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Dual NIC Question

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by legj1 1 view

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Win 2000 network. 2 Domain Controllers (Server A is the PDC Emulator, Server B is also running Exchange 2000). Both servers have 2 NICs and on the same subnet. I want to use both NIC's, but I get alot of BROWSER errors (most are Event ID:8021). I have researched on Technet, but have found no fixes. MS basically wants you to use a single NIC. However, I want to load balance so I do not like that answer or find it acceptable. I know someone else has been in the same situation. Any fixes to this...other than disabling or removing NIC #2? Thank you!

9 replies

by briantruitt

I don't know if this will help, but we ran into kind of a similiar situation. We installed new gigabit switches at a site and the place went bonkers. Come to find out it was the switches that couldn't handle the boxes with more than one nic. Eventhough one of the boxes was using Intel's software for teaming up more than one nic. We started with Linksys 100MB switches and then went with the Linksys GB switches and that's when the you know what hit the fan. We ended up with a couple of Netgear's Backplane switches and the network works fine. Check your switch/hub.

by Former member

Unbind netbios/netbeui from one of the cards, that way netbios runs on only one card. This is the preferrable method and both cards still run tcp/ip, in a sort of load-balancing way (Trasmit balancing only). THis is a classic case and I believe there are several articles on a fix in Technet.

by Member 29244100

One definite fix requires that you use a Cisco Switch, and NIC's that understand how to talk Cisco Fast Etherchannel.

We've proven this using a variety of Cisco Switches and Compaq NC31x1 and Adaptec Quartet NIC's.

You configure the adapters as one "virtual" adapter by teaming them together. You also configure the ports on the switch as a logical port group, and the net result is that the server talks to the LAN at whatever speed (using two adapters it's 200Mb Full Duplex, using fourit's 400Mb Full Duplex).

Compaq NIC's also support another type of load balacing using MAC spoofing etc. but in my experience it's not as reliable.

Protocols and duplicate addresses are not an issue with the Etherchannel solution as they arebound to the "virtual team" adapter, not to the individual cards.

Hope this helps!

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