[RanSEE]

Hello,

I have two motherboards, both Gigabyte, one x58/i7-920/24GB and one z77/i7-3770/32GB, both with two Ethernet ports. Up to this point, I have disabled the second port in the BIOS and just used one. My network is thus:

Код:

Cable --> Router -------> Switch ---> 7 Other network loads
Modem    WNDR3700         GS108T
M 6120    |   |
          V   V
3 computers   Wireless loads

I have tried various things like using the second port for a NAS or a dedicated printer. It works, but doesn't connect the device to the main network. SO, anybody got any ideas of how to use both ports or even what they are good for, outside of marketing BS?
Thanks....

[NewerthRoleplay]

Usually they both have different controllers on most mobo's, the only use I have for the 2 Ethernet ports on my PowerMac is because it's my home server and I didn't want to setup a virtual interface for some reason!

[RanSEE]

Well can i useboth the ethernet adaptors in the PC if they are in different subnets. For example I use the first one for the Internet connection and the second one for NAS?

[linuxthefish]

You can bridge them in Windows if you wish to do that, and have your NAS connect to your network through your PC, although you will have to have the PC on to use the NAS.

You might be able to do NIC teaming or trunking (in HP terms) if you have a compatible switch.

[RanSEE]

Thanks. I have an 8TB RAID mirrored for 4TB that runs as eSATA off the main computer. I have a 4TB Zyxel NAS that I use for backup of the RAID, that's on the network, but only turned on once a week for backup or occasionally if I need the RAID contents available to the wireless network. I haven't found a reliable method of getting the contents of the second port accessible to the first port, which is why it's configured as it is with the second port disabled. Lotsa fun, huh?! Anyway,I had emailed Gigabyte support with the same basic question.

Their answer: the second port is a spare for normal installations and has a few limited uses in server applications (and who's gonna use this board for a server??).

Pretty much what we figured. Mostly marketing. Two is better than one. Right!?!? So, under normal conditions, disable the second port in BIOS setup and only use one.