Can someone remind me the need for dual

[imported_goku]

I've been seeing more and more motherboards coming with DUAL ethernet I/O connections on the motherboard headers and I'm wondering 'why'. Why would one need TWO ethernet connections on a motherboard, especially one for the enthusiast market? Only time I can see it being useful is for the server/corporate market... Anybody want to explain the need?

 

[Sunner]

Wanting to share an internet connection where your box is connected directly to the net would be one use I suppose.

 

[Rip7id3]

Beats me, I spose you could use it at a LAN to directly share files with someone else w/o hosting it...

 

[jcmuse]

Yeah, you'll see it mainly on the "gaming" motherboards (DFI LANPARTY etc). They come in handy when you're at a LAN and you want to host the game server. Other possibilties are, as mentioned, to use the 2nd for sharing your net connection, or, less likely, using the computer as a dedicated router/firewall box (m0n0wall etc).

 

[jaythespacehound]

Use a crosswire cable and lan to yourself!

 

[zephyrprime]

Dual ethernet on an enthusiast board is pretty useless if you ask me. It's only useful on servers doing a lot of network IO.

 

[thorin]

It's great if you want to build a linux firewall.

 

[spikespiegal]

You have a spare in case one breaks, which is common on enthusiast motherboards.