I run a cyber cafe. Currently I am using an ADSL connection on the server, and it is shared over network. I want to use two internet connections on the server and want to share both connections togather on the network, to boost the connection speed.
Can you suggest me a good tool for it? Windows XP has built in facility to bridge two network connections, but it has no facility to bridge two internet connections. 
Last edited by nam_siddharth on Fri Jul 07, 2006 8:15 am; edited 3 times in total just idea, why not using proxy server ? if you have two connection, you can put two ethernet card in proxy server and using load balancing.
Linux server may do this well. In linux based system, you may use advanced route (iproute2) to enable share the two connection. You can define the PRI of the two connection like 1:1, 2:1 or any other. FreeBSD and some UNIX system which support advanced route and iptable/ipfilter may did this too.
Don't know if there is a solution on M$ based system.
lookie here: http://www.mainpine.com/linebonding.html
i had tried something like this a few years ago at university but since i was on a 100mbit connection, adding a 11mbps wireless connection made no noticeable difference I have read in a magazine few years ago, that there is a free software, which bridges multiple internet connections. But, I do not remember name of that software.
Some points, which can help you in solving my problem:----
1. My 1st connection is an ADSL connection, which require ID and password to connect.
2. My 1st connection(ADSL) have Dynamic Address.
3. My 2nd connection will be through cable, and will have static address.
There are balanced routers that will help with this as well. They are a little pricey but they allow you to manage the how the loads are balanced and what devices have priority on the connections. You can check out Cisco and Juniper Networks for more details on these types of routers.
You can talk with there sales support people with specific questions and they will be more than happy to tell you what is the right system that you need.
Is it not possible without adding any extra hardware, or changing operating system? I know it is possible. There ia at least one software which can do it, I just not remember its name. Anyone please help.
| orno wrote: |
lookie here: http://www.mainpine.com/linebonding.html
i had tried something like this a few years ago at university but since i was on a 100mbit connection, adding a 11mbps wireless connection made no noticeable difference |
It does not work. What type of router are you using to route the connections??
u need a multiplex router
here are 3:
http://www.xincom.com/twr502.html
http://www.hotbrick.com/produto.asp?tipo=2&codPro=22
http://www.dlink.com/products/?sec=0&pid=452
since u run cyber cafe with few PCs, u can also do this:
2 line connect to 2 router, half of the PC have router1 as first gateway and router2 as second gateway, the other half have router2 as first gateway and router1 as second gateway. this will not double the speed for each PC anyway. then again, with multiplex router and all PC connect to Internet, each won't exceed the maximum speed for 1 ADSL line anyway. This may be your best bet.
http://www.geekswhoknow.com/articles/load-balance-two-internet-connections.htm
i would suggest you put this on the main computer and directly connect it to the both Internet connections.
Then you would distribute the load with a 3rd card (buying THREE cards shouldn't put you out more then 45-60$ total)
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=771339&CatId=1175
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=686143&CatId=1175
two cards you could look at getting (you should get a gigabit card simply because you don't want to bottle neck the network connection. (you should also have a gigabit router).
EDIT
or another option would be to have a Dual WAN Internet router (one of these will run about 100$-150$ but is probably the easiest method). The best option that comes to my mind is Linux or Unix. Li9ke said before this cand do it just perfectly. There would be another way to do it. Just enable the sharing of both the net connections. And then set one of the connection to one of the network card and the opther half to the other connection. You can do this in Win 2k server or 2003. It has options somewhere, I just don't remember exactly where.
I had no problem running two internet connections through windows. It just made a network bridge with the two internet connections and then the normal network.
Yeah, it's called bonding, as people have already pointed out. You need to buy a new router, anywhere from $50 - 500 for a multi featured one that will do cable bonding for you. After you get it, plug in, plugin your account details, and off you go.
Cheers.
Why go through all this????? Connect half of the computers to one switch, which is connected to the internet through one of the modems, and use as default gateway, that modem, then connect the rest of them to an other switch , which is connected to the other modem, bridge the 2 switchs and you are done(or actually you don't have to use 2 different swithes)... Just change the default gateways at the computers...(this might limit the limits that you can put, but i believ ethat it is the easiest solution).And if the server fails, your network will still be up and running...
