Multilinking (Shotgunning) Modems

[bwoofter]

Hell my friends! I need your help with Multilinking. I have two different brands of pci modems installed on a WinXP box. I have tried setting them up as two separate connections and also both modems on one single network connection. I have played around with the different settings such as MultiLink on just one modem and then tried MultiLink on both modems. Tried different settings on the Multiple Devices settings box. I have on a couple of occasions been able to get both modems to dial out and connect to the internet but I either get a message that they won't link and my second connection hangs up or they both stay connected but just won't share the load. Now, my ISP does say they support MultiLinking but I haven't actually signed up for it yet. Do they have to throw the switch for it on their end before it will work? I have used two different user accounts while working on this so that isn't the problem. One thing I have noticed is that both modems are using IRQ 9. I show no conflicts and again, I can get both modems to dial in and connect to the internet. Could there still be a problem with the IRQ's being the same? I have found no info on the proper way to do this. I'm not even sure I can use two internal pci modems to do this. Do I have to use dual external modems? I did see that I could purchase a box with 2 modems built in for this reason but it was about $600 and I don't think I want to spend that much. BTW, I live in the country. No cable or DSL and the network I need to access is VPN and I understand satellite doesn’t play well in that environment. If you can provide any assistance, it would be greatly appreciated.

Brian

 

[Comtech]

If your ISP supports it, they do have to do some work on their end. XP's multilinking assumes that you are using the same username and password to log in, and most IPS's only allow one login per user.
I would think that both modems using IRQ 9 may be a problem, but XP handles resources so well, it may still work.
It should be as simple as creating one connection to your ISP, and then selecting the multilink tab in DUN, and specifying the second modem.
Start the dial-up, and once connected, the second modem should dial and connect 9 seconds later.
It could be that both modems are winmodems, and the system just cannot run both at the same time. Each may work well, independent of the other, but cannot link.
If possible, try again, and take out one of the internals, and use an external.
I have never had much luck running two winmodems, however it all seems to work fine using any hard modem (External or ISA) in conjunction with any winmodem.

Cheers,
Jim

http://members.cnx.net/reboot/

 

[jimbopalmer]

http://search.ebay.com/search/searc...&st=2&SortProperty=MetaEndSort&BasicSearch=++

Webramp 2xx and 3xx series routers allow shotgunned modems without ISP help it can be seperate ISPs and start near $10 the newer ones mention VPNs as well

I tried to remain child-like, all I acheived was childish.

 

[bwoofter]

No one that I've talked to seems real sure about the dual win modems nor the sharing of the IRQ. I did find out from my ISP that I will be using the same login for both modems, he just has to flip the switch on his end to allow it. Best I can gather, I create one connection, as Comtech mentioned above, and specify both modems under it. I also tic the MultiLink box. From what I've read, it sounds as if the hardware modems are the way to go. I plan on ordering two US Robotics modems

http://www.usrobotics.com/products/home/home-product.asp?sku=USR5633A

. These are very inexpensive and they came highly recommended. Bottom line is, we're not sure about the dual wins, the shared IRQ and definitly my ISP has to "flip that switch". Once I get the modems I'll pass on the progress of the setup. Thanks for the replies! BTW, whats the general opinion, my Internet Connection Sharing should still work, right?

 

[InnoTech]

yep, it should be just fine.

"Jack of all trades. Master of none."

 

[bwoofter]

I got my multilinking working. I called the ISP and they got it set up on their end. I was going to wait until my new modems came in but decided to give it another go with my internal modems. It "worked a charm" as they say. Absolutely doubles, if not a little better, my download speeds. I can usually average 11 Kbs on downloads now where normally with one modem I was doing good to average 5 Kbs, and it was usually a little slower. It was a breeze to set up. Took only a couple of minutes. About 1 hour after getting it set up with the internals, my new externals arrived. US Robotics USB externals. Thought it would again would be a quick set up. Nope, as a matter of fact, I gave up on them after a few hours and I'm going to send them back. First off, when I can get them to connect, they connect at a slow 33.6 kbs if not slower. I downloaded the latest drivers and no difference. Sometimes I can't even get them to dial out. I never did get them both installed and working at the same time. I tried the built in USB ports on my MOBO, a USB PCI card and a combination of both and still had fits with them. I had my internal modems completely out of my pc. I re-installed my internal WinModems and they set right up and I'm a Multi-Linking/Internet cruising madman! (You've got to remember, I've just doubled my normal surfing speed at home!) I'm connecting at about 98 Kbps now. Two cheapo $15 dollar modems seem to be working quite nicely and I can't even get a good connection speed out of one of these USR modems. I don't know if there could be a problem using the USR modems since they support V.92 and my ISP doesn't. Seems like there were some setting changes that you could make to improve your speed in that situation. I don't remember for sure. Regardless, the cheap win modems seem to be doing fine. Internet Connection Sharing is still working too. Later!

 

[bwoofter]

One more thing, I'm not 100% sure that both of my internal modems are Win modems. I know for sure that one of them is. Both are PCI. One is an HSP56 MicroModem and the other is a Lucent Win Modem.

 

[InnoTech]

both are win modems and just to let you know, the micromodem is probably the most "host leech" of all modems. it takes up more of your cpu than you would think. be carefull and make sure your system resources are freed up and you have a very good processor.

"Jack of all trades. Master of none."