Can't ping the second network interface connected to a switch [closed]

Question

I have the following topology:

Default Gateway1 <--> SWITCH1 <--> [ NIC2 - (Windows 10 PC) - NIC1 ] <--> SWITCH2 <--> Default Gateway2 --> Internet

NIC1 is DHCP configured, and connects to the internet successfully.

NIC2 has a static IP address/subnet mask/default gateway (They are correct as I tested them on another machine) but I can't ping its IP from switch1, even though they are directly connected.

I'm trying to isolate the issue to find if it's from the switch or PC, I can ping default gateway1 from switch1.

For NIC2, Wireshark shows that ARP can't resolve the MAC address for default gateway1, although this interface receives CDP/VTP Packets from switch1.

Is this a case of windows preferring to use the first interface and "implicitly" disabling the other one? Or do I need a specific configuration under the interface on switch1?

The interface configuration (authenticated using dot1x):

SW1-2960#show running-config interface g2/0/2
Building configuration...

Current configuration : 378 bytes
!
interface GigabitEthernet2/0/2
 switchport mode access
 authentication host-mode multi-auth
 authentication open
 authentication order dot1x mab
 authentication priority dot1x mab
 authentication port-control auto
 authentication periodic
 authentication timer reauthenticate 900
 authentication timer restart 2
 mab
 dot1x pae authenticator
 spanning-tree portfast edge
end

SW1-2960#

Answer 1

Switch1 won't know jack about the network(s) on Switch2 unless you add an appropriate route. But as Win10 is not a router, one should not be routing foreign networks at it. (i.e. sw1's network cannot reach sw2's network through the PC.) The PC should be able to ping either switch, as it has directly connected interfaces in each network. The other devices in each network (i.e. the switches) cannot reach devices in the opposite network. (that's the job of a router.)

Answer 2

Your network is a really bad design. In order to route packets between networks, you use a router. In order to bridge frames on the same network, you use a bridge (a switch is a bridge). Your PC is neither a router nor a bridge, so traffic on each side of the PC is confined to that side of the PC.. It may be possible to run a routing or bridging application on your PC, but that is off-topic here.

Your switch would also need a layer-3 interface in the same network as your NIC for the switch to be able to ping the NIC.

If you are running separate networks on each NIC, then you should be able to use each network from your PC, although only one default route will be active in the PC.

If you are running the same network on both NICs, then you have other problems, and your symptoms will fit that scenario.

Unfortunately, questions about host/server configurations are off-topic here.