
>

Ok -you may ignore this. I now see you have to set the network settings to
'obtain a network address automatically' first, and then the 'alternate
configuration' tab appears with fields for all the fixed Ip settings. It now
works!

"AlanTerrill" wrote:

> I've still not succeeded in getting this to work - the link you provided for
> the alternate configuration feature refers toa tab that I don't have - I'm
> using XP Pro SP2, but if if open Network Connections, select the connection,
> then TCP/IP and properties- I have only one General tab -if I click on
> Advanced I get IP settings/DNS/Wins/Options tabs, but nothing labelled
> 'alternate configuration'. Any cluesas to whre I can find this?
>
> "Sooner Al [MVP]" wrote:
>
> > No, but have you tried the built-in alternate method?
> >
> > --
> >
> > Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows – Desktop User Experience)
> >
> > Please post *ALL* questions and replies to the news group for the
> > mutual benefit of all of us...
> > The MS-MVP Program - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
> > This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
> > rights...
> > How to ask a question
> > http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375
> >
> > "AlanTerrill" <AlanTerrill@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > news8281493-239F-4E05-A476-5AE4173E8BFB@microsoft.com...
> > > Many thanks - I'm a little surprised you have to buy an add-on to make it
> > > simpler - does Vista improve on this?
> > >
> > > Alan
> > >
> > > "Sooner Al [MVP]" wrote:
> > >
> > >> Look at NetSwitcher as a $$$$ solution...
> > >>
> > >> http://www.netswitcher.com/
> > >>
> > >> ...or the built-in to XP alternate network solution...
> > >>
> > >> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/283676/en-us
> > >>
> > >> --
> > >>
> > >> Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows – Desktop User Experience)
> > >>
> > >> Please post *ALL* questions and replies to the news group for the
> > >> mutual benefit of all of us...
> > >> The MS-MVP Program - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
> > >> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
> > >> rights...
> > >> How to ask a question
> > >> http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375
> > >>
> > >> "AlanTerrill" <AlanTerrill@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > >> news:839AEB03-A1A2-47FE-9149-56D6FA2EC760@microsoft.com...
> > >> > I've got two users who work between the main site and a remote office.
> > >> > They
> > >> > want to use their laptops to communicate with main office through
> > >> > remote
> > >> > desktop when they are at the remote office. the main site uses fixed Ip
> > >> > addreses, the remote one has single phone point with home type
> > >> > broadband
> > >> > (no
> > >> > fixed Ip). So - if I setup two different ntwork connection icons, how
> > >> > can
> > >> > they easily swap between the two? (Windows XP sp2)
> > >>
> >