How to force Windows to use wireless network over ethernet

Question

I have a standard network with ethernet and wireless (both 2.4 and 5ghz) and I use an OpenWRT router with bridge configuration to give LAN to some devices in a room with no ethernet cable. One of these devices have ethernet connection and wireless. The OpenWRT router (is old) connects to the main network via wifi at 100mbps (so any device connected with ethernet cable is limited to 100mbps) but the device with wireless is capable to connect at ~400mpbs.

The problem is that my Windows 10 Pro is limited to 100mbps, instead of 400mbps. If I connect to the wireless IP the connection is limited to the ethernet speed (even the resource monitor shows no activity in wireless). Why is Windows using the ethernet connection even when I connect to the wireless IP?

I tried setting a lower metric to the wireless connection but nothing changes. There are anything I can do to force Windows to use wireless connection over ethernet?. Even better, it is possible to make a bridge between the two interface and get 500mbps?. I tried this but all the network starts to loose packets and have connection issues.

Thanks in advance. I know this is a very rare case...

Solution

Previously on Windows you were able to easily change this setting via a menu by running ncpa.cpl from the WIN+R run menu, clicking ALT, than Advanced->Advanced Settings and changing the priority in the menu. However I don't believe Windows 10 has this menu anymore. "Provider Order" is not the same thing.

Instead you must change the metric for that specific interface. You will assign a numeric metric number, the lower the number the more preferred that interface is.

1. Press WINDOWS KEY + R
2. Type in ncpa.cpl
3. Right-click on the wireless interface
4. Properties
5. Double-click IPV4
6. Advanced
7. Uncheck Automatic Metric and type in "1" (It doesn't have to be 1, just has to be low enough that windows will give it priority)
8. Make sure you save, apply, and "OK" every dialog box you opened, the settings will not be applied until every dialog box is closed.
9. Do the same for the Wired Interface, and give it a higher Metric. Something like "100" or "1000" would do well.

Now your computer should prioritize traffic to WIFI, and avoid the Wired interface unless the wireless goes down. You may undo all these changes by simply going back into the settings for each interface and re-selecting "Automatic Metric"

As for the bridging the interface, mixing Wireless and Wired bridged connections is a bad idea for the exact reasons you specified. However, if you insist, doing it in windows would be my suggested method. Go back to Network Connections (ncpa.cpl) and select both both connections, right click and select "Bridge Connection"

Comments

[David Martínez]

Thanks freebird, it works partially: the "input" bandwith seems to work well (if I download anything to the device) but don't work for the "output" bandwidth (it acts as a server with shared folders). If I copy anything from the server (tried with the LAN IP and the WiFi IP) the speed remains limited to the 100mbps provided by the ethernet. There are other settings that must be changed?.

[David Martínez]

Well, I tried disabling the ethernet connection and the speed is limited to ~100mbps on output but not when downloading from other devices so I think the problem must be other. Thanks anyway. Will post the solution if I find it...

[freebird]

Just got your new message. Try using wireshark.org to exaime the packets coming into and out of each interface to verify what connection is being used. I just tried this setup on my own computer that has WIFI 5 and Gigabit Ethernet and confirm it works.

[David Martínez]

Thanks, will try...