Thread: Using multiple broadband connections

Is there a way to use multiple internet connections on a single laptop?

I have a Tata 1MBPS connection & an MTNL 512KBPS connection. I want to find a way to combine both of them and use them together. Is this possible?

I have looked up articles on this but I didn't get any clarity. Any help will be good.

Thanks!

You need a load balancing router for the same. However I am not sure if you will get combined speed and some secure sites won't open in such a set up. Search " load balancing " in this forum or Google for the same.

That is not possible if you're saying you will use two different connection to complete one single task at a time.

TATA will give one IP and MTNL will give you another
So if you download a file from a server or a peer...IPs won't match and both DNS lookup will be different.

It is the primary rule "one system has one IP".
Just like one man has one mouth.

you can use load balancing router(will cost more & will be a little hard to find)to utilize both your connections at the same time.public torrents & sites supporting download managers with mutliple connections will get increased speeds compared to when using any one connection & according to some users almost equal to total of 2 connections.however setting this up will require a good knowledge of networking/modem/router configuration & such so if you are not comfortable with all this my advice is save the trouble & get a 2nd hand pc or laptop to use both.

@axel,load balancing is a well known concept & your point about one system one IP even though true won't matter in case of torrents & download managers using multiple connections as both these receive parts of file through different connections they establish so it doesn't matter if they receive these parts over 1 IP or another as long as the requests are being sent by the same program like utorrent or flashget because in the end all these parts will come to a single place to join to form the file.

P.S.you won't be able to use premium logins like rapidshare premium account in this way because to prevent abuse such sites only allow one IP at any time to download through premium account & in this case it will be seen as a premium account being used simultaneously through 2 IPs & will get banned.

I think u can use bridge connections feature in wiindows 7. I am not sure though. I would like to see some expert clarify the same.

I have two broadband connections. One cheap connection, which I mostly use for browsing and downloading. Another very expensive connection that I use for voice chat, remote desktop connection etc. Now, using these two connections at the same time required two computers before. But I figured out a way to use both connections at the same time using the same computer. Here’s how:

Connect the cheap internet connection that is used mostly for non-critical purpose like downloading, browsing to a wireless router.

Connect the expensive connection that is used for network latency sensitive work like Voice Conference, Remote Desktop directly via LAN.

When you want to establish a critical connection like starting voice conf app (Skype) or Remote desktop client, momentarily disconnect the wireless. This will make your LAN connection the only available internet. So, all the new connections will be established over the LAN. Now you can start Skype and initiate a voice conference or use Remote Desktop client and connect to a computer. The connection will be established over LAN.

Now turn on wireless. Wireless will now become the first preference for Windows to go to internet. So, now you can start Outlook, browser etc and they will be using the wireless internet connection. During this time, Skype and Terminal Client is still connected over the LAN connection. As they use persisted connection, they keep using the LAN connection and do not switch to the wireless.

This will make your LAN connection the only available internet. So, all the new connections will be established over the LAN. Now you can start Skype and initiate a voice conference or use Remote Desktop client and connect to a computer. The connection will be established over LAN.

Which operating system do you use ? In some cases, if you use both LAN and Wireless at the same time (I mean has active line), you will end up with IP conflict error and won't be able to use any. You can solve this by plugging in the ethernet (what you call LAN) cable only after disconnecting wireless.

Now turn on wireless. Wireless will now become the first preference for ....Windows to go to internet.
So, now you can start Outlook, browser etc and they will be using the wireless internet connection. During this time,
Skype and Terminal Client is still connected over the LAN connection. As they use persisted connection, they keep using the LAN connection and do not switch to the wireless.

The above seems confusing. No download or conversation possible or video viewing or chat mode. ( say in skype)

A single computer/laptop can connect ONLY to a SINGLE ISP at a time ,EITHER via LAN mode or in wifi mode.

I have Windows 7 and LAN ethernet cable can be kept connected, even when I use WIFI.
ISP1==>> MODEM /wifirouter1 ==rj45 to LAN port of desktop/laptop
ISP1==>> Modem/wifrouter 1: Wireless mode to Laptop. SSID1
ISP2===>> Modem/wifi router 2 WIFI mode only to Laptop SSID2

A single modem can be set for different ISP's but only one can be connected. at a time. ( except for IPTV mode )

A single modem cannot connect to different ISPs at same time. )
Dual WAN mode etc beyond the scope of this thread.

Using two internet connections at the same time is not possible at home. Only expensive routers from Juniper, Cisco or Nortel can provide redundancy, load balancing, etc. Even with these, the end user computer is always connected to one ISP.

Also Wireless does not take priority over LAN or vice versa. If you have two internet services, and you connect both of them, the connection that is established later takes over the network.

I have two connections at home - BSNL Broadband and Reliance NetConnect+ (USB).