2 NICs, 1 PC, 1 LAN + Internet

Greetings network gurus!

I have two NICs in a Win98-2 PC, both are configured with updated drivers
and "on". Both are connected to a broadband DHCP router which assigns them
unique local IP addresses. The router is connected to the Internet through a
broadband modem.

Questions:
-What can I do with this setup?
-Can I implement load-balancing for Web browsing where the browser uses
both NICs to download Web pages faster?
-Can I use both NICs for Internet access? Right now it defaults to only
1 NIC when I use any Internet app.
-How does the ROUTE.EXE command affect the use of either NIC for the
Internet?
-What commands can I issue to get Web browsing for example on the 2nd
NIC?
-How do I alternate Internet access between either NIC in any given
Windows session?

I know those questions are similar, but I guess it's just difficult to
explain what I'm trying to do.

Thanks!

Connections don't work that way.


"Typical M$ User" <Win$(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Greetings network gurus!
>
> I have two NICs in a Win98-2 PC, both are configured with updated drivers
> and "on". Both are connected to a broadband DHCP router which assigns them
> unique local IP addresses. The router is connected to the Internet through
a
> broadband modem.
>
> Questions:
> -What can I do with this setup?
> -Can I implement load-balancing for Web browsing where the browser
uses
> both NICs to download Web pages faster?
> -Can I use both NICs for Internet access? Right now it defaults to
only
> 1 NIC when I use any Internet app.
> -How does the ROUTE.EXE command affect the use of either NIC for the
> Internet?
> -What commands can I issue to get Web browsing for example on the 2nd
> NIC?
> -How do I alternate Internet access between either NIC in any given
> Windows session?
>
> I know those questions are similar, but I guess it's just difficult to
> explain what I'm trying to do.
>
> Thanks!
>
>

To add to Rob's advice, whether or not you can do anything useful with it is
immaterial because it won't help you a bit. Your broadband Internet
connection is most likely in the range of 512kbps to 2mbps (download speed).
One single network card is capable of at least 10mbps operation, probably
more likely 100mbps if it's an even-remotely modern NIC.

One single NIC is at least five to fifty times faster than the data coming
in through the modem, so adding another NIC (even if you could, and if you
could make it work as you wish) would merely increase your overkill ratio
from 5x to 10x or from 50x to 100x.

In other words, ya can't fill a swimming pool through a garden hose. ;-)

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Win9x] (E-Mail Removed)
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* for the benefit of all. Private mail is usually not replied to.
* HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm


"Typical M$ User" <Win$(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Greetings network gurus!
>
> I have two NICs in a Win98-2 PC, both are configured with updated drivers
> and "on". Both are connected to a broadband DHCP router which assigns them
> unique local IP addresses. The router is connected to the Internet through
> a
> broadband modem.
>
> Questions:
> -What can I do with this setup?
> -Can I implement load-balancing for Web browsing where the browser uses
> both NICs to download Web pages faster?
> -Can I use both NICs for Internet access? Right now it defaults to only
> 1 NIC when I use any Internet app.
> -How does the ROUTE.EXE command affect the use of either NIC for the
> Internet?
> -What commands can I issue to get Web browsing for example on the 2nd
> NIC?
> -How do I alternate Internet access between either NIC in any given
> Windows session?
>
> I know those questions are similar, but I guess it's just difficult to
> explain what I'm trying to do.
>
> Thanks!
>
>

In article <(E-Mail Removed)>, "Typical M$ User"
<Win$(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>Greetings network gurus!
>
>I have two NICs in a Win98-2 PC, both are configured with updated drivers
>and "on". Both are connected to a broadband DHCP router which assigns them
>unique local IP addresses. The router is connected to the Internet through a
>broadband modem.
>
>Questions:
> -What can I do with this setup?
> -Can I implement load-balancing for Web browsing where the browser uses
>both NICs to download Web pages faster?
> -Can I use both NICs for Internet access? Right now it defaults to only
>1 NIC when I use any Internet app.
> -How does the ROUTE.EXE command affect the use of either NIC for the
>Internet?
> -What commands can I issue to get Web browsing for example on the 2nd
>NIC?
> -How do I alternate Internet access between either NIC in any given
>Windows session?
>
>I know those questions are similar, but I guess it's just difficult to
>explain what I'm trying to do.
>
>Thanks!

To add to what Rob and Richard said:

Since both NICs connect to the same broadband router, I assume that
they have IP addresses in the same subnet. If so, it isn't possible
to use both of them simultaneously for any type of network traffic.
Windows will use one or the other, not both, based on the value of the
interface metric.

If they had connections to different routers and IP addresses in
different subnets, they could talk to their own local area networks
simultaneously. However, it wouldn't be possible to use both of them
simultaneously as the default gateway for Internet access. Each NIC
would have a default route (0.0.0.0 mask 0.0.0.0) entry in the route
table, and Windows would use one or the other, but not both, based on
the value of the interface metric. You could define explicit static
routes to divide Internet traffic between them, e.g. specifying that
IP addresses in one range use NIC1 and IP addresses in another range
use NIC2.

Here are some ways to control which NIC Windows uses when the same
traffic could use either one:

1. Use the "route change" command to assign a lower metric to NIC
that you want to use and a higher metric to the other one.

2. Use Winipcfg to renew the IP address on the NIC that you want to
use and release the IP address on the one that you don't want to use.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional - Windows Networking
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

Steve Winograd's Networking FAQ
http://www.bcmaven.com/networking/faq.htm

Richard G. Harper wrote:


>
> In other words, ya can't fill a swimming pool through a garden hose. ;-)
>

Pray tell how you fill yours, then.


Rick <g>

I have the Fire Department come out with a five-inch hose and fill it in a
matter of hours. <VBSEG>

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Win9x] (E-Mail Removed)
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* for the benefit of all. Private mail is usually not replied to.
* HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm


"Rick T" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:u$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Richard G. Harper wrote:
>
>
>>
>> In other words, ya can't fill a swimming pool through a garden hose. ;-)
>>
>
> Pray tell how you fill yours, then.
>
>
> Rick <g>

X-No-archive: yes
"Steve Winograd [MVP]" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> In article <(E-Mail Removed)>, "Typical M$ User"
> <Win$(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> Since both NICs connect to the same broadband router, I assume that
> they have IP addresses in the same subnet.
Yes.

>If so, it isn't possible
> to use both of them simultaneously for any type of network traffic.
> Windows will use one or the other, not both, based on the value of the
> interface metric.

OK, I woke up and began testing. I was able to ping both Win98 NICs
successfully from my NT box. Both 98 NICs also broadcast and listen on the
NetBIOS ports as well. I can do a `net view` on both IP's. I just created a
`ping2.cmd` file:
start ping -n 20 98NIC1
start ping -n 20 98NIC2

And watched as both NICs were pinged simultaneously. So that tells me that it's
possible to send data to both NICs simultaneously. If a Web server, for
instance, knew that I had 2 NICs and that I wanted to balance downloads from
the site, the Web server could send text to one NIC, and images to the other
NIC. Oh, but I forgot about NAT. My browser would have to make simultaneous
requests from both NICs in order for the router to direct the traffic
accordingly. The Web server only sees one IP address making the requests on the
WAN side. It would seem that the problem could be handled in software. If some
smart programmer was inclined, he could write a Web browser app that could use
multiple NICs in one Win98 box to make and split up HTTP GET requests between
the two NICs. OR maybe it's possible to extend Internet Explorer to do it? Does
anyone know?

>You could define explicit static
> routes to divide Internet traffic between them, e.g. specifying that
> IP addresses in one range use NIC1 and IP addresses in another range
> use NIC2.

Thanks for that info. So for example I could have NIC1 handle the lower have of
the IP address space, and NIC2 can handle the upper half. Is that correct?

> Here are some ways to control which NIC Windows uses when the same
> traffic could use either one:
>
> 1. Use the "route change" command to assign a lower metric to NIC
> that you want to use and a higher metric to the other one.
>
> 2. Use Winipcfg to renew the IP address on the NIC that you want to
> use and release the IP address on the one that you don't want to use.

Ahhhhh, that's what I was looking for. Thanks alot...I knew I could count on
the experts!

In article <(E-Mail Removed)>, "Typical M$ User"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>X-No-archive: yes
>"Steve Winograd [MVP]" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>news:(E-Mail Removed).. .
>> In article <(E-Mail Removed)>, "Typical M$ User"
>> <Win$(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>> Since both NICs connect to the same broadband router, I assume that
>> they have IP addresses in the same subnet.
>
>Yes.
>
>>If so, it isn't possible
>> to use both of them simultaneously for any type of network traffic.
>> Windows will use one or the other, not both, based on the value of the
>> interface metric.
>
>OK, I woke up and began testing. I was able to ping both Win98 NICs
>successfully from my NT box. Both 98 NICs also broadcast and listen on the
>NetBIOS ports as well. I can do a `net view` on both IP's. I just created a
>`ping2.cmd` file:
> start ping -n 20 98NIC1
> start ping -n 20 98NIC2
>
>And watched as both NICs were pinged simultaneously. So that tells me that it's
>possible to send data to both NICs simultaneously. If a Web server, for
>instance, knew that I had 2 NICs and that I wanted to balance downloads from
>the site, the Web server could send text to one NIC, and images to the other
>NIC. Oh, but I forgot about NAT. My browser would have to make simultaneous
>requests from both NICs in order for the router to direct the traffic
>accordingly. The Web server only sees one IP address making the requests on the
>WAN side. It would seem that the problem could be handled in software. If some
>smart programmer was inclined, he could write a Web browser app that could use
>multiple NICs in one Win98 box to make and split up HTTP GET requests between
>the two NICs. OR maybe it's possible to extend Internet Explorer to do it? Does
>anyone know?

I ran some tests with two NICs having IP addresses in the same subnet
and no static routes defined. Here's what I found:

1. You're right that both NICs can receive data simultaneously from
pings on the LAN.

2. They can't both send data simultaneously. Windows will only send
data via the NIC with the lower metric. Even if another computer
pings the higher-metric NIC, the reply to the ping goes out via the
lower-metric NIC.

3. I couldn't find any way to get both NICs to access the Internet
simultaneously. Since the NICs are in the same subnet, only one of
them can send data to that subnet's default gateway.

>>If they had connections to different routers and IP addresses in
>>different subnets, they could talk to their own local area networks
>>simultaneously. However, it wouldn't be possible to use both of them
>>simultaneously as the default gateway for Internet access. Each NIC
>>would have a default route (0.0.0.0 mask 0.0.0.0) entry in the route
>>table, and Windows would use one or the other, but not both, based on
>>the value of the interface metric. You could define explicit static
>>routes to divide Internet traffic between them, e.g. specifying that
>>IP addresses in one range use NIC1 and IP addresses in another range
>>use NIC2.
>
>Thanks for that info. So for example I could have NIC1 handle the lower have of
>the IP address space, and NIC2 can handle the upper half. Is that correct?

Yes, provided that the two NICs have IP addresses in different subnets
and connect to different default gateways. For example, to make the
higher-metric NIC handle the upper half of the IP address space
(128.0.0.0 - 255.255.255.255):

route add 128.0.0.0 mask 128.0.0.0 w.x.y.z

where "w.x.y.z" is the IP address of the default gateway for the
higher-metric NIC.

>> Here are some ways to control which NIC Windows uses when the same
>> traffic could use either one:
>>
>> 1. Use the "route change" command to assign a lower metric to NIC
>> that you want to use and a higher metric to the other one.
>>
>> 2. Use Winipcfg to renew the IP address on the NIC that you want to
>> use and release the IP address on the one that you don't want to use.
>
>Ahhhhh, that's what I was looking for. Thanks alot...I knew I could count on
>the experts!

You're welcome.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional - Windows Networking
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

Steve Winograd's Networking FAQ
http://www.bcmaven.com/networking/faq.htm

Richard G. Harper wrote:

> I have the Fire Department come out with a five-inch hose and fill it in a
> matter of hours. <VBSEG>
>

LOL


Rick