Ethernet & WiFi
By Richard Rost
11 months ago
Use Wi-Fi for Internet Over Ethernet on Windows In this tutorial, I will show you how to set up your system to use both Ethernet and wireless Wi-Fi simultaneously. We'll address common issues like slow office LAN internet by enabling a dual-network solution, allowing you to maintain a wired connection for local network access while leveraging a faster Wi-Fi connection for internet browsing. I'll guide you through configuring Windows to prioritize networks, ensuring efficient internet usage without disconnecting from local resources. This setup is particularly useful if you're facing restricted access on your corporate network or simply require a faster connection for activities like watching online videos.
Keywords TechHelp Windows, how to use Ethernet and Wi-Fi together, prioritize internet connection Windows, improve office network speed, setup mobile hotspot for internet, prioritize Wi-Fi over LAN, configure Windows network adapters, manage Windows network priority settings, cellular backup internet configuration, connect to phone hotspot for internet, combining Ethernet and Wi-Fi network connections
Intro In this video, I will show you how to set up your Windows system to use both Ethernet and Wi-Fi connections at the same time. We'll talk about why you might want to use both, such as keeping fast local access to printers and servers over wired Ethernet while connecting to a faster or less restricted internet connection using a mobile hotspot over Wi-Fi. I'll walk you through configuring your phone's hotspot and adjusting Windows network settings to prioritize which connection is used for internet traffic, including how to disable the automatic metric and set adapter priorities in the Network and Sharing Center.Transcript Today, I'm going to show you how to set up your system to use both Ethernet and wireless Wi-Fi together at the same time. Why would you want to do this? Well, I'll explain why in just a minute.
Alright, here's the problem: slow internet on your office LAN. You need a wired Ethernet connection to access your local network resources, servers, printers, shared files, and other computers, that kind of stuff. Network storage. However, your internet connection over that LAN is slow or unreliable.
I hear from a lot of people who say they like to watch my videos at work, but their internet is atrocious either because their IT people are throttling it down or because their network is just slow. I have a unique situation which I'll talk about in a minute. So the solution is to use your phone or wireless internet if your laptop or your PC has a wireless adapter (most do), or you can purchase one very inexpensively.
You can connect to a faster Wi-Fi network, like your phone's hotspot for internet, while still staying connected to the office LAN for your local access. So you can still connect to the server, other computers, and network storage, that kind of stuff over the wired Ethernet.
Windows lets you prioritize which network to use for internet so you can have the best of both worlds. Now here's my setup, and this is why I had to set this up on my own network because recently I had a problem with my internet. Let me explain.
So, I've got a local area network wired setup in my home office with my laptop, server, printers, network storage, and so on. I prefer wired Ethernet for speed and security. There's nothing faster to copy files between machines or to your network storage than using a wired Ethernet. It's much faster than wireless.
I have Comcast Business Gigabit Ethernet, which is normally very fast and reliable. I'm usually very happy with it. It's connected to my network switch so the whole network gets internet. I don't like Comcast's wireless router that's built into their equipment, so I installed my own. I turned off their wireless, and I got my own TP-Link to provide Wi-Fi to the rest of the house. TVs, Alexa devices, that kind of stuff.
Now, I also have a cellular backup modem. It sits between my switch and the cable modem. So in the event that the main wired internet goes down, the cellular connection kicks in automatically. And this just happened to me last weekend on Sunday. It went down. It's been down for three days, and I'm waiting for them to come out tomorrow to fix it. Something's wrong either with the modem or the connection to the house or something.
So, I've been running on cellular internet for the last couple of days. It keeps things up and running like my server, and I can browse the web barely. I can check email and that kind of stuff, but it's painfully slow. No, I mean painfully slow, like 1990s slow. I uploaded a TechHelp video the other day. It was a 15-minute video. It took over two hours to upload to YouTube. Really slow.
So, this is where switching to your mobile hotspot on your cell phone comes in because the cellular modem kicks in automatically, and it can keep most other non-bandwidth-intensive things running. But then I can connect my laptop, which I need speed on, to my phone's hotspot. And it's much faster. It's still not as fast as my gigabit Ethernet, but it won't take two hours to upload a 15-minute video either. Normally, I get about a thousand down and 200 up, so this is doable. I can survive with this. I uploaded some videos this morning, and it took a few minutes, so it's not too bad.
So how do you do this? Well, first you get to set up a hotspot on your phone. And I do this a lot while I'm traveling too. If I have good cell service, I would rather use a hotspot on my phone with my laptop than get on hotel Wi-Fi. I don't trust hotel Wi-Fi. Too many people out there could be snooping. So, I like to set up my own secure connection.
Setting up an actual mobile hotspot is beyond the scope of this video. Since it's different for every phone, iPhones and Android devices are different. I don't use iPhones at all. I have a Samsung Flip 6. This is basically a Samsung Galaxy. Really easy to do. You go into settings, you search for mobile hotspot, you configure it, you give it a network name and a password. It's easy. My grandma could do it. Once it's turned on, your other devices will see it like any other Wi-Fi network.
Alright, so check your phone's documentation or do a quick web search or look for other YouTube videos. If enough of you want to see a tutorial on how to set up a mobile hotspot on a Galaxy phone or an Android phone in general, post a comment down below. I'll make one. I figure for most of the people who come to my channel, this is easy stuff. You can probably figure this out in about 10 minutes. And yes, I connected my Roku to it last night to watch TV before I went to bed. And yes, my laptop's name is Picard. Go figure.
Alright, so once you got your Wi-Fi hotspot set up and running on your phone and it's active, go to your laptop or your PC. Click on this little guy down here, your network connections down here, turn on your Wi-Fi connection, and then connect to the hotspot network that you just made. You'll type in your password, and it'll say connected security.
At this point, hold your mouse over the little Wi-Fi symbol, and you should see that you are connected to two networks now, your Wi-Fi and your LAN. Rixfone has my internet access. Network 2 is my LAN. Now the problem is that Windows doesn't always know which network to use for the internet. In my case, it was still using Network 2 for internet. That's the one it always uses. So, we have to manually configure the adapters and say, hey, for internet traffic, I want you to use Rixfone. It'll still use this one for file sharing and connecting to the server and all that stuff. But this is the one we want to use for the internet.
So, how do we do that? Go to your Control Panel. I get there by hitting the start button and then just typing in control in the search bar. Here you'll see Control Panel. Open up the Control Panel. You're going to go to Network and Internet and then the Network and Sharing Center and then click on Change Adapter Settings. You can see I got my two right here.
Now you're going to right-click on your Wi-Fi adapter. You should see your multiple adapters here. You have Ethernet, Wi-Fi. You might have Bluetooth. I have my Bluetooth disabled. Right-click on your Wi-Fi adapter and come down to Properties. Find your Internet Protocol Version 4 and then pick Properties. Ignore all this stuff. Don't change this. Come down here and click on Advanced. The only thing you care about down here is this little guy right here. This automatic metric, turn that off, uncheck that box, and put the number 10 in here. Then you're going to click OK, OK, OK a couple of times. That'll bring it back to the Network Connections window.
Now we're going to do the same thing all over again for the Ethernet connection. So right-click on your Ethernet connection and go to Properties. Again, Internet Protocol Version 4, hit Properties again. Click Advanced. This time, disable the automatic metric and put a higher number in here like 50. This number has to be higher than the number that you put in for your Wi-Fi. Higher number equals lower priority. We're essentially saying for internet or the internet adapter. We want to prioritize Rixfone or your cell phone, your hotspot connection.
So it'll still use this network if the Wi-Fi isn't available. But if it can get to the internet over the other one, it'll prioritize that. And that's it. Now you're the happy guy. Now your PC should use your LAN for traffic to your server, printers, file shares, all that stuff, and your Wi-Fi hotspot will be used for internet traffic.
This is also a good solution if your corporate network blocks YouTube or my website, and you're trying to watch educational videos to further your job skills. I do hear from people all the time. They tell me they love to watch my videos at work, and they're allowed to. It's not like they're going to get in trouble, but their IT people have either blocked YouTube completely or they've blocked my video server. If that's the case, do that little trick on your laptop, and you can bypass their LAN. You can watch your videos and get your internet stuff right off your phone.
That's it. It's not that hard. It's pretty simple, and you'll thank me. If you got much, much faster internet over your phone than you do off your wired internet like I do, I'm surviving off it until Comcast gets here tomorrow and hopefully fixes my setup.
That's going to do it folks. That is your TechHelp video for today. I hope you learned something. Live long and prosper, my friends. I'll see you next time. Thanks for watching. If you want me to post more videos about Microsoft Windows, then be sure to like this video, subscribe to my channel, and post a comment down below. Let me know that you want more Windows videos.
About 90% of what I teach is Microsoft Access Database Design. But I love teaching Windows, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and all those other topics too. But of course, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. So, if you want more Windows training, make some noise. You can watch my entire Microsoft Windows beginner level one course absolutely free on my website and on my YouTube channel. It's over an hour long and covers all the basics.
If you like level one and want to learn more about Windows, visit my website at the link shown, and you can get level two, which is another complete hour-long course for just one dollar. Level two goes into a lot more depth and teaches you how to get the most out of Windows. Visit my website today for more information.
TOPICS:
Setup Ethernet and Wi-Fi simultaneously
Reasons for using both Ethernet and Wi-Fi
Configuring mobile hotspot on a phone
Prioritizing networks for internet access in Windows
Adjusting adapter settings in Network and Sharing Center
Disabling automatic metric in adapter properties
Setting priority metrics for Wi-Fi and Ethernet
Using hotspots for faster internet when wired is slow
Bypassing corporate network restrictions with mobile hotspot
COMMERCIAL:
In today's video, we're going to learn how to seamlessly use both Ethernet and wireless Wi-Fi together on your system for the ultimate internet experience. Facing sluggish internet on your office LAN? We'll discuss how to prioritize your networks to ensure you retain speedy local access via Ethernet while boosting your internet speed through a Wi-Fi connection, like a mobile hotspot. We cover setting up those connections on your PC and configuring which one takes priority for internet usage. Tackle slow network problems, bypass restrictions for educational content, and keep your productivity flowing with a simple multi-network setup. You'll find the complete video on my YouTube channel and on my website at the link shown. Live long and prosper my friends.Quiz Q1. What is the main reason for using both Ethernet and Wi-Fi simultaneously as discussed in the video?
A. To increase the download speed of files
B. To upgrade the operating system
C. To access local network resources while using a faster internet source
D. To connect more devices to the network
Q2. Why might someone prefer using their phone's hotspot over hotel Wi-Fi?
A. It's always faster than hotel Wi-Fi
B. It provides a more secure connection
C. The phone hotspot has unlimited data
D. Hotel Wi-Fi requires extra fees
Q3. How can you prioritize which network Windows uses for internet traffic?
A. By changing the network adapter names
B. By altering the automatic metrics in the network adapter settings
C. By turning off automatic updates for adapters
D. By installing a third-party software
Q4. What is one drawback mentioned about the cellular backup modem connection?
A. It is more expensive than Ethernet
B. It has slow speed similar to 1990s internet
C. It conflicts with office LAN settings
D. It requires special hardware to function
Q5. What must be done to set up a mobile hotspot on your phone?
A. Install a special app for hotspot
B. Purchase an additional carrier service
C. Configure it through the phone settings and provide a network name and password
D. Connect it to a public Wi-Fi first
Q6. What is suggested to do if corporate networks block YouTube or other video sites?
A. Use a proxy server to bypass restrictions
B. Watch videos only during lunch hours
C. Use your phone's hotspot for internet traffic
D. Request IT to unblock these sites for educational purposes
Q7. How should the metric numbers be set for Ethernet and Wi-Fi adapters for prioritization?
A. Both should be the same
B. Ethernet should have a higher number than Wi-Fi
C. Wi-Fi should have a higher number than Ethernet
D. Both should be set to zero
Answers: 1-C; 2-B; 3-B; 4-B; 5-C; 6-C; 7-B
DISCLAIMER: Quiz questions are AI generated. If you find any that are wrong, don't make sense, or aren't related to the video topic at hand, then please post a comment and let me know. Thanks.Summary Today's TechHelp tutorial from the Windows Learning Zone is all about setting up your system to use both Ethernet and wireless Wi-Fi simultaneously. You might be wondering why you'd want to do this. The main reason is to address issues with slow or unreliable internet on your office LAN, where you need a wired Ethernet connection for accessing local network resources like servers, printers, and shared files, but your internet connection is not performing well.
Many users have mentioned they face slow internet at work, either due to throttling by IT departments or because of naturally sluggish networks. I too encountered a situation where I needed to resolve this issue, and I'll share my experience with you now.
In my home office, I have a wired Ethernet setup that connects my laptop, server, printers, and network storage devices. I favor wired Ethernet for its speedy and secure data transfers. Even though I have a fast Comcast Business Gigabit Ethernet connection, I use my equipment to provide Wi-Fi throughout the house instead of Comcast's built-in wireless router.
To safeguard my network, I also have a cellular backup modem. It steps in if the primary connection fails, as it did recently for three days. During such times, the cellular connection ensures basic functionality, though it's far from ideal for heavy bandwidth tasks.
For substantial tasks like uploading videos, I switch to my mobile hotspot, which offers a quicker connection than the backup modem. Setting up a mobile hotspot can vary depending on your device, but generally involves simple steps like configuring a network name and password in your phone's settings.
Once your hotspot is active, connect your PC or laptop to it, and ensure both your Ethernet LAN and Wi-Fi connections are live. You'll likely need to manually adjust your system's network settings. Through the Control Panel, access Network and Internet settings, and alter the metric numbers for both connections. Assign a lower priority number to your Wi-Fi to tell the system to use it over Ethernet for internet traffic.
This dual setup is particularly useful if your company's network restricts access to platforms like YouTube or educational resources for professional growth. By prioritizing your Wi-Fi hotspot for internet activities, you can bypass such restrictions while maintaining local network connectivity.
I hope this tutorial provided valuable insights on managing your network connections effectively. For further detailed instructions and a complete video tutorial on this topic, visit my website at the link below. Live long and prosper, my friends.Topic List Setup Ethernet and Wi-Fi simultaneously
Reasons for using both Ethernet and Wi-Fi
Configuring mobile hotspot on a phone
Prioritizing networks for internet access in Windows
Adjusting adapter settings in Network and Sharing Center
Disabling automatic metric in adapter properties
Setting priority metrics for Wi-Fi and Ethernet
Using hotspots for faster internet when wired is slow
Bypassing corporate network restrictions with mobile hotspot |
