Backup Internet

[garethb]

I currently use a cable modem via a linksys router for internet connection. My two trading PCs are cabled to the router which also provides wireless networking/internet access to a couple of other PCs in the house.

I have experienced some unreliability with the cable service over the last few weeks and want a backup. I was considering getting an ADSL service and using this for the PC with my main trading system which would also be connected to the router for networking, file sharing etc. My second PC would use the Cable via the router for other trading internet access (browser, scanner, chatroom etc.)

If my main PC goes down I could use the trading system on the Backup PC though the Cable line. If the ADSL goes down it would be good to reconnect the main PC through the router to the cable modem. If the backup PC or Cable goes down I can do some of the additional internet access on the main PC.

After that lengthy preamble, could anyone help me on how to do this in Windows XP. How easy is it to setup a PC to use a router for networking and another modem for Internet? How simple is it to quickly re-route a PCs internet to another source etc? I have had trouble with such things in the past particularly with earlier versions of Windows, but perhaps XP is simpler.
I guess the perfect solution would be both lines available through one or more routers to both PCs but I suspect a more sophisticated router would be required than the one I have.

Any advice or input would be very welcome.

Gareth

 

[JonnyT]

You can simply do this using the Default Gateway entry under the network coonection.

For example.

You have an ADSL Router on 192.168.0.1
You have a Cable Modem Router on 192.168.0.2

Setting the default gateways on the PCs to 192.168.0.1 will force Internet traffic through the ADSL
Setting the default gateways on the PCs to 192.168.0.2 will force connectivity through the Cable Modem

You can automate this process through scripts etc if you can program.

i.e. Test connectivity to a known site and change the default gateway using route delete and route add if the site becomes unavailable.

With ISA Server and Rainwall you can load share and failover between them both.

HTH

JonnyT

 

[garethb]

Thanks for the prompt response - I will look those things up later on this evening and see if I can make sense of it

Regards,

Gareth