What I want to do is have the wireless setup to allow me to connect to the internet via my internet provider (obtain IP address automatically) and the local area connection to be setup with a static IP address to connect to hardware on it's own network (this would be a industrial controls network) but as soon as i plug something into the local area connection, the wireless is dropped. How do i prevent this?

Tom

When you say the wireless is dropped, what do you mean?

Do you mean that your internet access is no longer available? Do you mean that the physical connection actually changes from "connected," to "disconnected," etc? Please explain.

I've done this before and I can tell you that Windows XP doesn't disconnect another network when you plug in to a second one. So, I would have to say this. I think you are most likely using a laptop, and that laptop most likely has a third party wireless management utility installed on it that came from the manufacturer. That utility is the culprit and should be uninstalled. After uninstalling it, Windows will do a fine job of managing your wireless connections and you will no longer have the issue you are talking about.

Your question intrigued me even though I do not operate a network with with diverse interconnected networks.
I can't attest to the accuracy of the information linked below, but it does appear to address the type of situation that you are attempting.
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Both-DHCP-a...ime-47494.shtml

Actually Doug, the link you provided, although very interesting, pertains to adding multiple IP addresses to a single network interface.

Whereas the OP actually has two different network interfaces. One wireless, and one wired. What he is doing is nothing special other than that he is "plugging" both in at the same time.

Hope that clears it up a bit.