dual ethernet ports

[culexor]

when i bought my new mobo and my new cpu a while back i noticed that the motherboard (asus m2n-sli deluxe)
http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?modelmenu=2&model=1160&l1=3&l2=101&l3=301
has dual gigabit ethernet ports. what is the point of this? if i plugged both of them into my router would anything change? (speed?) what situation would dual gigabit connections come in handy? im just curious.

 

[DJ-CHRIS1]

Connecting to multiple networks

 

[culexor]

ok so theres really no need for me to use it. thanks, just wondering.

 

[Celegorm]

There is also the ability to team the networks to theoretically double your network performance.

 

[Captain Pooka]

Well, bridge a network.. Have your computer hooked to the network then a computer hooked to yours.

I also did this with my Xbox so I could be on the net on both..

 

[root]

network bonding to make your 2 1GB connection 1 2GB connection.

connecting to different networks.

network load balancing over the two connections to increase throughput and resilience in case one card fails.

getting 2 IP addresses on the same network for redundancy and to seperate traffic out.

plugging into two hubs on the same network in case 1 hub breaks.

connecting 1 card to a network and 1 card to a SAN (using ISCSI as file storage).

connecting 1 network to a modem or router and the other to a network to use the machine as a firewall...

brdging two network having your computer acting as a kind of router.

there are tons of reasons for having more than one card!

 

[culexor]

wow, i didnt know all that was possible, thanks a bunch. lol i doubt that i will ever need both of them. xD