two internet connections

[hgupta1]

My work is also getting me a second internet connection to be used just for work for my home office (I already tried getting them to pay for my current roadrunner connection!). If my computer is connected to both my home network (where I have file and print sharing), and the office network as well, will my boss be able to see files on my home network?

And the reason that this is in the Home security forum: I'm now thinking about getting the Elk M1XEP for internet monitoring. How could I set it up to use the office internet connection as a backup?

 

[DavidL]

You could require userid and pass to get access to the shared folders. and then don't give the boss access.

 

[pete]

more info please . . .

what OS are you running? what do you have for a router? are you going to install two network cards in your 'work' machine?

 

[hgupta1]

I have a linksys BEFXS41 router on my home connection. I'm not sure if they are going to give me a router or if I will just be connected directly to the modem. I'm not even sure yet if it is DSL or cable or something else. The work computer is a low end Dell laptop with XP pro installed on it. It hasn't arrived yet, but I would guess that it has an ethernet port and a wireless card.

We're not supposed to have anything on it except work files, but on my laptop now I usually use a remote desktop connection to my main computer. So I will probably do the same when this laptop arrives.

 

[huggy59]

There are a ton of possibilities here that could make a very big difference in how you would set things up if you were putting the machine(s) on both networks.

First and foremost, read your company's policy about hooking their network to other networks. If you do this - even through a dual-connected machine - you may be risking your job if a security issue arises.

If your work machine will be using a VPN package, it is likely that they will also use a firewall and shut down or prevent any sharing of any other network arrangement on the laptop when it is VPN'd into work. This prevents you from effectively using your networked printers to avoid the security risks. You could locally attach your printer to the work machine.

If they are cavalier about security and allow you to hook the machines together or have a dual-connected (multi-homed) machine, then it will be up to you to enforce any security you want to by making your personal machines and the office machine secure from each other. You should NOT enable routing of one network to the other at any time.

I don't recommend hooking them together, or hooking the networks together. There are just too many risks and in some cases you will run into issues with some software due to the multi-network arrangement.

Instead, get a docking station and KVM for the laptop and your home machine. You can hook those up and easily switch back and forth between machines, but still maintain separate security and network integrity. And no job loss threat, either!

 

[hgupta1]

Apparently Hawkingtech makes a dual wan router (model H2BR4 for as low as $55). If one internet connection fails, the other still works as a back up.

I have had bad luck with hawkingtech print servers, but maybe this is better. If it works well it will be a great solution for providing a back up internet connection when my cable modem goes down.