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Establishing connections across two separate networks between two machines

Establishing connections across two separate networks between two machines

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oggypop
Member
240
04-18-2025, 08:44 AM
#1
Hi there, I'm dealing with a tricky configuration. I have two computers: one serves as backup storage and another is my primary work machine. They're linked in this way—External Network (192.168.0.x) via 100Mbps, Work PC connects through Ethernet to a router, and the server sits on the same internal network (10.0.0.x) at 1000Mbps. The original connection was slow, so I switched to Gigabit Ethernet for faster transfers. However, using network shares causes Windows to combine both links, limiting speeds to about 45% of the full potential. Disabling the External Network on the Work PC improves speed but cuts off internet access, which I can't afford. The server relies on Wi-Fi for remote access, so I can't just reroute traffic without affecting connectivity. I thought Windows would automatically pick the faster path using UNC paths, but I need a more precise solution. Should I adjust routing tables or configure the firewall to block specific IPs on a dedicated port? Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.
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oggypop
04-18-2025, 08:44 AM #1

Hi there, I'm dealing with a tricky configuration. I have two computers: one serves as backup storage and another is my primary work machine. They're linked in this way—External Network (192.168.0.x) via 100Mbps, Work PC connects through Ethernet to a router, and the server sits on the same internal network (10.0.0.x) at 1000Mbps. The original connection was slow, so I switched to Gigabit Ethernet for faster transfers. However, using network shares causes Windows to combine both links, limiting speeds to about 45% of the full potential. Disabling the External Network on the Work PC improves speed but cuts off internet access, which I can't afford. The server relies on Wi-Fi for remote access, so I can't just reroute traffic without affecting connectivity. I thought Windows would automatically pick the faster path using UNC paths, but I need a more precise solution. Should I adjust routing tables or configure the firewall to block specific IPs on a dedicated port? Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

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BattleBacca
Junior Member
7
04-18-2025, 01:51 PM
#2
What device are you operating? You mentioned having two computers—one home PC and one server. Both should have a 1Gbps Ethernet connection, both linked to Giga ports. Is the server running in a virtual machine, or is it a single machine with the same OS as your home PC?
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BattleBacca
04-18-2025, 01:51 PM #2

What device are you operating? You mentioned having two computers—one home PC and one server. Both should have a 1Gbps Ethernet connection, both linked to Giga ports. Is the server running in a virtual machine, or is it a single machine with the same OS as your home PC?

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AnOddNumber
Junior Member
34
04-18-2025, 02:13 PM
#3
Both computers are connected via a Gigabit link. The server operates on Windows 10 for network access. The work PC is also running Windows 10.
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AnOddNumber
04-18-2025, 02:13 PM #3

Both computers are connected via a Gigabit link. The server operates on Windows 10 for network access. The work PC is also running Windows 10.

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135
04-18-2025, 04:34 PM
#4
The simplest method is to target network shares via their IP addresses, ensuring traffic originates from the matching adapter in that range. Likely you're employing static IPs, making this very straightforward.
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caitlin_straet
04-18-2025, 04:34 PM #4

The simplest method is to target network shares via their IP addresses, ensuring traffic originates from the matching adapter in that range. Likely you're employing static IPs, making this very straightforward.

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ovcoming
Member
229
04-19-2025, 12:22 AM
#5
Currently, I'm using the same method for accessing the server. Connecting through either IP address still uses the network capacity of both devices.
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ovcoming
04-19-2025, 12:22 AM #5

Currently, I'm using the same method for accessing the server. Connecting through either IP address still uses the network capacity of both devices.

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Wipeouts
Junior Member
38
04-20-2025, 09:17 AM
#6
This setup doesn't seem logical since your PC shouldn't be able to reach 10.0.0.1 from the 192.168.0.1 adapter, and vice versa. Try connecting the 100Mbit link to a Gigabit switch, then both computers should work with it.
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Wipeouts
04-20-2025, 09:17 AM #6

This setup doesn't seem logical since your PC shouldn't be able to reach 10.0.0.1 from the 192.168.0.1 adapter, and vice versa. Try connecting the 100Mbit link to a Gigabit switch, then both computers should work with it.