software bridge with Windows XP for your home network

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software bridge with XP

Using Windows XP as a software bridge

Summary: In this example, we will show how a Windows XP computer with an ethernet and 802.11b wireless adapter can take the place of a 'wireless access point' on your home network.

One of the new networking features in Windows XP is called a software bridge. This new feature allows two or more networks to be tied together in such a way that they act like a single network. For example, if some of your computers have Ethernet connections and some have HPNA (PhoneLine network) connections, Windows XP can ‘bridge’ these networks together so that they act like a single network with a single IP schema.

Bridging networks is not limited to Ethernet and PhoneLine networks (HPNA). When Windows XP can bridge together just about any two networks.

Software based bridging is different than hardware based bridging for one big reason. With software bridging the XP software bridge computer must be turned on for the networks to communicate. In the example above, if computer B is not turned on, Computer C can not see Computer A.

For a 'hardware based' bridge example, click here

Bridged Network Diagram

In this example, we will use a Windows XP computer to connect wireless computers to our existing ethernet network and then out to the internet through an existing broadband router that does NOT have wireless capabilities. With this network setup, there is no need for us to purchase a wireless access point since XP bridges the networks. Here is the way the network will look.

The XP computer above has both an Ethernet and Wireless. The wireless network card is in ADHOC mode; meaning it does not need an access point to communicate with the other wireless computers.

Configure the software bridge

For reference, here is an example that uses Windows XP to brdge a HomePNA (PhoneLine) network to Ethernet.

Also See:

TCP/IP Networking Tutorial including WindowsXP

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User Comments	103 comments
software bridge with Windows XP for your home network

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Firewalling by Seba - 5/7/2002 8:43:00 AM

price list by lilies - 6/5/2002 3:31:00 AM

XP bridges by tog - 7/17/2002 10:42:00 PM

Re: XP bridges by vril - 9/17/2002 5:57:00 PM

Re: XP bridges by Manmoth - 12/27/2002 12:28:00 AM

Re: XP bridges by ToTuMaN - 4/21/2003 2:03:00 PM

Re: XP bridges by andi - 11/8/2003 5:07:00 AM

Re: XP bridges by Archie - 10/7/2004 2:55:00 AM

bridging by mike - 7/31/2002 9:57:00 AM

Re: bridging by John - 8/19/2002 8:39:00 AM

Re: bridging by alex - 4/3/2003 8:00:00 AM

Re: bridging by Mevlin - 8/2/2004 11:05:00 AM

Cost Effective? by Stu - 8/11/2002 6:26:00 PM

2 Cards by Flufilms - 9/5/2002 6:11:00 AM

Re: 2 Cards by hj - 9/13/2002 11:13:00 AM

Re: 2 Cards by lowell - 12/27/2002 9:48:00 AM

Re: 2 Cards by Lee - 2/3/2003 10:47:00 PM

USB by James - 10/5/2002 3:43:00 PM

Re: USB by LunchBox - 10/17/2002 11:30:00 PM

Wireless Network *Please Help* by Mike - 1/18/2003 1:22:00 PM

Re: Wireless Network *Please Help* by Jim Evans - 1/23/2003 2:10:00 AM

1st time networking dumbie by Cos - 4/1/2003 1:42:00 PM

Re: 1st time networking dumbie by Franz - 4/6/2003 3:40:00 PM

1st time networking dumbie by Cos - 4/1/2003 1:42:00 PM

Re: 1st time networking dumbie by Kurt - 12/28/2004 3:40:00 PM

Re: 1st time networking dumbie by Kris - 3/1/2005 1:03:00 PM

Re: 1st time networking dumbie by J-Pex Custom - 7/26/2005 10:43:00 AM

Bridging for LAN bandwith by Joe - 4/11/2003 10:07:00 PM

2 cable modems + 2 routers = ? by Flap - 4/14/2003 9:11:00 PM

Linux by Mr.Eff - 5/12/2003 8:51:00 PM

Re: Linux by jd - 5/17/2003 5:45:00 AM

2 cable modems in 1 PC by DopeHeadz - 5/13/2003 8:45:00 PM

Combine 2 internet connections by iRVIN - 5/27/2003 3:48:00 AM

Re: Combine 2 internet connections by deluge01 - 6/8/2004 12:16:00 PM

Re: Combine 2 internet connections by Naeem - 2/2/2006 10:33:00 PM

Adding 802.11b cards by Adam - 6/3/2003 10:50:00 AM

Re: Adding 802.11b cards by Gerry - 6/23/2003 3:10:00 AM

Re: Adding 802.11b cards by Mike - 6/24/2003 5:21:00 PM

Re: Adding 802.11b cards by Bruce - 8/9/2004 7:14:00 AM

XP bridging usb to ethernet by Al - 6/3/2003 11:11:00 AM

Re: XP bridging usb to ethernet by Joseph Nyaema - 7/14/2003 7:23:00 AM

desktop to laptop wireless connection by offir - 8/8/2003 5:34:00 PM

Re: desktop to laptop wireless connection by abir - 8/25/2004 1:22:00 AM

Re: desktop to laptop wireless connection by Ace - 8/13/2005 2:56:00 AM

Wireless-]Hub-]Printers by Jacob - 8/27/2003 1:11:00 PM

Networking Hell by Drew - 9/2/2003 11:26:00 PM

xp bridge by Andrés - 9/7/2003 1:48:00 AM

Remote XP logon by Rick - 9/8/2003 9:18:00 AM

Re: Remote XP logon by Jacob - 9/9/2003 11:07:00 PM

Re: Remote XP logon by Rick - 10/1/2003 3:35:00 PM

University Network Problem by Musabi - 9/16/2003 3:34:00 PM

Re: University Network Problem by nathan - 11/12/2004 3:51:00 PM

Cable Modem, 2 LAN cards by Den - 9/29/2003 10:17:00 AM

Re: Cable Modem, 2 LAN cards by Ryan - 9/10/2006 3:35:00 AM

Posted by Ryan

9/10/2006 3:35:00 AM.

Re: Cable Modem, 2 LAN cards

Check your firewall setting. "Bridge" the 2 connections OR enable Internet Connection Sharing (Requires "routed" network adapter to use 192.168.0.1 for the DHCP server).

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Cannot get connection by Jason - 10/3/2003 10:41:00 PM

XP bridge to Playstation2 by Cedders - 10/7/2003 6:17:00 AM

Re: XP bridge to Playstation2 by MJ - 12/1/2003 10:43:00 PM

Re: XP bridge to Playstation2 by Dave - 7/12/2004 5:54:00 AM

Wlan to LAN bridge ? by Vionic - 11/21/2003 3:40:00 PM

Re: Wlan to LAN bridge ? by Tim - 11/30/2003 12:33:00 PM

Re: Wlan to LAN bridge ? by Vionic - 12/1/2003 9:25:00 AM

Re: Wlan to LAN bridge ? by Vionic - 12/8/2003 1:40:00 PM

Re: Wlan to LAN bridge ? by Espen - 12/14/2003 3:00:00 PM

Re: Wlan to LAN bridge ? by Vionic - 1/15/2004 10:50:00 AM

Re: Wlan to LAN bridge ? by Frustrated - 3/18/2004 5:22:00 AM

Re: Wlan to LAN bridge ? by Dave - 4/16/2004 10:14:00 PM

Wireless - Ethernet : Bridge nightmare! by James - 5/27/2004 3:50:00 AM

Re: Wireless - Ethernet : Bridge nightmare! by Geir Inge - 6/1/2004 8:28:00 AM

Re: Wireless - Ethernet : Bridge nightmare! by James - 6/2/2004 3:50:00 AM

Re: Wireless - Ethernet : Bridge nightmare! by James - 7/21/2004 4:17:00 AM

Mac Address Cloning? by HyToFry - 6/9/2004 9:03:00 PM

WLAN to LAN routing by Ruthy - 6/30/2004 2:35:00 PM

Internet but no file sharing by Smitty - 9/2/2004 8:16:00 PM

Re: Internet but no file sharing by James - 9/7/2004 3:39:00 AM

Re: Internet but no file sharing by John - 9/9/2004 5:12:00 AM

Re: Internet but no file sharing by 2koo - 9/10/2004 4:23:00 PM

Bridge ethernet to pc with wireless network and internet from DSL router by Forge - 10/14/2004 7:19:00 PM

HELP ... by kiwi - 11/1/2004 4:29:00 AM

microsoft wireless wizard by allen - 11/13/2004 3:55:00 PM

is this possible by Jared - 11/21/2004 8:15:00 PM

Re: is this possible by Joel - 3/1/2005 3:07:00 PM

PC to PC Networking by Dante - 11/26/2004 7:13:00 PM

Re: PC to PC Networking by kk - 12/24/2004 5:34:00 AM

Re: PC to PC Networking by pavan - 1/15/2005 1:57:00 PM

join two lan card by Arnab Bagchi - 12/17/2004 12:32:00 AM

I.P. Configuration by L.M.Duve - 12/19/2004 2:01:00 PM

Wired to wireless to wired bridging by Beyond Joy - 3/30/2005 11:27:00 PM

plz help me solving these qs by HINA KHAN - 5/9/2005 1:28:00 AM

Re: plz help me solving these qs by Sameer - 11/9/2005 12:48:00 PM

Except XP' software bridge, hv other else software bridge? by ehong - 5/11/2005 6:47:00 AM

Re: Except XP' software bridge, hv other else software bridge? by vipin - 5/19/2005 5:07:00 AM

win xp networking by darren - 6/14/2005 1:37:00 AM

Need help sharing internet connection by Ginny - 7/31/2005 3:30:00 PM

windows xp bridge by eramatech - 9/5/2005 5:48:00 PM

bridging for temp access to Internet by keith - 10/17/2005 5:32:00 PM

Re: bridging for temp access to Internet by Jim - 10/21/2005 10:07:00 AM

RE: Please HELP me networking question by Rick - 12/27/2005 5:04:00 PM

Re: RE: Please HELP me networking question by debbie Perkins - 3/12/2006 6:57:00 PM

Re: bridging for temp access to Internet by Jim - 10/21/2005 10:08:00 AM

xp bridge server with HPNA2 by kaddak - 7/11/2006 7:10:00 PM

wireless to wired by Tim - 8/24/2006 9:12:00 PM

Re: wireless to wired by xxx - 9/8/2006 8:44:00 PM

Posted by xxx

9/8/2006 8:44:00 PM.

Re: wireless to wired

crossover cable and then use windows xp internet connection sharing

reply

Bridging one LAN card & a Modem on desktop computers by Cornelius - 10/17/2006 1:45:00 PM

Posted by Cornelius

10/17/2006 1:45:00 PM.

Bridging one LAN card & a Modem on desktop computers

Please i tried bridging my LAN card and Modem after enabling internet sharing on the LAN(NRM) card but could not. The system i'm using as a server(NRM) is connecting the Internet thru a Gateway that has our company's firewall. The problem here is that i can dial in to the server(NRM)using the dial up client PC(which was configured to dial NRM)and see other shared folders but i cannot connect to the internet. Please if it is the bridging that is that is stopping me from connecting to the internet, how do i bridge a LAN card & a Modem attached to one PC.

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