Switch/hub, Mixed speed LAN and multiple net access devices?

[rockhard]

Hi,

My home LAN has 3 PC's (1x Win2K, 2x WinME) all runnin at 10baseT and are currently connected to a "10baseT only" capable ISDN router and are all linked together via a 10baseT hub.

I will soon be getting ADSL but am keeping on the ISDN for a while so here is what i plan on doing:-

The Win2K server goin to get a new NIC with support for Wake on LAN, 10/100 BaseT Full Duplex. This "server" goin to also have the USB ADSL modem/router on it.

The other two PC's goin to be left as they are as they already have 10/100BaseT Full Duplex capable NIC's in them.

All three PC's goin to be linked together by a 10/100 Auto Speed sensing Switch.


Now the part im having trouble deciding on:-

Should i install a second NIC in the Win2K server and link the ISDN router to it via a patch cable to prevent it from bringing the rest of the network down to its max of 10baseT?
Will this allow me to switch net access for the Server "on the fly" from the USB ADSL modem to the ISDN router by changing the "Gateway" in TCP/IP, yeah?
Now the hard bit - How am i goin to let the other 2 PC's access the ADSL net access via the "server" while it has its "Gateway" runnin to the ISDN router? The ADSL service that BT are goin to give me is USB interfaced. Will this show up as a device with its own IP like the ISDN router so that i can "Gateway" the 2x WinMe PC's to it, so bypassing the ISDN router?

I want to be able to use the "server" for online gaming via the ISDN router for guaranteed quality of connection, and route all ADSL net access through this "server" to the USB ADSL device for the 2x WinMe PC's.

Sorry if this is long winded, but if someone could spare the time to get their head round what im trying to do and offer me some advice/help would be much appreciated,

rockhard

 

[rawko]

Should i install a second NIC in the Win2K server and link the ISDN router to it via a patch cable to prevent it from bringing the rest of the network down to its max of 10baseT?
Plugging a 10base-t device into a 10/100 switch won't bring down the entire networks bandwith to 10base-t..
Will this allow me to switch net access for the Server "on the fly" from the USB ADSL modem to the ISDN router by changing the "Gateway" in TCP/IP, yeah?
yes?
Now the hard bit - How am i goin to let the other 2 PC's access the ADSL net access via the "server" while it has its "Gateway" runnin to the ISDN router?
Why not just use the adsl and kill the isdn?
You could put dual nics into the workstations, set one up for the adsl, and the other for the isdn, and just unplug the one that you don't want to use at the item.
The ADSL service that BT are goin to give me is USB interfaced. Will this show up as a device with its own IP like the ISDN router so that i can "Gateway" the 2x WinMe PC's to it, so bypassing the ISDN router?
yes
I want to be able to use the "server" for online gaming via the ISDN router for guaranteed quality of connection, and route all ADSL net access through this "server" to the USB ADSL device for the 2x WinMe PC's.
You will be happy enough with the adsl if your phone lines are good.. ADSL even gets better ping times than isdn.

 

[rockhard]

thanx rawko

All my questions answered in one go - im impressed

I see from ur profile u live in the US.
Here in the UK ADSL is just being rolled out and is being offered as 512k download and 64k upload with a contention ratio of 50:1

Seein as ive got 6 months left on my ISDN contract goin to keep it on as a "on the fly" backup as i am a bit scepticle as to how the ADSL goin to perform during peak periods while they iron out the inevitable teething troubles

At least with ISDN i know that all that 64k is mine and not shared with anyone else
Many people here in the UK have told me that ISDN goin to be more reliable for gaming so might even keep it on for quakein and use ADSL for surfing/downloadin

Looks like im just gonna have to hook it all up and have a good play with the LAN's setup till i get it right.

Again, thanx for ur help - really appreciated,

rockhard

 

[rawko]

OOh, i don't know much about isdn/adsl stuff in the UK, but np.

 

[Paladinexe]

Please check around about which USB modem you will be getting. I have aDSL and started with a USB modem for the convenience of preserving my PCI slots. All were full and I didn't want to revert to onboard sound. As it turned out the driver for the USB modem was incompatible with the SoundBlaster Live! driver and I had to remove the card anyway. I learned the hard way (from tech support) that the USB modems were typically very buggy. I switched to the NIC interface modem and all is a lot better. Don't need a driver for the dsl modem. BTW the modems for this region are Speed Stream (Ivasion).

 

[rockhard]

Ive been told that the modems being used for the UK Home User rollout
are using a new "FAST PACKET" technology which is supposed to give better performance than the NIC based version
BT has been prolonging the rollout due to them wanting to get the drivers spot on before releasing. I sure hope this means its gonna go smoothly.

Only problem is that u cannot "Telnet" the modem as bt are configuring it from their end
I was kinda hoping for a router type interface.
I have a ISDN router, and its great for configuring NAT and remote admin of from anywhere on the network.

Goin to have to be patient i guess and see what they dish up,

rockhard