[Mystake]

how do computers decide which one to use?

I'm not talking about being hardwired AND wirelessly connected to the same router, but more like my desktop which has dual ethernet ports and having two separate modems plugged into it.

Even more so, what about when a smartphone is tethered? My phone comes up as an ethernet connection when tethered via USB.

I've always wondered, specifically about the two modems but I've never figured it out cause I never had two internet connections at the same time. I also just got the phone and just found how it shared connection when i plugged it in earlier tonight.

[SVT-WGN]

Interesting question, er-r-r problem. Twenty years ago when I using OS/2, all my internet connection was through dial-up. My home network (two IBM PC's) was able to use two 56k modems input into one connection and 112k connection. And there is the problem, that was twenty years ago and I now use Windows with DSL. So if it was possible then, it should be theoretically possible now (I assume you meant a cable connection on one and DSL as the other or were you thinking your wireless connection and your neighbours?) Your wireless and 4G (cell tethered) is not worth the effort.

[Mystake]

I more or less meant two separate internet connections via ethernet. just thought i'd mention my cell since it's as easy as plugging in the usb cord for it to tether to my 3G.

[darkpuppet]

well, technically speaking, I believe windows only allows for one internet connection -- or more specifically, one gateway. All of your traffic gets routed through one gateway (unless you have virtual machines running or something that emulates two separate computers)...

so two ethernet ports might be helpful for improving throughput on one network, but typically one operation goes through one port at a time.

So more ports is a bit of a waste unless your computer is routing traffic like a proxy or firewall where it could route traffic from one port to the other...

[Mystake]

this is where I say... with the modems being plugged in directly, could they both not gave the same gateway from the ISP?

[darkpuppet]

The problem is that the modems define their own gateways, and your router or whatever is plugged into them use the modem as a gateway.. the only way to see any type of improvement might be to put a computer in the middle there that load balances stuff going through the modems, but each request only goes through one gateway, or one modem.

If you have 2 DSL lines, you can buy special DSL modems that will bind the two together for double the bandwidth, but those are pretty pricey IIRC.

[Mystake]

(01-19-2012, 02:32 AM)darkpuppet Wrote: The problem is that the modems define their own gateways, and your router or whatever is plugged into them use the modem as a gateway.. the only way to see any type of improvement might be to put a computer in the middle there that load balances stuff going through the modems, but each request only goes through one gateway, or one modem.

If you have 2 DSL lines, you can buy special DSL modems that will bind the two together for double the bandwidth, but those are pretty pricey IIRC.

DSL is actually now available in that configuration, I think you can get up 4lines at a time.


I guess a PC for load balancing would be the only way to do it;
thanks all!

[paolo]

yup, there is MLPPP which uses multiple DSL lines bonded together to increase your bandwidth. the idea is that they use the same isp, but use multiple links ie the ML acronom. Acanac sells this, but i belive Teksaavy does too, you might want to look into this.


I think you need a special router with a dual WAN input though that does the bonding. unless they make a software that will bond 2 nic cards on your pc.

[darkpuppet]

^-- yup, Teksavvy offers MLPPP as well.

[Mystake]

the modem does the bonding, IIRC.


anyway thanks all for input - I thought there would be a way to do this by now (besides MLPPP) but I guess not.