I'll take a stab at it with a very unusual (though possible) explanation ... just for the kick of it. I will assume that everything you said is correct (the hub/switch part, mainly)
First comes first (and you'll see why I am asking this question): what is the IP address of each one of your PCs? What about mask and default gateway? If they show IP from different networks, with different masks - then read on. If not - there is no fun in what I have to say ;) A couple of observations: 1. Though very surprising, it almost sounds like you don't have anything (router/firewall/proxy) between your PCs and the Comcast modem. If not - which is a no-no, unless you have hardened those machines very well - you are probably using Comcast for both, and getting IPs from their DHCP server(s). I have seen this possible myself ... see 2. In any case - please read "a." 2. 1. does not explain your problem, though, if the PCs would get IPs from the same network, with the same mask, because the first thing in the communication path is identification on which IP network the other site resides on, and if the same - won't look for a gateway, will do an ARP broadcast, and the other end would respond (being on the same hub) ... with one EXCEPTION (and I saw it possible when I was playing with this myself, during the transition time between AT&T and Comcast): for whatever reason there was a period of time on my segment of their networks when one could get an IP address (and all subsequent data, i.e. mask and GATEWAY - this IS the point I am getting at) from either one of multiple DHCP servers (from AT&T and one from Comcast). Obviously AT&T network and Comcast one were running different IP networks, even though on the same infrastructure. So one could end up with two PCs, apparently on the same second layer connection, which could not talk to each other except for routing through the provider, because they belonged to two different networks!. Why - because each one would try to get to the other through their default gateway, which resided on the provider's site. I know the above sounds very odd, but I have experienced it. 3. If running Netbeui, besides TCP/IP, then Windows PCs would communicate just because of Netbeui, which is not a routable protocol, and would find its path right "through" the hub, only. If all of the above are not SF, then you have multiple choices (and I would advise for the first, regardless of the issue): a. get yourself a "cheapo" router/firewall/switch appliance - this would get plugged with the "untrusted interface" (sometimes they call it WAN interface) into the cable modem, and the other end would be a switch, with a DHCP mechanism built into the appliance, capable of delivering addresses for your internal machines - and private ones, also. This should solve your problem. a+. as a Linux person - build the above on an old PC (with the exception of switch - you can use your existing one for that) - an easy starter would be http://www.ipcop.org b. if you don't care at all about security and the likes, leave your setup the way I think I understood you have it, and associate with each of your interface (eth0:1) an IP address from a private pool (RFC 1918, if I recall the number). Then establish your communications over that network. I would strongly advise against doing this way as a permanent solution, but it may be a good exercise ... NOTE: all of the above assume a very odd scenario - but a possible one. HTH, Stef On Saturday 02 August 2003 10:19 am, Sevatio wrote: > Hardware Scenario: 2 PCs connected to a hub/switch and the hub/switch is > connected to a Comcast cable modem that is connected to the Comcast > Cable Internet system. > > Main Question: Is it possible to route things in a manner that enables > the 2 PCs to send data (via FTP or whatever) to each other at LAN speed > (10/100mbps)? What happens now is that the data transfer is limited to > Comcast's upstream limit (256kbps) because the packets are going out to > the internet and coming back to the other PC. How would I set this up > so that the data transfer rate is in the range of a local area network > (close to 100mbps) by routing the packets to go directly through the > hub/switch to the other PC? > > Side note: I noticed that 2 PCs running Windows w/ Netbeui and file > sharing, the data transfer is that of LAN speed. > > So what is Netbeui & Windows File Sharing doing that is allowing the LAN > speed connection between the 2 PCs and how can I get my 2 Linux boxes to > ftp to each other at LAN speed given the hardware scenario? > > Thanks, > Sevatio
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