2 network cards one unit

I'm trying to increase my connection speed on my DSL. I have just 2 computors networked useing direct connection (network card to network card) in one unit (main) I have a Kingston 10/100 that is connected to the modem for my DSL, and a Allied AT 10/100 for the network to the other computer. (other computer has a matching card) I'm useing ICS, W2k, The network of the 2 computers is running at 100mbps, and the network cord for the modem is running at 10mbps. Which is slowing my internet speed down. I've tryed to switch the cards thinking that it would change the rate of mbps but it didn't work. If I put 2 cards into the computers that are only 10mbps cards would this then allow my internet connection to run at 100mbps? I know that a router would be the best, but at the time I can't afford one just yet. Well hope some one has got some Ideas for me thanks for the help.

Question, do you have tcp/ip settins. If so it probably won't work because the network settings will get confused. Also, I believe you can't share to dsl lines on one computer... but i may be wrong!

rblockmon

yes there are tpi/ip settings, everytime that I connect to the internet I'm assigined a new IP address. As far as shareing the DSL conection, thats no problem both computers and online all the time at the same time. so yes you can share the DSL connection, If I have understood your statement correctly. Thanks for your reply thou to my questions.

You're going to be limited by a number of factors. Not only the speed of the cards you are trying to use, but the speed limitations of the DSL service you are using. Additionally, depending on the type of DSL you have, you may be too far from the central switch to getany greater speed.

How fast is your maximum speed provided by the DSL service? Not the maximum the service sells, but the maximum that you are paying for. (ie do you have 256k up and 128k down?)

The reason you are connected to the DSL modem at 10mbps is because that's what the Ethernet port on the modem is. They don't bother making them 10/100 because it's overkill for the speed of DSL connections.

Guess I should have said that when I first hooked up the DSL It was running at 100mbps, it wasn't till I hooked up the network computer the it went to 10mbps,

Thanks for the info

It doesn't matter what speed your computer is connected to the modem... most DSL lines top off at 1.5 Mbs...and that's if you have the money to pay for it. Basically.. I dont' believe there are 100 Mbs DSL or cable modems.. all of them are 10 Mbs. Which is still more then the maximum DSL line speed. I would use two 10/100 cards to network the two computers (crossover or hub), and then use either a 10 or a 10/100 card to connect to the modem. Only when you get yourself a T3 line I recommend you switch to a 10/100 Mb card. <IMG SRC="smilies/smile.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/smile.gif" border="0">

Thanks for your imput, but like I said, When I had just the one card (10/100) hooked up to the DSL modem when I checked the status of the connection it was readying 100mbps. Then after I installed an Identical 10/100 card to connect my network together, the DSL line conection changed to 10mbps, There is a differance in the connection now, I know that my computers are running slower browseing the net. When you say 1.5 thats an uncaped DSL line whaich is what I have standard lines run at 1.0 which is 1,000,000.0 bps or 1,500,000.0bps.

when I say 1.5 Mbs I mean 1.5 (just like you say 10 or 100). It's true that some DSL lines are capable of higher speeds, but it's unlikely you have one of those. It's also very unlikely you have a 100 Mb capable modem. I have never head of one of those... and I've been through my fair share of DSL lines. But I suppose that's possible... however... what is not possible is when you install two NIC's in one computer... they will run at the speeds the other NIC (or modem) is connected to...it will not change. In your case... just because you added a second NIC... the speed on the first one will not change (assuming it's connected to the same thing. However, since you are now running two computers.... each computer will run slower... since you are sharing the bandwith. And since you are using one computer to act as a router... things will get even slower because the second computer has to go through the first one to go online. That's the beauty of a router. Hope this helps.

I'm, for the most part following you what your saying. But i guess what I'm not understanding or where your loosing me, is this. Isn't 1.5mbps the same as 1,500,000bps?

Let me try expaining it this way;
My DSL modem is a WireSpeed Westell, (supposed to be the best on the market) Its connected to the network card a 10/100, giveing the card a transfer speed rate of 10mbps or 100mpbs. When the computer was first hooked up to the modem via the network card, the speed rate was 100mbps. (fact) Now when I installed the 2nd network card, to hook (port to port) up the second computer, now that network connection is running at 100mbps, and the network connection to the modem droped to only 10mbps. Why?
I know that the modem isn't the cause, what I'm trying to figure out is how to get the network card thats hooked to the modem to run at 100mbps. I'm thinking the problem is in the network not the modem or the speed of the modem.
I hope this better explains what I'm looking for.

OK! my brother, not doubting anyone elses information, has also confirmed what you are saying.

I will admit that it highly possible that I mis read the connection speed of the network to the modem.

So Thank you all for your assistance. And you Trinitro for your patence with me!!

Have a good one.

I'am trying to set my computers up the same way you did but my cards dont show power lite on them when linked by cable but alone they work whet do you think???


Thanks Mark

Sounds like a different problem altogther mark. The original poster had a connection, but thought it had slowed down: which it hadn't (the DSL part of it anyway). Now you can not connect at all, right?
So, what are we talking about here? Do you have DSL? or are you just connecting two pc's together?
It sounds like the cable to me: two pc's linked together without a hub or router would require a different type of cable: a crossover cable rather than a straighthrough cable.