Can I make use of both ethernet ports on my PC

[michaelpendred]

My desktop has 2 gigabit ethernet ports and I often transfer large files around my network to/from multiple devices.

As I currently only have one ethernet port in use, if I am copying files from drive D (say) to my laptop and files from drive E (say) to the NAS, I would only get a total throughput of a gigabit/sec.

So is it possible to use the second ethernet port on my PC in some way to enable my PC to use one ethernet port for one transfer and the 2nd ethernet port for the other transfer thus doubling the throughput?

I am happy to buy additional switches if required.

I would still want all devices to be able to see all other devices on the network though. So in the example above I would still want my laptop to be able to access the NAS.

 

[kanewolf]

You could use a managed switch that supports link aggregation and configure your interfaces appropriately. Then each of your two independent transfers could have gigabit performance. But that is the only situation you would benefit. Two independent data flows to two end points. In most cases you won't benefit from LAG.

 

[jsmithepa]

Sure, but whoever you are talking to... NAS? also have to have the same 2-NIC arrangement. U being fast but the thing u talking to isn't, don't dance.

 

[USAFRet]

How often are you copying large files to both the laptop and the NAS at the same time?

 

[michaelpendred]

Sure, but whoever you are talking to... NAS? also have to have the same 2-NIC arrangement. U being fast but the thing u talking to isn't, don't dance.

How often are you copying large files to both the laptop and the NAS at the same time?

2-3 times a week

 

[michaelpendred]

Sure, but whoever you are talking to... NAS? also have to have the same 2-NIC arrangement. U being fast but the thing u talking to isn't, don't dance.

sorry, I don't understand a word of this answer

 

[wookiepookie]

Sure, but whoever you are talking to... NAS? also have to have the same 2-NIC arrangement. U being fast but the thing u talking to isn't, don't dance.

sorry, I don't understand a word of this answer

he means that you would be making one link in the chain faster but the other links in the chain are still just as slow as they were to begin with. your double link computer is still going to run at single link speeds when it is talking to a single link nas