Network card usage monitor

[hellarda]

Hi,

Just setting up my Homeserver (whs 2011) and it has two NIC's in it. (both built into the motherboard which is an ASUS striker II Formula) For some reason in the new versions of windows (win vista+) you can't team the NIC's which is irritating.

So I am after a piece of software (preferably free) that I can use to monitor the usage on each NIC. I know I can use task manager but I'd quite like a proper piece of software that can potentially record readings from the NIC's. Does anyone know of something like this?

Also with the two NIC's I currently have them set up as just standalone NIC's. (so each have their own IP same subnet/default gateway/DNS) is this the best way to have them set up as I can't team them?

Cheers

 

[lsg1r]

Just setting up my Homeserver (whs 2011) and it has two NIC's in it. (both built into the motherboard which is an ASUS striker II Formula) For some reason in the new versions of windows (win vista+) you can't team the NIC's which is irritating.

So I am after a piece of software (preferably free) that I can use to monitor the usage on each NIC. I know I can use task manager but I'd quite like a proper piece of software that can potentially record readings from the NIC's. Does anyone know of something like this?

Also with the two NIC's I currently have them set up as just standalone NIC's. (so each have their own IP same subnet/default gateway/DNS) is this the best way to have them set up as I can't team them?

Cheers

I assume by team you mean bond the connections so they appear as one...
pretty sure this is what you're after so go Control Panel\Network and Internet\Network Connections then highlight both network connections, then right click and select 'bridge connections'.

You should get a new 'connection' called bridge where you can do all the settings.

That's from win7 but iirc it was the same in vista

 

[bremen1874]

Even if you could team them wouldn't you need suitable switch hardware as well?

Unless you've done something clever the server will probably only be using one of the NICs (the one with the lowest metric).

 

[hellarda]

I assume by team you mean bond the connections so they appear as one...
pretty sure this is what you're after so go Control Panel\Network and Internet\Network Connections then highlight both network connections, then right click and select 'bridge connections'.

You should get a new 'connection' called bridge where you can do all the settings.

That's from win7 but iirc it was the same in vista

That still only gives 1gbps connectivity. What I meant by teaming was combining the two NIC's to give 2gbps.

Even if you could team them wouldn't you need suitable switch hardware as well?

Unless you've done something clever the server will probably only be using one of the NICs (the one with the lowest metric).

I have the appropriate switch hardware (Cisco Linksys SPS2024) which supports teaming.

So I can't get the server to use both NIC's?

 

[tribz]

I assume by team you mean bond the connections so they appear as one...
pretty sure this is what you're after so go Control Panel\Network and Internet\Network Connections then highlight both network connections, then right click and select 'bridge connections'.

You should get a new 'connection' called bridge where you can do all the settings.

That's from win7 but iirc it was the same in vista

Bridging isnt teaming, its used for connecting 2 networks together.