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Why 2 Ethernet Ports?

M

mister880

macrumors member
Original poster
Jul 20, 2002
71
0
Little confused,

What can 2 ethernet ports on one computer be used for? I am not a networking dude just a regular dude... Just trying to figure it out.

I have a home network connected to Time Warner Cable all hooked into a 100base network.

Could I use a crossover cable with the extra ethernet port into my old Mirror Door Mac and use it to transfer files back and forth at 1000base speed without buying a new hub or switch?
Does it have to be a crossover cable or will the mac auto sense the connection?

So my 100 base lan would be on one port, and my 1000 base two macs would be sharing files on the second port?

Kevin
 
You could, say, connect one to the outside world and use the second to connect directly to servers or some other kind of internal network.
 
First of all you can use "Internet Sharing": One port connected to the DSL, and one attached to your local home network, and let others on that local home network use your shared internet connection.

A second option is for "Link Aggregate". Make both work together for really fast networking! (see pic)
 

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mister880 said:
Little confused,

What can 2 ethernet ports on one computer be used for? I am not a networking dude just a regular dude... Just trying to figure it out.

Kevin
Click to expand...

I'm not trying to be snide, really. But it's not there for 'regular dude's. Basically, on computers, if you have to wonder why, you're not the target market. (Like the people complaining about FB-DIMMs being slower than DDR2, well, the Mac Pro isn't made for them.)
 
mkrishnan said:
Wasn't this a really important feature on the XServes, for them to intercommunicate? Or did they use a different kind of connector for that?
Click to expand...

You can use the 2nd ethernet port on 2 Xserves for "fall-back" features.
 
mkrishnan said:
Wasn't this a really important feature on the XServes, for them to intercommunicate? Or did they use a different kind of connector for that?
Click to expand...
I think they use Fibre Channel (at least for the XServe RAIDs).
 
Fibre Channel is used as the connection type between the Xserve and Xserve RAID.
In an Xsan config, all Xserves connected also use Fibre Channel, but via a Fibre Channel switch.
 
EricNau said:
I think they use Fibre Channel (at least for the XServe RAIDs).
Click to expand...

Ahhhh, now my memory is being restored. Thanks. :) Not that I will ever need an XServe, but I am a geek, you know! :)

But yeah, it's pretty much all HPC stuff...as ehurtley pointed out.
 
At work I have one connected to the Gigabit port for internet stuff and the other connected to an ethernet port for the intranet. it's pointless but fun to do.
 
I was just asking....


I'm not trying to be snide, really. But it's not there for 'regular dude's. Basically, on computers, if you have to wonder why, you're not the target market. (Like the people complaining about FB-DIMMs being slower than DDR2, well, the Mac Pro isn't made for them.)


You learn by asking...

Kevin
 
Another use would be if the machine you're using is a server and you want to connect two entirely separate LAN's to the same machine for the purposes of exchanging files, shared storage space, or being a server for two independent networds, etc. Each port would have its own LAN/WAN network behind it and they would only meet at the machine (or might use different parts of the same server without ever meeting).
 
Well, the chipset supports dual gigabit ethernet, so why add the second connector? It's basically minimal extra cost to manufacture, and it has the benefit of being a selling feature for some people (or at least a few will find it useful). As long as there's room on the board for the extra traces, the only extra cost for them is the plastic port connector.
 
ehurtley said:
I'm not trying to be snide, really. But it's not there for 'regular dude's. Basically, on computers, if you have to wonder why, you're not the target market. (Like the people complaining about FB-DIMMs being slower than DDR2, well, the Mac Pro isn't made for them.)
Click to expand...
Yeah you are. And it is also there for 'regular dudes'. For instance, you can use one to connect to say AOL or Time Warner for internet access, and use the 2nd one to set up a wireless network in your home, which, otherwise you would not be able to do. They used to be a common feature in even mid-range PCs, but this trend seems to be fading.
 
Thank You!

brepublican said:
Yeah you are. And it is also there for 'regular dudes'. For instance, you can use one to connect to say AOL or Time Warner for internet access, and use the 2nd one to set up a wireless network in your home, which, otherwise you would not be able to do. They used to be a common feature in even mid-range PCs, but this trend seems to be fading.
Click to expand...


Thank You
 
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/222885/

The Mac Pro is really a full fledged server machine. Everyone keeps thinking of it as a souped up consumer desktop, which is just nuts. Its going to be overkill for everyone except probably 1-2% of consumers. So on a server platform it makes complete sense, especially since you can configure it with OS X Server. So while a lot of consumers are scratching their heads saying what am I going to do with that extra port, its really not there for them. But throwing that extra port in there allows Apple to have a unified hardware platform for two entirely different market segments.
 
Could this be done?

I have a home network connected to Time Warner Cable all hooked into a 100base network.

Could I use a crossover cable with the extra ethernet port into my old Mirror Door Mac and use it to transfer files back and forth at 1000base speed without buying a new hub or switch?
Does it have to be a crossover cable or will the mac auto sense the connection?

So my 100 base lan would be on one port, and my 1000 base two macs would be sharing files on the second port?

Kevin
 
brepublican said:
Yeah you are. And it is also there for 'regular dudes'. For instance, you can use one to connect to say AOL or Time Warner for internet access, and use the 2nd one to set up a wireless network in your home, which, otherwise you would not be able to do. They used to be a common feature in even mid-range PCs, but this trend seems to be fading.
Click to expand...
Using a $2500 computer to replace a $50 router is a dubious application, but if it works for you...
mister880 said:
I have a home network connected to Time Warner Cable all hooked into a 100base network.

Could I use a crossover cable with the extra ethernet port into my old Mirror Door Mac and use it to transfer files back and forth at 1000base speed without buying a new hub or switch?
Does it have to be a crossover cable or will the mac auto sense the connection?

So my 100 base lan would be on one port, and my 1000 base two macs would be sharing files on the second port?

Kevin
Click to expand...

Yup. Actually, you shouldn't even need a special crossover cable.
 
portent said:
Using a $2500 computer to replace a $50 router is a dubious application, but if it works for you...
Click to expand...
Did you read the part about them being in mid-range PC's too? Or did you just selectively read that **** that would reinforce your idiotic argument?
 
follow up question, how fast is gigabit ethernet for a home network? Firewire is 400Mbps, which gets somewhere around 50MBps so that means gigabit which is 1000Mbps can get 125MBps, is this correct?

Tyler
 
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