2 computers on cable modems networked...?

I have a complicated, not so complicated networking question...

Here goes..
I have 2 computers networked to eachother through a 4 port router..
1) Primary computer on a cable modem "AT&T" running WinXP Pro hooked into a 4port Linksys router to the second PC.

2) Second PC is running Win2kPro with 2 NICs one connection coming from PC#1. Also the Second PC is on a separate AT&T modem.

Now the question is can I somehow use the Win2k machine to bridge the 2 connections from PC#1 to PC#2? at least with out disconnecting one to get the other?

I know in WinXP you can bridge connections...
Is there a way I can have my cake and eat it too?

??

So what you are saying is that you have 2 cable modems, 2 computers, and 1 router that both machines are using to connect to each other and also out to the internet via the first cable modem.

In this case you are never using the second cable modem. WinXP and 2000 will pick a default interface to connect to the internet with. In this case it will more than likely be the interface connected to the router.

If you want to perform connection "teaming" your setup is way off.

Also the best way to design a network structure is to start with a piece of paper and a pen. Draw out your current config. Then sit back and say, "does this make sense?" If the answer is "no" then you need to do one of 2 things: 1) fix the issue or if you do not know how to fix the issue 2) go buy a network+ or networking essentials book and read a little bit.

Yes both Computers are connected to 2 different cable modems...

My PC#1 is the one with the router, going to PC#2 with 2 NICs one hooked into the network, one into my router...

I did the scetch and it looks ok..
In WINXP it has a feature that enables you to bridge 2 connections..
Unless I put another NIC into PC#1 and run it into another router to PC#2...

Or just by a damn Bridge

What I got now is PC#2 Switching between Connection1 and Connection2 for the time being..

Let the research continue!
Unless someone helps along the way ;)

What is the reason for each computer having its own cable modem?

Am I missing something?

To accomplish what I think you want, to me it would be simpler to do the following:

Have only one NIC card in each computer, TCP/IP settings to “Obtain IP address automatically”

One Cable Modem >>>> 4-port Linksys Router (DHCP turned on) >>>> both computers plugged into router.

Return the second cable modem.

That should let you share your Internet Connection between both computers.


Let us know if this is what you are trying to accomplish and someone in here will help you set up your file sharing etc for your internal "home" network.

I "think" he is trying to combine the bandwidth from the 2 cable modems. I guess one isn't enough.

[quote]Originally posted by Computer Tech NE:
<strong>I "think" he is trying to combine the bandwidth from the 2 cable modems. I guess one isn't enough.</strong><hr></blockquote>

Could be, but to my knowledge that can only be accomplished with the cooperation of the cable company.

Actually, I did see a product the other day that would allow two cable/dsl modems to be hooked into one router. Here's the link (Yea, Tigerdirect isn't the best place to go, but this is where I found it):
<a href="http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?sku=N99-1000" target="_blank">Router</a>

Don't know how well it works or anything, but just thought I'd pass that along.

[quote]Originally posted by flyboy747:
<strong>Actually, I did see a product the other day that would allow two cable/dsl modems to be hooked into one router. Here's the link (Yea, Tigerdirect isn't the best place to go, but this is where I found it):
<a href="http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?sku=N99-1000" target="_blank">Router</a>

Don't know how well it works or anything, but just thought I'd pass that along.</strong><hr></blockquote>

LOL! I was just gonna post the same thing!

[quote]Originally posted by flyboy747:
<strong>Actually, I did see a product the other day that would allow two cable/dsl modems to be hooked into one router. Here's the link (Yea, Tigerdirect isn't the best place to go, but this is where I found it):
<a href="http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?sku=N99-1000" target="_blank">Router</a>

Don't know how well it works or anything, but just thought I'd pass that along.</strong><hr></blockquote>

I checked out the site out of curiosity, and I'm
Not sure if I'm looking at it correctly. But what is meant by "Load Balancing?"

If it means what I think it does, then you might have 1mpbs theorectical bandwidth with 2 512kbps cable modems, but that wouldn't be available for 1 process.

In other words, when lots of traffic is on one modem, the router would route new traffic to the other modem to balance the load. But I wouldn't be able to use all the bandwidth from both modems to download a linux distribution in record time.

Am I on target here?

[quote]Originally posted by kato2274:
<strong>

I checked out the site out of curiosity, and I'm
Not sure if I'm looking at it correctly. But what is meant by "Load Balancing?"

If it means what I think it does, then you might have 1mpbs theorectical bandwidth with 2 512kbps cable modems, but that wouldn't be available for 1 process.

In other words, when lots of traffic is on one modem, the router would route new traffic to the other modem to balance the load. But I wouldn't be able to use all the bandwidth from both modems to download a linux distribution in record time.

Am I on target here?</strong><hr></blockquote>

Yeah that's about it. But if you are downloading the distro your browsing will be fast still because it will route everything over to the other connection.

Looks interesting but if I am understanding this correctly, you will need two seperate (independent)cable/DSL connections.

Wonder if you could have one conncection with your cable company and the other DSL?

[quote]Originally posted by Poseidon:
<strong>Wonder if you could have one conncection with your cable company and the other DSL?</strong><hr></blockquote>

I think you could have that setup, because the router would treat both broadband connections as independants.

then it would just have some rules assinged that say which Gateway IP to use and when.

What I wonder is how hard would this be to accomplish with a linux router?

just figuring it in my head, You'd need at least 3 NIC's and a switch. Your gateway for your clients would be the routers class C IP (10.10.10.1) and you'd have to use script to tell the router when to use what modem.

I'm sure it can be done by someone much smarter than me, and for a lot less than the $380 price tag on that router.

Supra had a modem setup similar to this a while back called the shotgun.
Two phonelines and two connections to an ISP. While in theory this would appear to double your throughput, it doesn't quite work out that way. I'm sure that it as to do with something similar to RAID in that it has to first divide up the data being sent to each line to avoid packet duplication. IE:

A to line1
B to line2
C to line3
etc...

I would like to see a setup like that in operation but I would have to find the merchandise to do it on some other site that TigerDirect.

I refuse to do business with them EVER again.