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Windows 7 ignoring Network Adapter Interface/Gateway Metric for Internet Connections

Anonymous
2015-07-22T17:15:16+00:00

I have a Windows 7 machine with four network adapters each connected to a different internet connection.

However, sometimes Windows connects to the internet using the 'wrong' network adapter - i.e. not the one with the lowest metric.

When the routing tables below were printed Windows was trying to connect through the Local Area Connection 4 (i.e. the one with the highest metric).  When I disconnected the internet (using the router interface) it still continued to try to use this connection and not utilise one of the other connections.

Why is this happening and how do I stop it?

C:\Users\MrBig>route print

===========================================================================

Interface List

 25...c0 4a 00 04 0d e6 ......Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller #6

 24...e0 3f 49 1c 6d c9 ......Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller #5

 23...c0 4a 00 03 ff 43 ......Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller

 20...30 b5 c2 05 2e aa ......Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller #4

 13...00 50 56 c0 00 01 ......VMware Virtual Ethernet Adapter for VMnet1

 15...00 50 56 c0 00 08 ......VMware Virtual Ethernet Adapter for VMnet8

 17...00 50 56 c0 00 02 ......VMware Virtual Ethernet Adapter for VMnet2

  1...........................Software Loopback Interface 1

 14...00 00 00 00 00 00 00 e0 Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #2

 11...00 00 00 00 00 00 00 e0 Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #3

 12...00 00 00 00 00 00 00 e0 Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface

 16...00 00 00 00 00 00 00 e0 Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #5

 18...00 00 00 00 00 00 00 e0 Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #6

 19...00 00 00 00 00 00 00 e0 Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #7

===========================================================================

IPv4 Route Table

===========================================================================

Active Routes:

Network Destination        Netmask          Gateway       Interface  Metric

          0.0.0.0          0.0.0.0      192.168.0.1      192.168.0.2    888

        127.0.0.0        255.0.0.0         On-link         127.0.0.1    306

        127.0.0.1  255.255.255.255         On-link         127.0.0.1    306

  127.255.255.255  255.255.255.255         On-link         127.0.0.1    306

      169.254.0.0      255.255.0.0         On-link    169.254.147.99    276

      169.254.0.0      255.255.0.0         On-link   169.254.229.142    276

      169.254.0.0      255.255.0.0         On-link   169.254.132.234    589

      169.254.0.0      255.255.0.0         On-link   169.254.176.129    478

  169.254.132.234  255.255.255.255         On-link   169.254.132.234    589

   169.254.147.99  255.255.255.255         On-link    169.254.147.99    276

  169.254.176.129  255.255.255.255         On-link   169.254.176.129    478

  169.254.229.142  255.255.255.255         On-link   169.254.229.142    276

  169.254.255.255  255.255.255.255         On-link    169.254.147.99    276

  169.254.255.255  255.255.255.255         On-link   169.254.229.142    276

  169.254.255.255  255.255.255.255         On-link   169.254.132.234    589

  169.254.255.255  255.255.255.255         On-link   169.254.176.129    478

      192.168.0.0    255.255.255.0         On-link       192.168.0.2    700

      192.168.0.2  255.255.255.255         On-link       192.168.0.2    700

    192.168.0.255  255.255.255.255         On-link       192.168.0.2    700

    192.168.134.0    255.255.255.0         On-link     192.168.134.1    276

    192.168.134.1  255.255.255.255         On-link     192.168.134.1    276

  192.168.134.255  255.255.255.255         On-link     192.168.134.1    276

        224.0.0.0        240.0.0.0         On-link         127.0.0.1    306

        224.0.0.0        240.0.0.0         On-link       192.168.0.2    700

        224.0.0.0        240.0.0.0         On-link   169.254.132.234    589

        224.0.0.0        240.0.0.0         On-link   169.254.176.129    478

        224.0.0.0        240.0.0.0         On-link                18    367

        224.0.0.0        240.0.0.0         On-link     192.168.134.1    276

        224.0.0.0        240.0.0.0         On-link   169.254.229.142    276

        224.0.0.0        240.0.0.0         On-link    169.254.147.99    276

  255.255.255.255  255.255.255.255         On-link         127.0.0.1    306

  255.255.255.255  255.255.255.255         On-link       192.168.0.2    700

  255.255.255.255  255.255.255.255         On-link   169.254.132.234    589

  255.255.255.255  255.255.255.255         On-link   169.254.176.129    478

  255.255.255.255  255.255.255.255         On-link                18    367

  255.255.255.255  255.255.255.255         On-link     192.168.134.1    276

  255.255.255.255  255.255.255.255         On-link   169.254.229.142    276

  255.255.255.255  255.255.255.255         On-link    169.254.147.99    276

===========================================================================

Persistent Routes:

  None

IPv6 Route Table

===========================================================================

Active Routes:

 If Metric Network Destination      Gateway

  1    306 ::1/128                  On-link

 20    452 fd96:6af7:6eb4::/64      On-link

 20    700 fd96:6af7:6eb4:0:bcf5:73a6:6a90:2b00/128

                                    On-link

 20    700 fd96:6af7:6eb4:0:f967:1134:bc7a:81f3/128

                                    On-link

 20    700 fe80::/64                On-link

 25    589 fe80::/64                On-link

 23    478 fe80::/64                On-link

 24    367 fe80::/64                On-link

 13    276 fe80::/64                On-link

 15    276 fe80::/64                On-link

 17    276 fe80::/64                On-link

 17    276 fe80::16d:9c43:983c:9363/128

                                    On-link

 24    367 fe80::1c74:8ab4:9c9d:af3c/128

                                    On-link

 13    276 fe80::287d:ddde:d323:b220/128

                                    On-link

 15    276 fe80::2c7a:3dc9:bd4c:e58e/128

                                    On-link

 25    589 fe80::5844:10da:9d2c:84ea/128

                                    On-link

 23    478 fe80::dd74:ac60:d847:b081/128

                                    On-link

 20    700 fe80::f967:1134:bc7a:81f3/128

                                    On-link

  1    306 ff00::/8                 On-link

 20    700 ff00::/8                 On-link

 25    589 ff00::/8                 On-link

 23    478 ff00::/8                 On-link

 24    367 ff00::/8                 On-link

 13    276 ff00::/8                 On-link

 15    276 ff00::/8                 On-link

 17    276 ff00::/8                 On-link

===========================================================================

Persistent Routes:

  None

C:\Users\MrBig>netsh int ip show config

Configuration for interface "Local Area Connection 3"

    DHCP enabled:                         Yes

    InterfaceMetric:                      333

    DNS servers configured through DHCP:  None

    Register with which suffix:           Primary only

    WINS servers configured through DHCP: None

Configuration for interface "Local Area Connection"

    DHCP enabled:                         Yes

    InterfaceMetric:                      111

    DNS servers configured through DHCP:  None

    Register with which suffix:           Primary only

    WINS servers configured through DHCP: None

Configuration for interface "Local Area Connection 2"

    DHCP enabled:                         Yes

    InterfaceMetric:                      222

    DNS servers configured through DHCP:  None

    Register with which suffix:           Primary only

    WINS servers configured through DHCP: None

Configuration for interface "Local Area Connection 4"

    DHCP enabled:                         Yes

    IP Address:                           192.168.0.2

    Subnet Prefix:                        192.168.0.0/24 (mask 255.255.255.0)

    Default Gateway:                      192.168.0.1

    Gateway Metric:                       444

    InterfaceMetric:                      444

    DNS servers configured through DHCP:  192.168.0.1

    Register with which suffix:           Primary only

    WINS servers configured through DHCP: None

Configuration for interface "VMware Network Adapter VMnet1"

    DHCP enabled:                         Yes

    IP Address:                           192.168.134.1

    Subnet Prefix:                        192.168.134.0/24 (mask 255.255.255.0)

    InterfaceMetric:                      20

    DNS servers configured through DHCP:  192.168.134.1

    Register with which suffix:           Primary only

    WINS servers configured through DHCP: None

Configuration for interface "VMware Network Adapter VMnet8"

    DHCP enabled:                         No

    IP Address:                           169.254.229.142

    Subnet Prefix:                        169.254.0.0/16 (mask 255.255.0.0)

    InterfaceMetric:                      20

    Statically Configured DNS Servers:    None

    Register with which suffix:           Primary only

    Statically Configured WINS Servers:   None

Configuration for interface "VMware Network Adapter VMnet2"

    DHCP enabled:                         No

    IP Address:                           169.254.147.99

    Subnet Prefix:                        169.254.0.0/16 (mask 255.255.0.0)

    InterfaceMetric:                      20

    Statically Configured DNS Servers:    None

    Register with which suffix:           Primary only

    Statically Configured WINS Servers:   None

Configuration for interface "Loopback Pseudo-Interface 1"

    DHCP enabled:                         No

    IP Address:                           127.0.0.1

    Subnet Prefix:                        127.0.0.0/8 (mask 255.0.0.0)

    InterfaceMetric:                      50

    Statically Configured DNS Servers:    None

    Register with which suffix:           Primary only

    Statically Configured WINS Servers:   None

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Internet and connectivity

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  1. Anonymous
    2015-08-05T16:32:53+00:00

    Can somebody PLEASE PLEASE help!?

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  2. Anonymous
    2015-07-23T11:53:00+00:00

    Hi,

    The order listed in that menu was different to the order of the metrics I set.  I have now changed the order of the adapters to match. 

    What is the difference between the two?

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  3. Anonymous
    2015-07-23T07:08:47+00:00

    Hello!

    Have you set order of connections in Adapters and Bindings?

    In Network Connections ( ncpa.cpl ) Advanced Menu ( ALT+N to show the menu ), Advanced Settings.

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  4. Anonymous
    2015-07-22T20:46:15+00:00

    Hello,

    Yes.  I set the metrics manually - 111, 222, 333, 444 as you can see in the screen dump above. 

    The metrics for the network adapters are how I want them.  As per my question above, my problem is that Windows is ignoring these metrics and giving priority to the wrong adapter (i.e. connecting using the high metric card and not the low metric card as it should be).

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  5. Anonymous
    2015-07-22T18:05:00+00:00

    Hello!

    Have you tried setting a manual metric for each interface?

    From Network Connections ( Start->ncpa.cpl ) double the adapter, Internet Protocol Version 4 ( TCP/IPv4 ), Properties, Advanced. At the bottom of the window uncheck "Automatic metric" and set a custom one.

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