Just curious...
since nowadays, there are motherboards that come with 2 LAN ports... does this mean that the computer will have 2 IP addresses if both LAN ports are connected simultaneously?

what are the advantage of using 2 LAN ports simultaneously?

more advance server normally trunk the network ports and run it as 1 network and thus double the speed. Those were the days when ppl are running 10/100mbps. Now it's GB, not much of use.

In another hand, it provides security over 2 segment of networks. You wanted to isolate the internet and local Lan via this 'jump' / proxy server.

This post has been edited by Vincent Pang: Jan 1 2009, 12:50 PM

Yes, it will have 2 IP address, if you connect it to the same modem router, it will have 2 IP from the same subnet, which is not much use.
After all, the speed of our broadband here is much more slower than the speed of half duplex 10baseT speed so there's not much advantage if you just use it for normal surfing/download.
The only advantage that I can think of, if one of the cable got broken, you still have another one.

If you connect it to different modem router each (different uplink), then you can specify routes to direct specific traffic to specific uplink.

If you make the PC act as a server for application that requires a lot of bandwidth such as file server/backup server/video on demand, perhaps the NIC can do teaming (load balancing/fault tolerance), it will increase the bandwith available as well.

In principle, you can have one IP on two LAN ports, or two IPs on one LAN port, or two on two, or really any combination that works. I don't know if Windows supports all these configurations but with real computers (e.g. Mac/Linux/etc.) they are all possible.

i roughly understand what you mean about the security part. but how do you actually go and implement it?

for teaming as u mentioned, do we need to have specific server related software and hardware?

thanks. i didn't know it was possible in other OS

i read it once on a website !!!

It say you can use one of the two port as your server port.. Suitable for lan gaming or intranet in your lan... The another port is for direct connection to your modem..

However, there is a very good reason why it good to have 2 lan port !!! You can have, what they call port sniffing using your 2 lan port !!!

You set one lan port to your wireless or switch and another to your modem ! Then you can run MSN siniffer, HTTP sniffer, POP3 sniffer software on your pc which have those 2 lan port ! Then you can spy on your friend MSN chat and even steal their password !!!!

yeah thats right!!

we do use that in server technology...
nice explanation....