[mithun]

cpyder : Thanks for the reply.

Linux is not a problem for me. I had used it for the first 10 years ago. But, nowadays I'm not using Linux and for most of Net-based stuffs like Browsing, Windoze + Firefox is enough for me.

[srijit]

Originally Posted by cpyder

Because the end result will not be 1+1 = 2, it will be somewhere 1.5 or less (just arbitrary examples) because what sgiitk said above is true.

Originally Posted by cpyder

Now, if you really want to do it, the easiest way to do it via Linux....
... and yes you 'might' need to designate one comp as a dedicated server.

The linux way 'might' need a dedicated computer. Unless there is one lying around, cost effective and easier method is a dual WAN router.

Originally Posted by cpyder

There are some routers available as can be seen in the discussion above, but most of them do not give you what you actually want. (basically, you dont get 1+1 = 2!)

Same as with the linux case. Both methods will not give you 1+1=2 speeds.

AFAIK, router costs about $150. Linux becomes cost efficient if you can configure within that price. Also take into account power consumption rates of a router and a computer. The router would be using less power, I assume.

Originally Posted by cpyder

Aaand it is practical if you want to do it as a project or to prove a point.

I agree completely.

[cpyder]

@Srijit, I am sorry, I was not very clear in saying in what I said.

When I said easiest, I meant easiest when talking about the computer based route. Else the Dual WAN router is ofcourse the easiest. Plug in the two inputs and take out one. Can't get any easier than that.

I agree that none of them will give your 1+1=2. Perhaps in my last post it appeared that Linux was capable of doing better. It is not so.

[ashwinsid]

Combining two Internet connections will not give double speeds. Let me explain.

Say two cars are moving side by side on a road. Car A and Car B. Both are traveling at 10 KMs per hour. The driver in both cars will feel the 10 KM per hour speed.

Now one of the passengers in Car A climbs out of the window, stands on the rooftop of both cars i.e. his left leg on the roof of Car A and right leg on on the roof of Car B, all this while both cars are traveling at 10 KM per hour.

Now this stuntman will still be traveling at 10 KM per hour and feels the speed of 10 KM per hour. Just because he is standing on two cars @ 10 KM per hour doesnt mean he gets to move at 20 KM per hour.

Hope this analogy gives an idea.

[san9jay]

Originally Posted by ashwinsid

Combining two Internet connections will not give double speeds. Let me explain.

Say two cars are moving side by side on a road. Car A and Car B. Both are traveling at 10 KMs per hour. The driver in both cars will feel the 10 KM per hour speed.

Now one of the passengers in Car A climbs out of the window, stands on the rooftop of both cars i.e. his left leg on the roof of Car A and right leg on on the roof of Car B, all this while both cars are traveling at 10 KM per hour.

Now this stuntman will still be traveling at 10 KM per hour and feels the speed of 10 KM per hour. Just because he is standing on two cars @ 10 KM per hour doesnt mean he gets to move at 20 KM per hour.

Hope this analogy gives an idea.

Not the best analogy.

It really depends what you want to achieve.

If you are downloading multiple files then two connections will effectively give you double the bandwidth.

So if you are downloading a 1MB file using a single connection and it takes 10 mins, if you now have a second connection you could download 2 files of 1MB in the same time.

Depending on the program you use to download files even when downloading a single file you could double your bandwith by using two connections since some of the advanced download programs split up a single file download into many parts and download them all at the same time. So part of the same file could be downloaded in parallel using the two connections effectively doubling your bandwidth.

If on the other hand you are using a program that does not split up the file download into parts (most web browsers) then a single file download will take the same mount of time even when you have two connections.

While web browsing on the other hand the answer is not so simple.
Most web pages are made up of many requests (images, javascript files,stylesheets etc)

some of the requests like images can be executed in parallel while requests for javascript files are executed serially.

If your web page consists of many images then having multiple connections should show some improvement. If on the other hand your page contains many javascript files then the improvement will not be much since each previous javascript file request has to complete before the next request is executed.



/sanjay