Managing two Internet connections

With wired and wireless connections enabled, is it possible to have all apps except one access the wireless connection? The one app will use the wired connection.

MacBook Pro Aluminum 2010, Mac OS X (10.6.3)

Posted on May 2, 2011 10:32 AM

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7 replies

May 2, 2011 2:08 PM in response to JasonFear

Thanks. They seem to be restricting traffic by IP address range. I will have a VMWare Fusion virtual machine running windows. It will access a static IP. I want it to connect via the ethernet connection. Everything else can use the wireless.


I can tell the virtual machine to use the ethernet connection. However, how do I force everything else to use the wireless connection? There is no IP restriction for the wireless connection. Basically, it is everything but the one IP that the virtual machine will use.

May 2, 2011 3:03 PM in response to 4thSpace

You can manage which connection to use by target address from within Windows (I.e. in Fusion). Simplest way is to add TWO network cards to the fusion image. Both can be on DHCP however in Fusion you assign one to Wireless and one to the physical LAN.


Now, within Windows you can use the 'Route Add' command to route to a target IP address via a defined adapter. By way of example:


Network 1 Wireless: 10.1.1.1 Default Gateway 10.1.1.254

Network 2 Wired : 10.1.1.2 no default gateway*


Now, let's say you wan to hit a target of 192.168.1.100 but *only* via the wired connection of 10.1.1.2. Firstly, you need to work out the interface ID - you can find that using Route Print from a DOS prompt.


Once you have the interface ID of Network 2, you can use the Route Add command like this:


ROUTE ADD 192.168.1.100 mask 255.255.255.255 10.1.1.254 IF *0x10004* -p


You replace the 0x10004 with the interface ID you found from route print.


This is known as dual-homing - you can read some more about it in my blog here: http://www.markc.me.uk/MarkC/Blog/Entries/2009/2/19_Dual_Homed_Server_Issue.html


You can do similar within OSX natively too using a simlar process.


Possible - yes. Straight forward? Well, if you're familiar with IP networking it's not that hard, but it can make your brain hurt.

May 2, 2011 3:07 PM in response to MacRS4

Thanks MacRS4.


Once I have the VMWare Fusion virtual space setup, how do I get Mac OS X (everything outside of the virtual space) to use the wireless connection. I think it defaults to using the wired connection.


Basically, there is just one application in the virtual space that will use the wired connection. Everything else goes wireless.

May 2, 2011 3:11 PM in response to 4thSpace

Ok, so you want everything to go via Wireless as a priority, but wired for one specific app? OSX will usually make the wired connection take higher priority for newer connections, not wireless.


You can change that - go into System Preferences & Network. On the little drop down cog select 'Set Service Order' - move wireless above Wired. (I.e. Airport above Ethernet). This will make wireless take priority over Ethernet.


You can then make the route modifications in your fusion environment so that specific targets go via the wired connection.


Make sense? Like I say, it's achieveable just not that straightforward.

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Managing two Internet connections

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