three network cards, traffic problem

hi,

Setup:
Computer running windows2003server. three 10 Mbit network cards. Two
are connected directly to two separated T1 lines (different IP blocks,
different gateways, different switches, the same provider). The third
one is connected to the swtich together with other computers in LAN.
This computer is not a router. It's main role is a simple file server.
It is a basic FTP server for the users on the internet.

The problem:
Let's assume that there are many users connected to the computer via
FTP and they use up all the bandwidth and the LAN NIC is disconnected.
After starting the computer everything is ok. FTP Users use up all the
bandwidth which is aprox. 1.5% of a total NIC capabilities -- and
that's ok. After an hour or so all the traffic is redirected only to
one NIC; however, users are still connected to the other card, but the
traffic generated by them is minimal, at 0.02-0.04% of total capacity
(as observed in task manager networking). Not only is the traffic
going almost solely through one card, but the traffic on the other
card is smaller and it drops down to aprox 1%.
Now, if I restart one of the NICs, everything goes back to how it
should be -- but only for an hour or so; then it goes back to state I
described above.
If I terminate the NIC with the bigger traffic, users connected to the
other NIC suddenly are able to download files in full speed. Sometime
even if I start the LAN NIC everything gets fine for some time.
I had exactly the same hardware setup under windows 2000server, and
everything seemed to worked fine in this respect; the problem occurred
only since windows 2003 server has been installed.

How I tried to fix the problem:
I used many different NICs from several manufacturers, I changed their
positions in PCI slots, updated their drivers, changed interface
metric value, installed a couple of traffic managers software, used
different swithes, different FTP software, pulled out all my hair.
Nothing worked so far.

Question:
What could be the reason of such strange behavior and how to keep both
NICs running at full speed all the time?

I will be very grateful for any tips or suggestion. <rs>






--
if you are not paranoid, means you are not paying any attention.

It may be the hardware issue. It may be the DNS issue since you are running multihomed computer. Do all NICs register their IP in DNS records?

Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on http://www.ChicagoTech.net
How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on http://www.HowToNetworking.com
"rs" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:(E-Mail Removed)...
hi,

Setup:
Computer running windows2003server. three 10 Mbit network cards. Two
are connected directly to two separated T1 lines (different IP blocks,
different gateways, different switches, the same provider). The third
one is connected to the swtich together with other computers in LAN.
This computer is not a router. It's main role is a simple file server.
It is a basic FTP server for the users on the internet.

The problem:
Let's assume that there are many users connected to the computer via
FTP and they use up all the bandwidth and the LAN NIC is disconnected.
After starting the computer everything is ok. FTP Users use up all the
bandwidth which is aprox. 1.5% of a total NIC capabilities -- and
that's ok. After an hour or so all the traffic is redirected only to
one NIC; however, users are still connected to the other card, but the
traffic generated by them is minimal, at 0.02-0.04% of total capacity
(as observed in task manager networking). Not only is the traffic
going almost solely through one card, but the traffic on the other
card is smaller and it drops down to aprox 1%.
Now, if I restart one of the NICs, everything goes back to how it
should be -- but only for an hour or so; then it goes back to state I
described above.
If I terminate the NIC with the bigger traffic, users connected to the
other NIC suddenly are able to download files in full speed. Sometime
even if I start the LAN NIC everything gets fine for some time.
I had exactly the same hardware setup under windows 2000server, and
everything seemed to worked fine in this respect; the problem occurred
only since windows 2003 server has been installed.

How I tried to fix the problem:
I used many different NICs from several manufacturers, I changed their
positions in PCI slots, updated their drivers, changed interface
metric value, installed a couple of traffic managers software, used
different swithes, different FTP software, pulled out all my hair.
Nothing worked so far.

Question:
What could be the reason of such strange behavior and how to keep both
NICs running at full speed all the time?

I will be very grateful for any tips or suggestion. <rs>






--
if you are not paranoid, means you are not paying any attention.

On Mon, 4 Sep 2006 11:05:57 -0500, "Robert L [MS-MVP]"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

thanks for your reply.
what do you mean by hardware issue? what hardware? cards seem to be
fine, switches fine as well. exactly the same setup under W2000server
didn't give any problems.
yes, there are propper IP entries in DNS files for those NICs. <rs>

>It may be the hardware issue. It may be the DNS issue since you are running multihomed computer.
>Do all NICs register their IP in DNS records?
>
>Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
>Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on http://www.ChicagoTech.net
>How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on http://www.HowToNetworking.com
> "rs" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> hi,
>
> Setup:
> Computer running windows2003server. three 10 Mbit network cards. Two
> are connected directly to two separated T1 lines (different IP blocks,
> different gateways, different switches, the same provider). The third
> one is connected to the swtich together with other computers in LAN.
> This computer is not a router. It's main role is a simple file server.
> It is a basic FTP server for the users on the internet.
>
> The problem:
> Let's assume that there are many users connected to the computer via
> FTP and they use up all the bandwidth and the LAN NIC is disconnected.
> After starting the computer everything is ok. FTP Users use up all the
> bandwidth which is aprox. 1.5% of a total NIC capabilities -- and
> that's ok. After an hour or so all the traffic is redirected only to
> one NIC; however, users are still connected to the other card, but the
> traffic generated by them is minimal, at 0.02-0.04% of total capacity
> (as observed in task manager networking). Not only is the traffic
> going almost solely through one card, but the traffic on the other
> card is smaller and it drops down to aprox 1%.
> Now, if I restart one of the NICs, everything goes back to how it
> should be -- but only for an hour or so; then it goes back to state I
> described above.
> If I terminate the NIC with the bigger traffic, users connected to the
> other NIC suddenly are able to download files in full speed. Sometime
> even if I start the LAN NIC everything gets fine for some time.
> I had exactly the same hardware setup under windows 2000server, and
> everything seemed to worked fine in this respect; the problem occurred
> only since windows 2003 server has been installed.
>
> How I tried to fix the problem:
> I used many different NICs from several manufacturers, I changed their
> positions in PCI slots, updated their drivers, changed interface
> metric value, installed a couple of traffic managers software, used
> different swithes, different FTP software, pulled out all my hair.
> Nothing worked so far.
>
> Question:
> What could be the reason of such strange behavior and how to keep both
> NICs running at full speed all the time?
>
> I will be very grateful for any tips or suggestion. <rs>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> if you are not paranoid, means you are not paying any attention.





--
if you are not paranoid, means you are not paying any attention.

Sorry, I tried to say it may not be the hardware issue. Assuming you have three NICs with different IP addresses, do all of them register in the DNS A records.

Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on http://www.ChicagoTech.net
How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on http://www.HowToNetworking.com
"rs" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:(E-Mail Removed)...
On Mon, 4 Sep 2006 11:05:57 -0500, "Robert L [MS-MVP]"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

thanks for your reply.
what do you mean by hardware issue? what hardware? cards seem to be
fine, switches fine as well. exactly the same setup under W2000server
didn't give any problems.
yes, there are propper IP entries in DNS files for those NICs. <rs>

>It may be the hardware issue. It may be the DNS issue since you are running multihomed computer.
>Do all NICs register their IP in DNS records?
>
>Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
>Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on http://www.ChicagoTech.net
>How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on http://www.HowToNetworking.com
> "rs" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> hi,
>
> Setup:
> Computer running windows2003server. three 10 Mbit network cards. Two
> are connected directly to two separated T1 lines (different IP blocks,
> different gateways, different switches, the same provider). The third
> one is connected to the swtich together with other computers in LAN.
> This computer is not a router. It's main role is a simple file server.
> It is a basic FTP server for the users on the internet.
>
> The problem:
> Let's assume that there are many users connected to the computer via
> FTP and they use up all the bandwidth and the LAN NIC is disconnected.
> After starting the computer everything is ok. FTP Users use up all the
> bandwidth which is aprox. 1.5% of a total NIC capabilities -- and
> that's ok. After an hour or so all the traffic is redirected only to
> one NIC; however, users are still connected to the other card, but the
> traffic generated by them is minimal, at 0.02-0.04% of total capacity
> (as observed in task manager networking). Not only is the traffic
> going almost solely through one card, but the traffic on the other
> card is smaller and it drops down to aprox 1%.
> Now, if I restart one of the NICs, everything goes back to how it
> should be -- but only for an hour or so; then it goes back to state I
> described above.
> If I terminate the NIC with the bigger traffic, users connected to the
> other NIC suddenly are able to download files in full speed. Sometime
> even if I start the LAN NIC everything gets fine for some time.
> I had exactly the same hardware setup under windows 2000server, and
> everything seemed to worked fine in this respect; the problem occurred
> only since windows 2003 server has been installed.
>
> How I tried to fix the problem:
> I used many different NICs from several manufacturers, I changed their
> positions in PCI slots, updated their drivers, changed interface
> metric value, installed a couple of traffic managers software, used
> different swithes, different FTP software, pulled out all my hair.
> Nothing worked so far.
>
> Question:
> What could be the reason of such strange behavior and how to keep both
> NICs running at full speed all the time?
>
> I will be very grateful for any tips or suggestion. <rs>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> if you are not paranoid, means you are not paying any attention.





--
if you are not paranoid, means you are not paying any attention.

yes. three different IPs. two public, registered in DNS A records. one
internal assigned by local DHCP.
to make situation more simple, the last one has been disconnected for
past several days. <rs>

On Mon, 4 Sep 2006 18:39:29 -0500, "Robert L [MVP - Networking]"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Sorry, I tried to say it may not be the hardware issue. Assuming you have three NICs with different IP addresses, do all of them register in the DNS A records.
>
>Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
>Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on http://www.ChicagoTech.net
>How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on http://www.HowToNetworking.com
> "rs" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Mon, 4 Sep 2006 11:05:57 -0500, "Robert L [MS-MVP]"
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
> thanks for your reply.
> what do you mean by hardware issue? what hardware? cards seem to be
> fine, switches fine as well. exactly the same setup under W2000server
> didn't give any problems.
> yes, there are propper IP entries in DNS files for those NICs. <rs>
>
> >It may be the hardware issue. It may be the DNS issue since you are running multihomed computer.
> >Do all NICs register their IP in DNS records?
> >
> >Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
> >Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on http://www.ChicagoTech.net
> >How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on http://www.HowToNetworking.com
> > "rs" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > hi,
> >
> > Setup:
> > Computer running windows2003server. three 10 Mbit network cards. Two
> > are connected directly to two separated T1 lines (different IP blocks,
> > different gateways, different switches, the same provider). The third
> > one is connected to the swtich together with other computers in LAN.
> > This computer is not a router. It's main role is a simple file server.
> > It is a basic FTP server for the users on the internet.
> >
> > The problem:
> > Let's assume that there are many users connected to the computer via
> > FTP and they use up all the bandwidth and the LAN NIC is disconnected.
> > After starting the computer everything is ok. FTP Users use up all the
> > bandwidth which is aprox. 1.5% of a total NIC capabilities -- and
> > that's ok. After an hour or so all the traffic is redirected only to
> > one NIC; however, users are still connected to the other card, but the
> > traffic generated by them is minimal, at 0.02-0.04% of total capacity
> > (as observed in task manager networking). Not only is the traffic
> > going almost solely through one card, but the traffic on the other
> > card is smaller and it drops down to aprox 1%.
> > Now, if I restart one of the NICs, everything goes back to how it
> > should be -- but only for an hour or so; then it goes back to state I
> > described above.
> > If I terminate the NIC with the bigger traffic, users connected to the
> > other NIC suddenly are able to download files in full speed. Sometime
> > even if I start the LAN NIC everything gets fine for some time.
> > I had exactly the same hardware setup under windows 2000server, and
> > everything seemed to worked fine in this respect; the problem occurred
> > only since windows 2003 server has been installed.
> >
> > How I tried to fix the problem:
> > I used many different NICs from several manufacturers, I changed their
> > positions in PCI slots, updated their drivers, changed interface
> > metric value, installed a couple of traffic managers software, used
> > different swithes, different FTP software, pulled out all my hair.
> > Nothing worked so far.
> >
> > Question:
> > What could be the reason of such strange behavior and how to keep both
> > NICs running at full speed all the time?
> >
> > I will be very grateful for any tips or suggestion. <rs>
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > if you are not paranoid, means you are not paying any attention.
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> if you are not paranoid, means you are not paying any attention.





--
if you are not paranoid, means you are not paying any attention.

"rs" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Computer running windows2003server. three 10 Mbit network cards. Two
> are connected directly to two separated T1 lines (different IP blocks,
> different gateways, different switches, the same provider). The third

You can't do that.
You can only have one Default Gateway.
Default Gateways are *global* for the whole machine (not individual nics).
What you are doing is not going to work and will act just exactly the way it
is acting.


--
Phillip Windell [MCP, MVP, CCNA]
www.wandtv.com

That is the problem. If a multihomed computer register multiple IP addresses in the DNS, that may cause a name resolution or canonicity issue. This case study may help,

name resolution and connectivity issues on RRAS Case Study - Name resolution and connectivity issues on a RRAS that also runs DC, DNS or WINS. A computer that is running Windows Server may have name ...
http://www.howtonetworking.com/cases...dcdnswins1.htm


Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on http://www.ChicagoTech.net
How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on http://www.HowToNetworking.com
"rs" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:(E-Mail Removed)...
yes. three different IPs. two public, registered in DNS A records. one
internal assigned by local DHCP.
to make situation more simple, the last one has been disconnected for
past several days. <rs>

On Mon, 4 Sep 2006 18:39:29 -0500, "Robert L [MVP - Networking]"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Sorry, I tried to say it may not be the hardware issue. Assuming you have three NICs with different IP addresses, do all of them register in the DNS A records.
>
>Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
>Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on http://www.ChicagoTech.net
>How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on http://www.HowToNetworking.com
> "rs" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Mon, 4 Sep 2006 11:05:57 -0500, "Robert L [MS-MVP]"
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
> thanks for your reply.
> what do you mean by hardware issue? what hardware? cards seem to be
> fine, switches fine as well. exactly the same setup under W2000server
> didn't give any problems.
> yes, there are propper IP entries in DNS files for those NICs. <rs>
>
> >It may be the hardware issue. It may be the DNS issue since you are running multihomed computer.
> >Do all NICs register their IP in DNS records?
> >
> >Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
> >Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on http://www.ChicagoTech.net
> >How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on http://www.HowToNetworking.com
> > "rs" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > hi,
> >
> > Setup:
> > Computer running windows2003server. three 10 Mbit network cards. Two
> > are connected directly to two separated T1 lines (different IP blocks,
> > different gateways, different switches, the same provider). The third
> > one is connected to the swtich together with other computers in LAN.
> > This computer is not a router. It's main role is a simple file server.
> > It is a basic FTP server for the users on the internet.
> >
> > The problem:
> > Let's assume that there are many users connected to the computer via
> > FTP and they use up all the bandwidth and the LAN NIC is disconnected.
> > After starting the computer everything is ok. FTP Users use up all the
> > bandwidth which is aprox. 1.5% of a total NIC capabilities -- and
> > that's ok. After an hour or so all the traffic is redirected only to
> > one NIC; however, users are still connected to the other card, but the
> > traffic generated by them is minimal, at 0.02-0.04% of total capacity
> > (as observed in task manager networking). Not only is the traffic
> > going almost solely through one card, but the traffic on the other
> > card is smaller and it drops down to aprox 1%.
> > Now, if I restart one of the NICs, everything goes back to how it
> > should be -- but only for an hour or so; then it goes back to state I
> > described above.
> > If I terminate the NIC with the bigger traffic, users connected to the
> > other NIC suddenly are able to download files in full speed. Sometime
> > even if I start the LAN NIC everything gets fine for some time.
> > I had exactly the same hardware setup under windows 2000server, and
> > everything seemed to worked fine in this respect; the problem occurred
> > only since windows 2003 server has been installed.
> >
> > How I tried to fix the problem:
> > I used many different NICs from several manufacturers, I changed their
> > positions in PCI slots, updated their drivers, changed interface
> > metric value, installed a couple of traffic managers software, used
> > different swithes, different FTP software, pulled out all my hair.
> > Nothing worked so far.
> >
> > Question:
> > What could be the reason of such strange behavior and how to keep both
> > NICs running at full speed all the time?
> >
> > I will be very grateful for any tips or suggestion. <rs>
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > if you are not paranoid, means you are not paying any attention.
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> if you are not paranoid, means you are not paying any attention.





--
if you are not paranoid, means you are not paying any attention.

thanks again. i'll be digging in this, but after a glimps, it looks
like most of this stuff is related to the machine performig routing
tasks. mine is just a worstation. server version of OS was installed
just to have certain RAID capabilities. <rs>

On Tue, 5 Sep 2006 12:56:40 -0500, "Robert L [MVP - Networking]"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>That is the problem. If a multihomed computer register multiple IP addresses in the DNS, that may cause a name resolution or canonicity issue. This case study may help,
>
>name resolution and connectivity issues on RRAS Case Study - Name resolution and connectivity issues on a RRAS that also runs DC, DNS or WINS. A computer that is running Windows Server may have name ...
> http://www.howtonetworking.com/cases...dcdnswins1.htm

>Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
>Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on http://www.ChicagoTech.net
>How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on http://www.HowToNetworking.com
> "rs" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> yes. three different IPs. two public, registered in DNS A records. one
> internal assigned by local DHCP.
> to make situation more simple, the last one has been disconnected for
> past several days. <rs>
>
> On Mon, 4 Sep 2006 18:39:29 -0500, "Robert L [MVP - Networking]"
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
> >Sorry, I tried to say it may not be the hardware issue. Assuming you have three NICs with different IP addresses, do all of them register in the DNS A records.
> >
> >Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
> >Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on http://www.ChicagoTech.net
> >How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on http://www.HowToNetworking.com
> > "rs" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > On Mon, 4 Sep 2006 11:05:57 -0500, "Robert L [MS-MVP]"
> > <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> >
> > thanks for your reply.
> > what do you mean by hardware issue? what hardware? cards seem to be
> > fine, switches fine as well. exactly the same setup under W2000server
> > didn't give any problems.
> > yes, there are propper IP entries in DNS files for those NICs. <rs>
> >
> > >It may be the hardware issue. It may be the DNS issue since you are running multihomed computer.
> > >Do all NICs register their IP in DNS records?
> > >
> > >Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
> > >Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on http://www.ChicagoTech.net
> > >How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on http://www.HowToNetworking.com
> > > "rs" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > > hi,
> > >
> > > Setup:
> > > Computer running windows2003server. three 10 Mbit network cards. Two
> > > are connected directly to two separated T1 lines (different IP blocks,
> > > different gateways, different switches, the same provider). The third
> > > one is connected to the swtich together with other computers in LAN.
> > > This computer is not a router. It's main role is a simple file server.
> > > It is a basic FTP server for the users on the internet.
> > >
> > > The problem:
> > > Let's assume that there are many users connected to the computer via
> > > FTP and they use up all the bandwidth and the LAN NIC is disconnected.
> > > After starting the computer everything is ok. FTP Users use up all the
> > > bandwidth which is aprox. 1.5% of a total NIC capabilities -- and
> > > that's ok. After an hour or so all the traffic is redirected only to
> > > one NIC; however, users are still connected to the other card, but the
> > > traffic generated by them is minimal, at 0.02-0.04% of total capacity
> > > (as observed in task manager networking). Not only is the traffic
> > > going almost solely through one card, but the traffic on the other
> > > card is smaller and it drops down to aprox 1%.
> > > Now, if I restart one of the NICs, everything goes back to how it
> > > should be -- but only for an hour or so; then it goes back to state I
> > > described above.
> > > If I terminate the NIC with the bigger traffic, users connected to the
> > > other NIC suddenly are able to download files in full speed. Sometime
> > > even if I start the LAN NIC everything gets fine for some time.
> > > I had exactly the same hardware setup under windows 2000server, and
> > > everything seemed to worked fine in this respect; the problem occurred
> > > only since windows 2003 server has been installed.
> > >
> > > How I tried to fix the problem:
> > > I used many different NICs from several manufacturers, I changed their
> > > positions in PCI slots, updated their drivers, changed interface
> > > metric value, installed a couple of traffic managers software, used
> > > different swithes, different FTP software, pulled out all my hair.
> > > Nothing worked so far.
> > >
> > > Question:
> > > What could be the reason of such strange behavior and how to keep both
> > > NICs running at full speed all the time?
> > >
> > > I will be very grateful for any tips or suggestion. <rs>
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > if you are not paranoid, means you are not paying any attention.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > if you are not paranoid, means you are not paying any attention.
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> if you are not paranoid, means you are not paying any attention.





--
if you are not paranoid, means you are not paying any attention.

On Tue, 5 Sep 2006 12:36:52 -0500, "Phillip Windell" <@.> wrote:

>"rs" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>news:(E-Mail Removed).. .
>> Computer running windows2003server. three 10 Mbit network cards. Two
>> are connected directly to two separated T1 lines (different IP blocks,
>> different gateways, different switches, the same provider). The third
>
>You can't do that.
>You can only have one Default Gateway.
>Default Gateways are *global* for the whole machine (not individual nics).
>What you are doing is not going to work and will act just exactly the way it
>is acting.

thanks for answer. probably you are right, but how can you explain 4
years of no problems, with the same hardware, and provider setup under
windows 2000 server? are you saying that i cannot connect any windows
based computer, acting like regular workstataion, to two different
providers giving me different IP blocks and gateways? <rs>





--
if you are not paranoid, means you are not paying any attention.

"rs" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> thanks for answer. probably you are right, but how can you explain 4
> years of no problems, with the same hardware, and provider setup under
> windows 2000 server?

Just plain luck,,,,

> are you saying that i cannot connect any windows
> based computer, acting like regular workstataion, to two different
> providers giving me different IP blocks and gateways? <rs>

That is absolutely what I am saying,...although that is a very unclear
discription of whatever you are trying to say, but I think I know what you
mean by it.

Here is the whole "multiple Gateway story:

159168 - Multiple Default Gateways Can Cause Connectivity Problems
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/159168/EN-US/
Default Gateway Behavior for Windows TCP/IP
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/com...uy/cg0903.mspx
Default gateways
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pro...d3859f5b1.mspx
157025 - Default Gateway Configuration for Multihomed Computers
http://support.microsoft.com/default...roduct=win2000


Here is what heppens when a machine is purposefully cnfigured with multiple
Gateways (on a good day).

128978 - Dead Gateway Detection in TCP/IP for Windows NT
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;EN-US;128978
171564 - TCP/IP Dead Gateway Detection Algorithm Updated for Windows NT
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;EN-US;171564


--
Phillip Windell [MCP, MVP, CCNA]
www.wandtv.com
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Understanding the ISA 2004 Access Rule Processing
http://www.isaserver.org/articles/IS...cessRules.html

Troubleshooting Client Authentication on Access Rules in ISA Server 2004
http://download.microsoft.com/downlo...7/ts_rules.doc

Microsoft Internet Security & Acceleration Server: Guidance
http://www.microsoft.com/isaserver/t...dance/2004.asp
http://www.microsoft.com/isaserver/t...dance/2000.asp

Microsoft Internet Security & Acceleration Server: Partners
http://www.microsoft.com/isaserver/partners/default.asp

Deployment Guidelines for ISA Server 2004 Enterprise Edition
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pro...isaserver.mspx
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