Internet access issues with multiple network connections

[DrLivingstone]

I've seen one or two questions like this posted on the forums, but the typical initial reply is "why would you want to do that?", so I thought I'd start with that explanation.

I have two WinXP machines (docked laptops), one of which is a personal machine that I can completely control and one of which is a work machine that I have limited ability to change the networking configuration on. Each machine has two network connections, a wireless connection and a LAN connection. The DSL modem/wireless router (2wire 1000HW) is in the main house, and there is no easy way to arrange an Ethernet connection from the office (in the garage) to the house. So I *have* to rely on the wireless connections to get to the Internet.

The two computers don't seem to be able to "see" each other via the wireless connections, which is where the LAN connections come in. I use a crossover cable to directly connect the two computers to facilitate file and printer sharing.

Here is the problem: when the crossover cable is connected, Internet applications (such as Internet Explorer) sometimes try to use the LAN connection to access the Internet, rather than the wireless connection. I can't remove the TCP/IP (and QoS Scheduler) services from the LAN connection, which I've seen suggested in another thread in these forums, since I'm not allowed to fiddle with the network settings on the work laptop.

So the question is: is there a way to "force" WinXP to use or prefer the wireless connections to access the Internet? In the home configuration, there is no Internet access via the LAN connections - just two computers at either end of a crossover cable. And as I said, I can't (don't want to) change any of the network settings on the work laptop, since when it's at work it uses the LAN connection to access the Internet, not the wireless connection it uses when it's at home.

One other constraint: the existing DSL modem/wireless router can't be moved from the house to the office/garage, because then there wouldn't be sufficient wireless coverage in the house. So that seems to rule out a solution that relies on removing the wireless connections from the picture, and just using the LAN connection for both Internet access and files sharing, whether the work laptop is at home or at the office.