Advice on running 2 networks

[Guest]

I plan to have 2 WinXP PCs, each with an Internet connection to a different
ISP (for critical applications) . Will use ICS and ICF on each.

I would like to be able to network directly between them for high speed file
sharing etc in addition to being able to communicate between them over the
internet.

I thought of installing a second NIC on each and enabling IP routing on the
secondary NICs. Or perhaps connecting the secondary NICs by a 2 port ethernet
router.

What would be the recommended solution?
Any suggestions?

 

[Doug Sherman [MVP]]

You either need 2 routers or a router that supports two Internet
connections. You cannot run ICS on two different machines on the same
network.

Doug Sherman
MCSE, MCSA, MCP+I, MVP

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

I plan to have 2 WinXP PCs, each with an Internet connection to a different
ISP (for critical applications) . Will use ICS and ICF on each.

I would like to be able to network directly between them for high speed file
sharing etc in addition to being able to communicate between them over the
internet.

I thought of installing a second NIC on each and enabling IP routing on the
secondary NICs. Or perhaps connecting the secondary NICs by a 2 port ethernet
router.

What would be the recommended solution?
Any suggestions?

Maybe I don't understand what you want to do, but your proposed setup
sounds more complicated than necessary.

Since each computer has its own Internet connection, I don't see a
reason to use ICS (Internet Connection Sharing).

Since the computers will be networked directly to each other, why
would you want them to communicate with each other over the Internet?
Files sharing over the Internet is hard to set up and hard to do
securely.

I'd install a second NIC in each computer, then connect the computers
to each other using either:

1. a crossover Ethernet cable.

or:

2. a network hub, switch, or router and two regular Ethernet cables.

IP routing isn't needed with that setup.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
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addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

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http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[Doug Sherman [MVP]]

I also find it confusing - the way I'm reading it the goal is that in the
event one Internet connection fails, BOTH computers should be able to use
the other Internet connection. If so, this will require 2 NAT devices, or a
single device which can provide NAT or failover on 2 Internet connections,
or two public IPs for each connection.

Doug Sherman
MCSE, MCSA, MCP+I, MVP

 

[Guest]

In response to Steve and Doug I'm afraid my query wasn't sufficiently clear.

Since each computer has its own Internet connection, I don't see a
reason to use ICS (Internet Connection Sharing).

Each main computer may become the ICS host of a workgroup.
---------------

Since the computers will be networked directly to each other, why
would you want them to communicate with each other over the Internet?

Most of the time they wouldn't be communicating with each other at all. They
would be running different applications and visiting different web sites.
However, some of the info downloaded would be of use to both groups, and it
would be useful to make it available to the other group immediately, rather
than via the web.
-----------------------

IP routing isn't needed with that setup.

These are 2 independent networks hosted by separate ISPs. They will each be
provided with private addresses by ICS. They could communicate with each
over over the Internet by means of a VPN. However direct communication over a
local Ethernet connection would I think require a routing function.
------------------------

You either need 2 routers or a router that supports two Internet
connections. You cannot run ICS on two different machines on the same
network.

The internet connection routing will be done by ICS on each PC (network).
The local routing between the two PCs would require a router with two NIC
cards.

 

[Doug Sherman [MVP]]

Steve's solution will give you file and printer sharing - there is no need
for a router or ICS.

Doug Sherman
MCSE, MCSA, MCP+I, MVP