Disable wireless network adapter when a laptop is docked?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Fearful
  • Start date Start date
F

Fearful

I have a laptop and docking station, under Windows XP it automatically
disabled the wireless adapter when hooked up to its docking station. This
was achieved because XP used different hardware profiles, having done a bit
of digging it would appear that Vista doesn't support multiple hardware
profiles - is this correct?

Now when I dock my laptop it connects to my LAN using its gigabit Ethernet
adapter but is still connected with its wireless adapter. Since Vista knows
it connected to a) a docking station and b) its Ethernet adapter is
connected surely there must be a way of disabling the wireless adapter
automatically regardless of Vista's lack of support for hardware profiles?

TIA for any help.
 
Not "disabling" it per-se, but Windows networking assigns metrics to network
connections based on their speed, performance, etc. and Windows will
automatically use the fastest network connection available to it. So when
you dock, even though the wireless connection is still active, Windows will
used the faster wired connection instead.

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] (e-mail address removed)
* NEW! Catch my blog ... http://msmvps.com/blogs/rgharper/
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* The Website - http://rgharper.mvps.org/
* HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
 
Hi,

Thank you for posting in the Microsoft newsgroup!

From your post, my understanding on this issue is: you want to let Vista
use the wired connection when the laptop is docked. If I'm off base, please
feel free to let me know.

Thank to Richard for his key in. It's greatly appreciated.

You are right. Windows Vista doesn't support hardware profile anymore.

When you dock your laptop, Vista will use the wired connection, since wired
connection is faster than the wireless connection.

So you needn't to disable your wireless connection while docking the laptop.

Best regards,

Sean Cai, MCSE2000
Microsoft Online Support

Get Secure! - www.microsoft.com/security
=====================================================
When responding to posts, please "Reply to Group" via your newsreader so
that others may learn and benefit from your issue.
=====================================================
 
Makes sense, thanks.

Richard G. Harper said:
Not "disabling" it per-se, but Windows networking assigns metrics to
network connections based on their speed, performance, etc. and Windows
will automatically use the fastest network connection available to it. So
when you dock, even though the wireless connection is still active,
Windows will used the faster wired connection instead.

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] (e-mail address removed)
* NEW! Catch my blog ... http://msmvps.com/blogs/rgharper/
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* The Website - http://rgharper.mvps.org/
* HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm


Fearful said:
I have a laptop and docking station, under Windows XP it automatically
disabled the wireless adapter when hooked up to its docking station. This
was achieved because XP used different hardware profiles, having done a
bit of digging it would appear that Vista doesn't support multiple
hardware profiles - is this correct?

Now when I dock my laptop it connects to my LAN using its gigabit
Ethernet adapter but is still connected with its wireless adapter. Since
Vista knows it connected to a) a docking station and b) its Ethernet
adapter is connected surely there must be a way of disabling the wireless
adapter automatically regardless of Vista's lack of support for hardware
profiles?

TIA for any help.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Hi,

I hope that the above information helped. If anything is unclear or you
have any further concerns, please feel free to let me know. I am glad to be
of assistance.

Best regards,

Sean Cai, MCSE2000
Microsoft Online Support

Get Secure! - www.microsoft.com/security
=====================================================
When responding to posts, please "Reply to Group" via your newsreader so
that others may learn and benefit from your issue.
=====================================================
 
Hello Sean,

it definitely makes sense to use the fastest connection only. But we dont want
to allow our users to open other network connections when they are connected
to the LAN (means domain). For a matter of cost, security etc. we dont want
e.g. UMTS cards work in the LAN environment. Offline they certainly shoud
work.
Under XP we achieved this behaviour with hardware profiles but under Vista we
don't know how to do a similar thing.

Thanks in advance
Jens
 
Some said:
This is a VISTA Newsgroup, CLOWN!
--
Mick Murphy - Qld - Australia


"etheral" wrote:
Click to expand...

I'm sorry "etheral"

I know it has been a while since I
wrote that but I am getting old and
am starting to feel as if I should
make amends for my bad behavior before
the Grim Reaper punches my clock.

Again, I'm sorry for my bad behavior.
 
Back
Top