Two network cards in a computer

[ilkka]

Does it help?

At LAN parties we have a 10mbit hub, so large file transfers tend to be a bit slow, especially when multiple people need to download UT from someone or something. Would having two network cards in one computer (the one from which people are downloading from) help?

 

[alrox]

It doesn't work like that. If you want to speed up file transfers get a 100megabit switch. They're like 20 bucks.

 

[ZeroX]

A 10mbit hub is *not* the tool of choice for a lan party. You can get a half-decent 100mbit switch from newegg for fairly cheap:
5-port 100mbit for $17 + shipping
8-port 100mbit for $21 + shipping
16-port 100mbit for $43 + shipping

The 8-port seems like the best value. If you're dealing with more than 8 at a party, though, it's definitely worth your while to get the 16.

 

[ilkka]

Originally posted by ZeroX
If you're dealing with more than 8 at a party, though, it's definitely worth your while to get the 16.

If there was some sort of cost-sharing, it would be worth while, but I would pay for it all, I think, since we won't be LANing together for very long at all. Well, the 10mbit does work pretty well for actual gaming. We'll just use cd burning and usb harddrives for big file transfers. And get them done before the LAN. Thanks for the help though.

 

[Boba Fett]

If your using 2K Advanced Server you could set up load balancing.

 

[ltickett]

I think that would work actually. Say you assign one NIC 192.168.0.101 and the other 192.168.0.102.

Now the ppl who are leeching can do like;

\\192.168.0.101\UnrealTournament\ ---> Will force the download to use said NIC maxing @10Mbit
\\192.168.0.102\UnrealTournament\ ---> Will force the download to use said NIC maxing @10Mbit

Combined speed... 20Mbit.... or am I wrong?

 

[aderuwe]

Load balancing is too much work for something so trivial. He would save so little time, its not worth it. Its all about opportunity costs baby.

Adam

 

[CSSmitty]

2 nics wouldnt help at all, if anything it would hurt
hubs have shared bandwidth, all the ports have to share that 10Mb meaning only one computer can talk at a time