Connecting two LANs

[office politics]

Wouldn't it be cheaper to get an upgraded internet line as opposed to getting a whole new line put in? Or is there a reason you need to set it up this way?

typically people would want a secondary (or backup) internet connection for better redundancy. If one internet connection with a certain vendor is down, another vendor's connection may still be available. Beware of companies reselling connections. For instance, a smaller company re-selling Verizon lines.

 

[remixedcat]

webhosts do this too. one I worked with had 20 connections!

 

[mikesgroovin]

Honestly, I'd go with VLANS as well. You don't need an enterprise rated router to get it done ... just a managed switch with VLAN capacity and the two router/gateways that you already have. It wouldn't be difficult to make the subs talk to each other between the two either.

 

[remixedcat]

i found a cheap 3com managed switch on newegg last week. fluke networks even has a free switch monitor program they made for it as well.

 

[office politics]

Honestly, I'd go with VLANS as well. You don't need an enterprise rated router to get it done ... just a managed switch with VLAN capacity and the two router/gateways that you already have. It wouldn't be difficult to make the subs talk to each other between the two either.

the load balance solution provides an additional benefit of redundant internet connections. The vlan solution could leave a subnet without an internet connection because nodes on each subnet are set to the separate default gateways. ...unless I'm missing something.

 

[remixedcat]

yes you are correct. Becuase the default gateway would be different.

 

[mikesgroovin]

the load balance solution provides an additional benefit of redundant internet connections. The vlan solution could leave a subnet without an internet connection because nodes on each subnet are set to the separate default gateways. ...unless I'm missing something.

The VLANS would see each other though. You can setup more than 1 gateway.