software network bridge

software bridge with Windows XP for your home network
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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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103 comments
software bridge with Windows XP for your home network
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Firewalling by Seba - 07/05/2002 08:43:00
price list by lilies - 05/06/2002 03:31:00
XP bridges by tog - 17/07/2002 22:42:00
Re: XP bridges by vril - 17/09/2002 17:57:00
Re: XP bridges by Manmoth - 27/12/2002 00:28:00
Re: XP bridges by ToTuMaN - 21/04/2003 14:03:00
Re: XP bridges by andi - 08/11/2003 05:07:00
Re: XP bridges by Archie - 07/10/2004 02:55:00
bridging by mike - 31/07/2002 09:57:00
Re: bridging by John - 19/08/2002 08:39:00
Re: bridging by alex - 03/04/2003 08:00:00
Re: bridging by Mevlin - 02/08/2004 11:05:00
Cost Effective? by Stu - 11/08/2002 18:26:00
2 Cards by Flufilms - 05/09/2002 06:11:00
Re: 2 Cards by hj - 13/09/2002 11:13:00
Re: 2 Cards by lowell - 27/12/2002 09:48:00
Re: 2 Cards by Lee - 03/02/2003 22:47:00
USB by James - 05/10/2002 15:43:00
Re: USB by LunchBox - 17/10/2002 23:30:00
Wireless Network *Please Help* by Mike - 18/01/2003 13:22:00
Re: Wireless Network *Please Help* by Jim Evans - 23/01/2003 02:10:00
1st time networking dumbie by Cos - 01/04/2003 13:42:00
Re: 1st time networking dumbie by Franz - 06/04/2003 15:40:00
1st time networking dumbie by Cos - 01/04/2003 13:42:00
Re: 1st time networking dumbie by Kurt - 28/12/2004 15:40:00
Re: 1st time networking dumbie by Kris - 01/03/2005 13:03:00
Re: 1st time networking dumbie by J-Pex Custom - 26/07/2005 10:43:00
Bridging for LAN bandwith by Joe - 11/04/2003 22:07:00
2 cable modems + 2 routers = ? by Flap - 14/04/2003 21:11:00
Linux by Mr.Eff - 12/05/2003 20:51:00
Re: Linux by jd - 17/05/2003 05:45:00
2 cable modems in 1 PC by DopeHeadz - 13/05/2003 20:45:00
Combine 2 internet connections by iRVIN - 27/05/2003 03:48:00
Re: Combine 2 internet connections by deluge01 - 08/06/2004 12:16:00
Re: Combine 2 internet connections by Naeem - 02/02/2006 22:33:00
Adding 802.11b cards by Adam - 03/06/2003 10:50:00
Re: Adding 802.11b cards by Gerry - 23/06/2003 03:10:00
Re: Adding 802.11b cards by Mike - 24/06/2003 17:21:00
Re: Adding 802.11b cards by Bruce - 09/08/2004 07:14:00
XP bridging usb to ethernet by Al - 03/06/2003 11:11:00
Re: XP bridging usb to ethernet by Joseph Nyaema - 14/07/2003 07:23:00
desktop to laptop wireless connection by offir - 08/08/2003 17:34:00
Re: desktop to laptop wireless connection by abir - 25/08/2004 01:22:00
Re: desktop to laptop wireless connection by Ace - 13/08/2005 02:56:00
Wireless-]Hub-]Printers by Jacob - 27/08/2003 13:11:00
Networking Hell by Drew - 02/09/2003 23:26:00
xp bridge by Andrés - 07/09/2003 01:48:00
Remote XP logon by Rick - 08/09/2003 09:18:00
Re: Remote XP logon by Jacob - 09/09/2003 23:07:00
Re: Remote XP logon by Rick - 01/10/2003 15:35:00
University Network Problem by Musabi - 16/09/2003 15:34:00
Re: University Network Problem by nathan - 12/11/2004 15:51:00
Cable Modem, 2 LAN cards by Den - 29/09/2003 10:17:00
Re: Cable Modem, 2 LAN cards by Ryan - 10/09/2006 03:35:00
Posted by Ryan
10/09/2006 03:35:00.
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).
reply
Cannot get connection by Jason - 03/10/2003 22:41:00
XP bridge to Playstation2 by Cedders - 07/10/2003 06:17:00
Re: XP bridge to Playstation2 by MJ - 01/12/2003 22:43:00
Re: XP bridge to Playstation2 by Dave - 12/07/2004 05:54:00
Wlan to LAN bridge ? by Vionic - 21/11/2003 15:40:00
Re: Wlan to LAN bridge ? by Tim - 30/11/2003 12:33:00
Re: Wlan to LAN bridge ? by Vionic - 01/12/2003 09:25:00
Re: Wlan to LAN bridge ? by Vionic - 08/12/2003 13:40:00
Re: Wlan to LAN bridge ? by Espen - 14/12/2003 15:00:00
Re: Wlan to LAN bridge ? by Vionic - 15/01/2004 10:50:00
Re: Wlan to LAN bridge ? by Frustrated - 18/03/2004 05:22:00
Re: Wlan to LAN bridge ? by Dave - 16/04/2004 22:14:00
Wireless - Ethernet : Bridge nightmare! by James - 27/05/2004 03:50:00
Re: Wireless - Ethernet : Bridge nightmare! by Geir Inge - 01/06/2004 08:28:00
Re: Wireless - Ethernet : Bridge nightmare! by James - 02/06/2004 03:50:00
Re: Wireless - Ethernet : Bridge nightmare! by James - 21/07/2004 04:17:00
Mac Address Cloning? by HyToFry - 09/06/2004 21:03:00
WLAN to LAN routing by Ruthy - 30/06/2004 14:35:00
Internet but no file sharing by Smitty - 02/09/2004 20:16:00
Re: Internet but no file sharing by James - 07/09/2004 03:39:00
Re: Internet but no file sharing by John - 09/09/2004 05:12:00
Re: Internet but no file sharing by 2koo - 10/09/2004 16:23:00
Bridge ethernet to pc with wireless network and internet from DSL router by Forge - 14/10/2004 19:19:00
HELP ... by kiwi - 01/11/2004 04:29:00
microsoft wireless wizard by allen - 13/11/2004 15:55:00
is this possible by Jared - 21/11/2004 20:15:00
Re: is this possible by Joel - 01/03/2005 15:07:00
PC to PC Networking by Dante - 26/11/2004 19:13:00
Re: PC to PC Networking by kk - 24/12/2004 05:34:00
Re: PC to PC Networking by pavan - 15/01/2005 13:57:00
join two lan card by Arnab Bagchi - 17/12/2004 00:32:00
I.P. Configuration by L.M.Duve - 19/12/2004 14:01:00
Wired to wireless to wired bridging by Beyond Joy - 30/03/2005 23:27:00
plz help me solving these qs by HINA KHAN - 09/05/2005 01:28:00
Re: plz help me solving these qs by Sameer - 09/11/2005 12:48:00
Except XP' software bridge, hv other else software bridge? by ehong - 11/05/2005 06:47:00
Re: Except XP' software bridge, hv other else software bridge? by vipin - 19/05/2005 05:07:00
win xp networking by darren - 14/06/2005 01:37:00
Need help sharing internet connection by Ginny - 31/07/2005 15:30:00
windows xp bridge by eramatech - 05/09/2005 17:48:00
bridging for temp access to Internet by keith - 17/10/2005 17:32:00
Re: bridging for temp access to Internet by Jim - 21/10/2005 10:07:00
RE: Please HELP me networking question by Rick - 27/12/2005 17:04:00
Re: RE: Please HELP me networking question by debbie Perkins - 12/03/2006 18:57:00
Re: bridging for temp access to Internet by Jim - 21/10/2005 10:08:00
xp bridge server with HPNA2 by kaddak - 11/07/2006 19:10:00
wireless to wired by Tim - 24/08/2006 21:12:00
Re: wireless to wired by xxx - 08/09/2006 20:44:00
Posted by xxx
08/09/2006 20:44:00.
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 - 17/10/2006 13:45:00
Posted by Cornelius
17/10/2006 13:45:00.
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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