What is Network Gateway? How to Configure LAN With Multiple default Network gateway

Do you know about Network Gateway? Want to know what is the default gateway? Want to configure LAN with the gateway?

This article gives you the details about what is network gateway, what is a default network gateway and how to configure LAN with multiple default gateways.

What is Network Gateway?

Gateway in networking is a node that serves as an access point to another network. Suppose ten computers or devices are connected. That means these ten devices form a network. Connect your laptop to any one of ten devices. The device or computer to which you have connected your laptop is called a network gateway. Because this device works as a gate to their network.

You can enter into another network only through the gate. Any computer or device can operate as a gate. It is simple to understand that the instrument or computer through which you are connecting or entering to other network is called network gateway. If you want more details, you can read Wikipedia’s article.

What is the default gateway?

From the above-said example, among the ten devices, any device can be configured as the default gateway. We can also use the network gateway as the default gateway. Or we can set up any other device as a default gateway. A default gateway is nothing but a router, which connects your network to another network. If you want to connect these ten devices network to another network, you can connect only through this router. If you want more details, you can read Wikipedia’s article.

How to Configure LAN with multiple default gateways

Consider your organization has three different networks. In your office, you have three systems, each with an individual network. You may have only one laptop. You need to work on these three networks. Instead of connecting one network at one time, you can access all three networks at once.

For that use, one switch. Connect all three nodes to the switch. Connect your laptop to switch with one Ethernet cable. Now configure your laptop’s LAN with three default gateway IPs.

To configure LAN follow step by step procedure which is shown below. The procedure is the same for all the versions of windows.

  • Go to control panel -> Click on “Network and Internet”. You will see the “Network and Internet” window.
  • Click on “Network and Sharing Center”.  You will see the Network and Sharing Center window.
  • Click on “Change adapter settings”(1 in below fig.). You will see Network Connections.
  • Right-click on “Ethernet” and click on properties(2). Ethernet Properties window will be opened.
  • Click on Internet Protocol Version 4(TCP/IPv4) (3). “Properties” icon will be highlighted in the same window.
  • Click on “properties” (4). “Properties” window will be opened.
  • Enter the IP address, subnet mask, and first network’s default gateway IP address.
  • Click on Advanced (5). “Advanced TCP/IP Settings” window will be opened. Here you can add multiple IP, Gateway, DNS, and WINS.
  • Click on the “IP settings” tab at the top menu.
  • Click on “Add” Under “Default gateways” (6). “TCP/IP Gateway address” window will be opened.
  • Enter second default gateway ip address (7).
  • Click Add (8).
Network gateway

You Can enter as many gateways as you want by clicking Add (6) button in the “Advanced TCP/IP settings window”. Now you can use all the networks through all network gateways with a single laptop.

Conclusion

This is about gateway, default gateway and how to connect LAN with multiple default gateways in stepwise procedure.

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10 thoughts on “What is Network Gateway? How to Configure LAN With Multiple default Network gateway”

  1. I have A PC in which two default gateways were defined. This PC connected to a Switch .To this Switch two routers/Firewalls connected to Network A and Network B .From the PC I can reach only one network. I wan to access both the networks from the PC where two default gateways defined. Is there any extra configuration required either in firewall or PC.

    Reply
  2. Hi I want to use two network with one adapter, one Internet with IP 192 and other local with IP 172 and both have default gateways one with 192 and other with 172 but both doesnt work at at same time. I did all the settings in the Network & Sharing still one of them doesnt work either local works or internet work but not both once I access internet and then I go to access my local it doesnt connect. I gave multiple gateways I gave multiple IP but still not working

    Reply
  3. Just because you _can_ does not mean that you _should_

    This is not the best way to have access to multiple networks.

    Default…one.

    Assuming you set them all up with the same costs and preferences, and I am fairly sure Windows doesn’t allow you not to, the OS will pick ONE DEFAULT gateway and make it active.

    What you _should_ really do is one default gateway. For additional IP address ranges, add static routes.

    I suggest if you do some route tracing, you’ll find you’re running the real risk of asynchronous routing.

    Reply
    • hi tony i have two networks, one VPN with default gateway 10.3.1.250 and and another 192….. i can only connect to one network among 2 at a time…. Please suggest how can i access both networks …. what to do …. please provide steps to do ……..
      Thanks in advance

      Reply
      • That post is out dated but ..

        route add -p 10.3.1.0 mask 255.255.255.0 10.3.1.250 metric 1 if
        Where the nb is the number of your interface listed by the command route print -4

        Reply
  4. nice
    i have more than 5 networks
    but i m unable to add more than 5
    as after adding 5 default gateways the tab ADD is unhighlighted and i m unable to add more gateways.
    yes it works for those 5 gateways but i need to add my all networks.
    is there limit adding default gateways?

    Reply
  5. Hi, Thanks for the tip,
    but how can I find more than on default gateway for my ISP?? and
    other question is, if I add multiple gateways, will it decrease my internet speed??

    Reply
  6. Hiii jinka varalakshmi,
    I’m trying to access web site host (hosted in IIS) in different gateway.but both networks connected using VPN. i tried with above configuration but fail.what else i have to do in order to access web site.

    Reply
    • First you need to check if you are getting reply and of your hosted iis server’s IP then check :- go to CMD> telnet “your IP” “website port” if port is accessible make dns entry in your dns server or in your pc’s local host file.

      Reply

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