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I am to create a network design draft where each PC is connected to two network interfaces. Well, what does it mean? That it could use network printer?
Silkysand
Posted 2014-03-23T12:31:38.970
Reputation: 3
A desktop PC connected to two network interfaces - what does that mean?
Answers
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It means it can be connected to two networks physically at once. @Hennes is right, the term for this is multi-homed.
The usual reason why you want to do this is to turn the PC into some form of router.
It can also be done if the PC is meant to be a proxy server (it proxies a service from physical network A to physical network B), or a firewall/filter/other security device.
You can bond multiple NICs into a single NIC with aggregated bandwidth (or simply to failover) in Linux. The system on the other side of these NICs must have the same configuration (i.e. you can't have a bond on your side attached to a switch that also doesn't have several ports bonded.)
LawrenceC
Posted 2014-03-23T12:31:38.970
Reputation: 63 487
This is also true if you have VirtualBox installed as it installs a virtual network adapter which routes the network to the virtual machines. – Virtual Anomaly – 2016-06-10T10:04:36.193
2As asked: It means that you plug in two network cards or a card with multiple ports (or have such a device on the motherboard) and that you plug a cable into each. What I suspect that you are asking is about actually using both NICs, possible for different subnets, or each dedicated for a different task, or bound for greater thoughput, or as a redundant feature. If this is the case the please clarify that in your post. if not, read up on the term 'multi-homed'. – Hennes – 2014-03-23T12:37:01.870
2It should be noted that this happens all the time when you have a box with both WiFi and hardwired connections. If you don't control it the system (at least the Windows and Mac boxes I've used) will tend to prefer the first interface connected, but will utilize the second if the first is getting errors. – Daniel R Hicks – 2014-03-23T13:05:57.970