Are two routers better than one

compaq

Somebody told me a network that is heavily loaded with lots of downloads and file transfers will benifit by having two routers both connected to each other but remaining with one ISP. One router will have DHCP enabled and the other Disabled. If this is true. I currently have one ISP, one PFsense Router and two Switches, one is 24 port and the other is 16 port. This is how they are currently connected:

ISP MODEM–PFSENSE ROUTER--24PORT SWITCH--16PORT SWITCH.

If I introduce another PFSense Router into the equation. What is the best way to connect all this equipment together. I was think of connecting them like this???

ISP MODEM--1st PFSENSE ROUTER--24PORT SWITCH
Í
2nd PSSENSE ROUTER--16PORT SWITCH

Thanks

cmb

@compaq:

Somebody told me a network that is heavily loaded with lots of downloads and file transfers will benifit by having two routers both connected to each other but remaining with one ISP. One router will have DHCP enabled and the other Disabled.

Err… that somebody was wrong. If you're using a system that allows active-active clustering (no free ones do, pfSense is one of very few that offers active-passive), that could be true. Without clustering support, this is impossible.

You just need to make sure your hardware is adequately sized for the throughput you require. If your CPU isn't pegged at 100% for extended periods, your throughput is as good as it'll get. Upgrading to better NICs (Intel if you don't have them already), or a faster proc will reduce the latency induced by your firewall, but that's a tiny fraction of a percent of Internet latency so that has very little effect (it's unmeasurable if your hardware is adequately sized to begin with).

compaq

I found this article on the web this morning which supports installing two routers http://www.qudon.com/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=31 .

What do you think? Is it true what it says?

GruensFroeschli

This article is about something completly different.
Its about having two seperate networks with each their own router. This is not the same as having actually two routers in ONE network.