Vista - Vista doesn't respect network connection priority

We've got some naughty vista machines on our hand...

The machine has two NICs, both of which are connected to the Internet in the following fashion:

route 1: NIC 1 -- Internet (preferred Internet connection)
route 2: NIC 2 -- Switch -- Linux Cluster -- Internet (preferred LAN connection)
|-------(Printer, NAS, etc)

The linux cluster is consisted of some RedHat workstations, all of which are connected to the internet independently, but one of them (the frontend) also distribute IP and does NAT for the LAN. Also connected to the switch include some network resources, and this Vista machine.

Long story short, in the Vista machine, the route 2 is somehow always preferred by Vista to behaves as default connection. I changed the Interface metric for the NIC 2 to be 100 and NIC 1 to be 10, as well as moved NIC 1 to the top of Connections list in "Advanced Settings" in "Network Connections".

I can connect to the Internet no problem either way, but the problem comes when some softwares such as Matlab requires network license, which is by IP, which I assigned statically to NIC 1.

NIC 2 is currently set as obtain IP from DHCP, but it's really a static IP as the DHCP server (aka the cluster frontend) assigns IP based on MAC. NIC 2 also received default gateway. If I statically assign the IP and not input the default gateway, then NIC 1 is automatically preferred. But that's also problematic because then the network becomes "Unidentified Netowrk".

Sorry to be so lengthy. Ideally I would want either the interface metric or the "Advanced Settings" priority to work.

Please help.

The following are the prints of ipconfig and route print (I apologize to have to make fake MAC address and IP address.) 123.45.67.237 is the preferred external IP, and the 10.1.255.247 is the LAN IP.

C:\Users\Admin>ipconfig /all
*
Windows IP Configuration
*
** Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : vista
** Primary Dns Suffix* . . . . . . . :
** Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
** IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
** WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
** DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : local
*
Ethernet adapter Internet:
*
** Connection-specific DNS Suffix* . :
** Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) 82567LM-3 Gigabit Network Connec
tion
** Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-24-E8-FB-DC-38
** DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
** Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
** Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::1e2:a5a3:ec63:c305%11(Preferred)
** IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 123.45.67.237(Preferred)
** Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
** Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 123.45.67.1
** DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 251667688
** DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-11-BB-4A-BA-00-24-E8-FB-DC-38
*
** DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 123.45.89.1
************************************** 123.45.89.2
******************************* *******123.45.89.3
** NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled
*
Ethernet adapter LAN:
*
** Connection-specific DNS Suffix* . : local
** Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom NetXtreme Gigabit Ethernet
** Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-10-18-4E-AD-C3
** DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
** Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
** Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::d596:20bc:456d:8e59%12(Preferred)
** IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 10.1.255.247(Preferred)
** Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
** Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, June 16, 2009 10:57:46 AM
** Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, June 16, 2009 11:41:43 AM
** Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 10.1.1.1
** DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.1.1.1
** DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 285216792
** DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-11-BB-4A-BA-00-24-E8-FB-DC-38
*
** DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.1.1.1
** NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled
*
Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 6:
*
** Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
** Connection-specific DNS Suffix* . :
** Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter
** Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
** DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
** Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
*
Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 7:
*
** Connection-specific DNS Suffix* . :
** Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
** Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 02-00-54-55-4E-01
** DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
** Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
** IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2001:0:4137:9e50:2470:2b4a:f5fe:8(Preferr
ed)
** Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::2470:2b4a:f5fe:8%10(Preferred)
** Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
** NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled
*
Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 11:
*
** Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
** Connection-specific DNS Suffix* . :
** Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #2
** Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
** DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
** Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
*
Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 12:
*
** Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
** Connection-specific DNS Suffix* . : local
** Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #3
** Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
** DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
** Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
*
Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 13:
*
** Connection-specific DNS Suffix* . :
** Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft 6to4 Adapter
** Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
** DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
** Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
** IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2002:a443:1aed::a443:1aed(Preferred)
** Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 2002:c058:6301::c058:6301
** DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 123.45.89.1
************************************** 123.45.89.2
************************************** 123.45.89.3
** NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled
*
C:\Users\Admin>



C:\Users\Admin>route print
===========================================================================
Interface List
*11 ...00 24 e8 fb ab ab ...... Intel(R) 82567LM-3 Gigabit Network Connection
*12 ...00 10 18 4e cd cd ...... Broadcom NetXtreme Gigabit Ethernet
* 1 ........................... Software Loopback Interface 1
*15 ...00 00 00 00 00 00 00 e0* Microsoft ISATAP Adapter
*10 ...02 00 54 55 4e 01 ...... Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
*13 ...00 00 00 00 00 00 00 e0* Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #2
*20 ...00 00 00 00 00 00 00 e0* Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #3
*21 ...00 00 00 00 00 00 00 e0* Microsoft 6to4 Adapter
===========================================================================
*
IPv4 Route Table
===========================================================================
Active Routes:
Network Destination******* Netmask********* Gateway****** Interface* Metric
********* 0.0.0.0********* 0.0.0.0***** 123.45.67*** 123.45.67.237*** 266
********* 0.0.0.0********* 0.0.0.0******** 10.1.1.1**** 10.1.255.247*** 200
******** 10.1.0.0***** 255.255.0.0******** On-link***** 10.1.255.247*** 356
**** 10.1.255.247* 255.255.255.255*** *****On-link***** 10.1.255.247*** 356
**** 10.1.255.255* 255.255.255.255******** On-link***** 10.1.255.247*** 356
******* 127.0.0.0******* 255.0.0.0******** On-link******** 127.0.0.1*** 306
******* 127.0.0.1* 255.255.255.255******** On-link******** 127.0.0.1*** 306
* 127.255.255.255* 255.255.255.255******** On-link******** 127.0.0.1*** 306
***** 123.45.67.0*** 255.255.255.0******** On-link**** 123.45.67.237*** 266
*** 123.45.67.237* 255.255.255.255******** On-link**** 123.45.67.237*** 266
*** 123.45.67.255 *255.255.255.255******** On-link**** 123.45.67.237*** 266
***** 169.254.0.0***** 255.255.0.0******** On-link**** 123.45.67.237*** 286
* 169.254.255.255* 255.255.255.255******** On-link**** 123.45.67.237*** 266
******* 224.0.0.0******* 240.0.0.0******** On-link******** 127.0.0.1*** 306
******* 224.0.0.0******* 240.0.0.0******** On-link**** 123.45.67.237*** 266
******* 224.0.0.0******* 240.0.0.0******** On-link***** 10.1.255.247*** 356
* 255.255.255.255* 255.255.255.255******** On-link******** 127.0.0.1*** 306
* 255.255.255.255* 255.255.255.255******** On-link**** 123.45.67.237*** 266
* 255.255.255.255* 255.255.255.255******** On-link***** 10.1.255.247*** 356
===========================================================================
Persistent Routes:
* Network Address********* Netmask* Gateway Address* Metric
********* 0.0.0.0********* 0.0.0.0***** 123.45.67.1* Default
===========================================================================
*
IPv6 Route Table
===========================================================================
Active Routes:
*If Metric Network Destination***** Gateway
*21** 1110 ::/0******************** 2002:c058:6301::c058:6301
* 1*** 306 ::1/128***************** On-link
*10**** 18 2001::/32*************** On-link
*10*** 266 2001:0:4137:9e50:2470:2b4a:f5fe:8/128
*********************************** On-link
*21** 1010 2002::/16*************** On-link
*21*** 266 2002:a443:1aed::a443:1aed/128
*********************************** On-link
*11*** 266 fe80::/64*************** On-link
*12*** 266 fe80::/64*************** On-link
*10*** 266 fe80::/64*************** On-link
*11*** 266 fe80::1e2:a5a3:ec63:c305/128
*********************************** On-link
*10*** 266 fe80::2470:2b4a:f5fe:8/128
*********************************** On-link
*12 ***266 fe80::d596:20bc:456d:8e59/128
*********************************** On-link
* 1*** 306 ff00::/8**************** On-link
*10*** 266 ff00::/8**************** On-link
*11*** 266 ff00::/8**************** On-link
*12*** 266 ff00::/8**************** On-link
===========================================================================
Persistent Routes:
* None
*
C:\Users\Admin>



Thank you so much for your help.

hello i dont if you still need help with this problem but try this out
Configuring multiple gateways on a network - Windows Vista Help

Thanks for the information.

But that was basically what I tried, only specify one default gateway, and manually remove the other gateway.

But I thought I should be able to specify a route for Windows to take, by either change the interface metric or change the order in "Advanced Settings"? It's just strange that Windows only picks the route I don't want. Even if I switch the NICs. As if it doesn't care for the interface metric.

looking at your ipconfig output it seems that you have the gerneral idea but its a little bit mixed

if the 10.0.0.x/24 is the lan subnet then you should set a static ip address with a staic route pointing to the gateway 10.1.1.1 and in the ip address properties menu dont set the default gateway

on the external adapter you can use DHCP

you also have two default gateways
the wildcard address 0.0.0.0 means that all traffic will use this inteface. even though you have differerent metrics this still can provide for unreliable routing.When you remove default gateway for the internal segment i think the abnormalites will go anyway .
try it out i would like to know if it helps

nso,

Thanks for your help. As I mentioned in my postings, I did in fact try to remove the default gateway from the LAN, and it did solve the problem, per se. But I prefer to use DHCP, and define the routing with Windows, if possible. The reason I want to do that was because otherwise the LAN is identified as "Unidentified Network".

I guess if I have to remove the default gateway, I will have to. Is there anyway for Windows not to consider it as an "Unidentified Network"?

Thanks,

it will always be an unidentified network, but you can set it as a private network to allow access easier, simply go to network and sharing center and click on the customize option next to the connection that is unidentified, then check the private option, heres a picture to illustrate.

you will need to set this every time you start windows, its a pain but it works.