How to force game to use specific network adapter

mr.pedro · Mar 6, 2015

Hello CMDRs,
I would like to play Elite even at my college, but it is restricted. I would like to force game to use wifi network adapter (that is connected to android hotspot- 4g) instead using ethernet connection (restricted), so only Elite (not browser- saving prepaid data) will connect to internet using wifi network adapter.
Have anyone some solution for this? I already tried ForceBind IP, but it doesnt work because launcher needs to start game on its own.

Dogthinker · Mar 6, 2015

Have you tried simply disconnecting the ethernet connection while you start up the game? Or does the game resume using it when you reconnect?

Max Rockatansky · Mar 6, 2015

you should try to use the Windows "route" command. If you do "route print" it will give you all route statements. If I am correct you have two statement pointing to destination network 0.0.0.0 (it is actually the default gateway). delete the entry that points the route statement to your wired nic and all traffic should go to the WLAN card.
Downside is your campus network connection is broken until you fix it again ;-) But that could all be done in a batch file, including the start of the launcher.

in theory that is, haven't tried it.

edit:
or you could use a script file to temporarily disable the wired NIC. and activate it when done.

Rall · Mar 6, 2015

Do you want to use both at once?

Which adapter is used is based solely on the route table on the PC.

Since this game is P2P you'll need your default route/gateway using the Wireless adapter. And your colleges private network ranges routing out the Ethernet; it's not a trivial thing to be mucking around with. You'll need to know how to configure persistent routes and understand IP subneting, and it will interfere with your connection when on other networks.

If you know your colleges network ranges, PM me and I'll send you the command you'll need to use on the command line, and how to remove them.

mr.pedro · Mar 9, 2015

I want to use both network adapters. Ethernet (cable) adapter for all aplications except Elite Dangerous and for system. And wifi adapter only for Elite Dangerous.
I have tried to disconnect ethernet cable, connect to wifi mobile hotspot and so run the game. Game connects to server and it works, but after reconnecting ethernet cable, the game disconnected from the server, because game again started to use cable network adapter.
I have not enough skills to do "route" stuff. All I can do is to open command line and type "route print". I dont understand enough to this issue. And if I understand it right, changing routing table wouldnt solve my problem entirely, because after that all aplications would use wifi network adapter.

So now it seems, that I will play ED at college with my wifi hotspot (android) with closed browser and turned off automatic updates of windows to spare prepaid data...

Slopey · Mar 9, 2015

mr.pedro said:
I want to use both network adapters. Ethernet (cable) adapter for all aplications except Elite Dangerous and for system. And wifi adapter only for Elite Dangerous.
I have tried to disconnect ethernet cable, connect to wifi mobile hotspot and so run the game. Game connects to server and it works, but after reconnecting ethernet cable, the game disconnected from the server, because game again started to use cable network adapter.
I have not enough skills to do "route" stuff. All I can do is to open command line and type "route print". I dont understand enough to this issue. And if I understand it right, changing routing table wouldnt solve my problem entirely, because after that all aplications would use wifi network adapter.

So now it seems, that I will play ED at college with my wifi hotspot (android) with closed browser and turned off automatic updates of windows to spare prepaid data...

Do you think that running Elite over the hotspot is free, but browsing isn't? Surely you're billed for traffic, regardless of the type. If that's not a totally unlimited 4G contract, you should be very very wary - Elite uses massive amounts of data....

Browsing/Windows update are a drop in the ocean compared to the bandwidth ED uses.

mr.pedro · Mar 9, 2015

I am aware of that and I now that playing elite is not free so I want to minimize data used by other apps. And playing solo in elite use surely less data than playing online.

Lustan · Mar 9, 2015

Sooo...

You can set NIC priorities in the OS by opening up the Network panel where your adapters are listed. Press the ALT key to make the File menu show and click Advanced - Advanced Settings... Then make sure your Wireless Network Connection is at the top of the list using the arrows. This will make all applications use Wireless by default. Note that changing this while launching different applications will likely not work or cause unpredictable results.

Then close or end task all instances of your web browsers including browser helper apps (like taskbar icons). Then use Forcebind to relaunch web browser to use your "Local Area Connection" NIC.

If Forcebind works as it advertises in theory this might get you the results you desire. You can watch the status of each NIC to see traffic ticking when it should.

That all said, to me this would be very unpredictable as you are trying to access the same network (the Internet) from two different NICs. Windows isn't really designed to work with having multiple default gateways which is basically what you are trying to do. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/159168 Really having two active connections to the same network goes against basic network design short of using some expensive network appliances or any levels of understanding that could be explained in a forum post.

mr.pedro said:
I am aware of that and I now that playing elite is not free so I want to minimize data used by other apps. And playing solo in elite surely use less data than playing online.

If you are going to very populated systems like Lave, Leesti, etc there will be marginally more traffic. MARGINALLY. There is a lot of data for the game that has to be downloaded (and uploaded) in realtime from the servers even in solo.

Yabba Addict · Mar 9, 2015

mr.pedro said:
I am aware of that and I now that playing elite is not free so I want to minimize data used by other apps. And playing solo in elite surely use less data than playing online.

Yeah, if you're in solo you'll be fine with data usage.

geoffrey.hdt · Oct 26, 2015

Hey, has anybody been able to achieve this?

I am trying via ForceBindIP, it does not work. I believe the Elite launcher is using my wireless card, but when i click "play", it launch EliteDangerous32.exe separately, which uses the LAN.

I have tried to use ForceBindIP pointing to EliteDangerous32.exe but it does not work.

I have created a launcherless shortcut, but cannot use that with ForceBindIP...