[SOLVED] W7 - Onboard NIC disallows USB Wifi adapter to work simultaneously?

I have an HP Windows 7 (Home Premium) PC.

I have a wired connection (on-systemboard network interface) to a Belkin 54g router, but the router is not physically connected to the internet (no ethernet cable out to a cable modem/whatever). The router connects several necessary peripherals - mostly wirelessly to the main PC and another Windows 7 PC.) All this stuff worked prior to a move to a new location.

There is freely accessible Wifi in range (public library - wherein I could concievably carry the whole PC and use their WiFi with their blessing). << NOTE: My wife and I are members of the library. There is no requirement to be within the library when using their hotspot. I can provide a link to the terms and conditions, and acceptable use policy pages. This is not the thrust of this post. >>

I attached a USB Wifi adapter to the PC to avail myself of the free service, but Windows 7 will not allow the Wifi adapter to be seen until I detach the ethernet wire. Then it will allow me to see the available network, and connect.

How does Windows 7 (or the system board) look at network? Are they (onboard NIC and USB) mutually exclusive? Do I need a separate ethernet adapter card or a separate USB adapter card to create a different "channel" that would allow the two networks to coexist?

Thanks for your help.

They should not be. Win7 should be able to see both as separate networks. Your browser trying to get to the Internet might get confused, at first.

You said the Wifi cannot be seen until you detach the Ethernet cable. What happens if you do that, setup the Wifi, then reconnect the Ethernet? Does the Wife ...err, wishful thinking? - I mean Wifi go away?

I have a wireless USB D-Link 1340 and a a D-Link dual Band N Dir 825 Rev A router and I can use either one as I desire as Digerati said this should not be

Huh? That's an adapter and a router. Where did I say you cannot use them together? They are made for each other!

you misunderstood, I was also saying They should not be. Win7 should be able to see both as separate networks.as mine do

Well, okay - note you said I said it should not be, when in fact, I said it should be able to work just fine - not sure it was me that misunderstood, or your fingers doing the typing!

Thanks, Guys.

I multi-posted this question, and someone mentioned changing the subnet the peripherals are on, and removing their default gateway, and assignig static IP addresses to them , to make them truly separate networks. I haven't had the time to experiment with that yet.

Then I went to the net/sharing center and connected to two networks on a whim, and it says it did it, although it would still say "no internet access".

I need to delve deeper into the actual computer behind all the fluff of W7's gui, and reaquaint myself with subnetting. Will advise.

Friends and Fellow Geeks,

Thank you for the responses and suggestions.

I find that struggling to frame a question that won't take you and me down long side paths and clarifications, actually helps order my thought processes in thinking about solving the problem. Other times, it reminds me of how much there is to know out there, and without good technical support (that's you folks!), I would be adrift at sea. Then someone smacks me on the head with an oar, and and says, Snap Out Of It!, and I proceed to the solution.

Ultimately, the solution for me included running an ethernet cable from the non-internet-connected router to the second PC, setting up static IP's for that network, killing the gateway and dns for them, and letting the wireless usb adapters do their thing for the wifi internet access.

The brain-fart had been that I was trying to force two networks on one adapter on the second PC - what was I thinking? Some times I need that smack upside the head.

Thanks again.

G00k

Glad you got it sorted out and thanks for the followup.

Note you can assign multiple IP addresses to a single card (see here), then connect to multiple networks but that involves some networking skills beyond the normal home network setups. Two interface cards is much easier to setup, and maintain.