What Is Dual Gigabit Ethernet LAN?

On many high-end motherboards, you will find that the board possesses two network jacks. A variety of networking setups can use dual network connections to increase throughput, or to build a home router.

LAN

A local area network (LAN) is any network that connects a small group of computers in the same location. They are commonly used for sharing files, printers and other network resources. Most LANs use Ethernet as the foundation of the network.

Gigabit Ethernet

The basis of any modern LAN is the networking adapter. Almost all computers possess at least one. Most support speeds up to 1 gigabit per second, though 10-gigabit network adapters are starting to appear on the market.

Dual Networking

Dual networking adapters allow the computer to connect to a single network using two cables at once, or to two different networks, depending on the needs of the user.

Software Router

One use of dual networking adapters is to use a computer as a software router, as opposed to a hardware one. This approach is useful since it allows for more fine control of router settings than a hardware router.

Load Balancing

Another use is that of "load balancing." This allows the user to attach both network adapters to a single network. Under the right conditions, using the right software, this can allow for double the network bandwidth of a single connection.

References

• Indiana University: What is a LAN (local area network)?
• Cisco: Ethernet