how to use multiple Wifi networks on 1 laptop?

[masterschampion]

I have HP pavalion dv6-3230us notebook. I want to use mulitiple Wifi networks on my laptop using 1 Wifi card. is it possible to do so?

[EmperorPenguin]

Hi MastersChampion -

My research indicates that Microsoft spent several years working on something called Virtual WiFi which would enable users to connect to multiple wireless networks from a single network interface card (NIC)  simultaneously.  However, Microsoft stopped working on Virtual WiFi in 2005 (or thereabouts) but incorporated certain aspects of this technology into Windows 7.

However, if I understand correctly, what Windows 7 allows you to do is configure your computer to serve as a wireless access point (WAP) for other devices while connected to a wireless network, which I don't think is what you're wanting to do.

As far as I was able to determine, the only way to connect to two wireless networks simultaneously in Windows is with two NICs.

To read more about this, please check out the following:

http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/um/redmond/projects/virtualwifi/

Best Regards.

[Kuerten1]

First time I heard this. Connecting to multiple wifi network simultaneously? May I ask for the advantage on this?

VPN is the only scenarion close to this. 

[EmperorPenguin]

Hi Kuerten1 -

Sometimes different resources are available on different wireless networks, so if you need to access a resource on one network, while connected to a different one, you would have to disconnect from the network you're on and connect to the other one, then reverse the process when you finished. 

I think there was also interest in the possibility of increasing performance by allowing the NIC to leverage multiple networks at the same time, either combining bandwidth or switching between networks depending on which signal was stronger.

Admittedly, these aren't very common scenarios for the vast majority of users, which is probably why Microsoft stopped working on a solution.  And since the cost of NICs has come down to nothing, it's pretty straightforward to simply add another card (if your device supports it - obviously, with the trend towards tablets, netbooks and mobile devices, space for additional NICs is pretty much disappearing, so maybe someone will revisit this soon).

Best.

[EBGwd]

YES, this option would be useful for me. 

I have an HP laptop that I use for my local network at my home.  I also have a cellphone that I use to get to the internet, while I am at home.  Many of my files are stored on the server at home and used in relating to content on the internet.  The cellphone hotspot assigns an IP address to the wireless connection on my HP laptop when I am on the internet.  If I need a file off of my local server then I have to disconnect from the cellphone hotspot and reconnect to my local wireless network to get the files.  If it were a desktop then I could easily use the nic but I have an HP laptop that is portable and such a hardwired NIC connection would be a pain.

I have considered adding a USB wireless piece of hardware to get to both networks.  In theory that should work.

I have tried Bluetooth the hotspot but was unsuccessful.