How to create multiple network profiles on Windows XP/2000.

I’ve been meaning to figure out how to do this…it was always easy to do on Macintosh systems. Someone else blogged about it for me here

I normally just use DHCP everywhere I connect. But sometimes I need special configs for networks that don’t have a DHCP server running. The problem with those special configs is that they just waste time when you need to go back to the office or your home network. Nothing works and it takes you a few minutes to remember you hosed your network settings to connect to some obscure network somewhere.

In case that link ever dies, the original content follows …

1. First, save your network profile with all you need (ip, subnet, gateway, dns, wins…)
2. Now you can open a DOS shell with start -> run; then type cmd
3. On shell write: netsh -c interface dump > c:/windows/system32/homesettings.txt
   the path is optional, you save this as you want, and also the name of file (homenetwork.txt) can be different.
4. Now you can setup a different netrwok, like the first profile, and repeat the point 3.
5. On you Desktop, in a free area, click on right button of mouse and choose new -> link
6. write: %windir%\system32\netsh.exe -f c:\windows\system32\homesettings.txt
7. Next write the name of link that appear as title of icon, eg: home
8. Repeat the step 6 and 7 for other network, change the name of txt in step six…
9. you are ready, if you want, you can change the two new icons on desktop, with right button, properties, change icon (the default icon file is c:/windows/system32/shell32.dll).