w2k3 2 NICs strange networking problem

Hi,

I'm kinda stunned
I have many w2k servers with more than one NIC
on board and different IP addresses/masks/gateways assigned
to each one and everything works great.

I have a w2k3 server with 2 NICs but so far only one
has been used. Today I tried to enable the second one
with a different IP (different subnet), different mask, and different
default gateway. It gave me a strange warning about:
"Multiple default gateways...". When I plugged the network cable
from the second card into the switch they both (both cards) stopped
responding. Neither of them replies to pings from another computer.
When I unplug the cable the frist card respods without any problems.
Whats going on?

1st NIC:
IP: a.b.1.30
mask: 255.255.255.128
gateway: a.b.1.126

2nd NIC:
IP: a.b.9.4
mask: 255.255.255.0
gateway: a.b.9.254
(I also tried not to set the default gateway for this connection)

--
Grzegorz Tannenberg
Administrator
Centrum Komputerowe
Politechnika ¦l±ska

Hi Grzegorz,

I am not familiar with the "multiple default gateway" popup you described,
however, you should not have more than one default gateway per machine.
There can be only one default gateway used. Which ever card is bound
first would dictate which default gateway is used. If that default gateway
fails at any given time, then the second default gateway would be used.
This address would then be used until either the machine is rebooted, or a
connection thru this gateway fails. A route print should show you which is
being used.

But the behavior you are describing should not be occuring based on the
default gateways either (at least from the OS). Is it possible the switch
these are being plugged into maybe causing the loss of connectivity when
both cards are connected? Or is there any NIC teaming being used?




Thank you,
Matthew Fresoli
Microsoft Network Support
--

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