interesting dilemma

[WCharlier]

I have a laptop user who has offices in two locations. Because of a certain software package, networking must be configured with static addresses. Naturally, the two locations are not in the same segment. Is there a way to set the machine up so that it uses one address at one location and a different address in the second? The only soliution I can think of is to put a PCI network card in the one docking station (He will have a separate dock in both sites) configure that to one address and the onboard to the other, then use mulitple hardware profiles to prevent the PCI card from erroring out when the laptop is in the second dock. Is there a better or easier way?

 

[czarj]

Why not just set up two "network connections" on the laptop (I am assuming this is a windows machine)? That way he can just connect manually to whatever one is appropriate. Or if this is not a technical person set up two windows users account, one for each location, and have the appropriate network connection set up for each account? In that scenario all the user has to do is boot up to the right profile based on where he is.

~CzarJ

Ahhh...the power of cheese.

Start --> Control Panel --> Network Connections --> Create New Connection

 

[aznluvsmc]

I think your idea is good. Using 2 hardware profiles for each location is excellent. If the docking station has built-in NIC (I know Dells do) then you can plug the laptop into the docking station and statically assign it an IP address. When the user plugs the laptop back in, docking station's NIC will take effect. Do this for both docking stations.

_______________
Doing IT Right!

 

[Lemon13]

if he´s using xp, yes, there you can give one connection an alternative setting (like if you dont find 1 try b).

if he´s not in a domain theres a cmdline tool called netsh in w2k(xp?). type netsh /? in cmd for more information or come back here.
with this you can create 2(or more) profiles with different settings and switch btw them by a scipt (even without reboot).
the problem is its not working if you have to switch btw domains.
therefor you have prof. tools like netswitcher, they also work with domains.

solution 1/2 doesnt cost you a thing, netswitcher is around 15$ (alir)

i hope that helps you

 

[bowfonz]

Though I have never tested this, the "How To" for Alternate Configuration says it's for when the main configuration is DHCP and it doesn't find the DHCP server it'll jump over and use the alternate. So it may not work with the main config being a fixed IP.

 

[smah]

Use Netswitcher:

http://www.netswitcher.com