If I get two comcast internet subscriptions into my home, will I get double performance?

Yes, but the common pipe will have more bandwidth. than your two measely pipes.

*TimDaniels*

The whole concept of the Internet is based on "common pipes" somewhere upstream.

If you have two cable modems, and are paying for two accounts, the effect is the same as if you have a cable modem, and your neighbor has a cable modem. In all likelyhood, your neighborhood node has room for more than one more customer, and the local bottleneck is going to be what each modem is capped at, not the capacity of the node.

However, you may or may not be able to get your cable company to provide such service. The databases that are used by the software packages usually used by cable companies are based on GIS data. In the GIS database, your residence will be one location, and will be able to have one account. It is possible to alter things to make your residence appear as two residences, but it requires not just a one-time change, but a flag so that when the GIS data is updated your one residence can still appear as two, even though the raw data shows it as one.

An easier thing for many cable companies to do is to offer you a business-class account. That means the GIS data doesn't need to be changed; just the class of your account needs to be changed. Not all cable companies offer business packages, and those that do may not offer it in all areas or may not offer it to residential properties.

If your cable company markets services direct to businesses, your best bet would likely be to contact that department. The multitude of agents set-up to sell residential services may not be aware of all the options that may be available to you, and even if they are, they aren't used to selling them everyday. They're also probably being timed as to how long they spend with each customer, so they have no incentive to spend extra time with you, while the business account folks usually don't have time-based goals, and are encouraged to spend the time it takes to sell the right services.

Would you actually have that much bandwidth need to warrant paying an extra $40 or so a month ? Chances are sticking a router on a single connection will get you all you would ever need except for the rarest of occasions.

I'll vote no assuming you buy one cable modem and two ip addresses.

I will be impressed if you get the two modems. They will want to leave the plug on the drop open for the neighbors.

You bet. There is only one cable running down the alley/street not to mention everyone sharing your gateway.

Now you buy one cable modem with one ip address, one router, and hook both boxes to the router you are in the same boat less the cost of the extra ip address.

In either case (1 or 2 ip) you get to decide what the size of the pipe is downloaded into the cable modem from comcast. I have the 4 mbsec service.

Actually, it is for providing 60 tenants free internet access in an apartment complex. Each of these two cables (and one cable modem on each) and take care of

30 apartment units thru a linksys router. $50 x2 = $100 a month for two cable subscriptions sure beats getting a T1 line (over $600 a month) and most surfer will download more than upload. In fact, the bandwith is proportional to the number of subscription, we would like to order like five of them for $200 and it still beats a T1 line.

I see. It was just a thought.

From: "DerekC"

| Actually, it is for providing 60 tenants free internet access in an | apartment complex. | Each of these two cables (and one cable modem on each) and take care of | 30 apartment units thru a linksys router. $50 x2 = $100 a month for two | cable subscriptions sure beats getting a T1 line (over $600 a month) | and most surfer will download more than upload. In fact, the bandwith | is proportional to the number of subscription, we would like to order | like five of them for $200 and it still beats a T1 line.

I think you find that is a violation of the Comcast Terms of Use policy since you are providing their service to others thaat are not mebers of your family.

ix. "resell the Service or otherwise make available to anyone outside the Premises the ability to use the Service (i.e. wi-fi, or other methods of networking), in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, or on a bundled or unbundled basis. The Service is for personal and non-commercial use only and you agree not to use the Service for operation as an Internet service provider or for any business enterprise or purpose, or as an end-point on a non-Comcast local area network or wide area network; "

They can always use a splitter on one connection.

It doesn't take much to beat a T1, more properly called DS1. A DS1 runs at a max of 1.544 Mb/s. ADSL and cable modems routinely exceed that for downloads. For example, my cable modem runs at 5 Mb/s (800K up) and I have often seen close to that in practice.

He'd need a business account, to do what he wants.

That would make sense and a router that can load level/manage on the two (or more) interfaces.

I would think $75-80 would cover it and give you maybe 6-7 Mb - what does business service offer for B/W and at what price ?

It would still be a violation of the terms of service for Comcast, and if the DSL account is also a residential account, it probably would be a violation of their term of service as well.

Nothing like screwing two companies with more lawyers than people in some small cities, and then having to deal with tenants who demand that the Internet service continue. It would be so much fun for him to be in the middle of that. How could one resist such an opportunity?

Well, with that solution, there'll be routing issues and how would the double price compare with a business service?

ACTUALLY he could do what he wants IF he got cable AND dsl connections in his home. The 2 companies would not have to even know about the other one. True dsl is not upto cable speeds but it is fast and would solve the 2 cable modems from one company issue.

From: "$Bill"

| f/fgeorge wrote: |

| | That would make sense and a router that can load level/manage on the | two (or more) interfaces.

The Edimax PermaLink PRI-682

has two WAN ports and performs load balancing.

I currently get almost 6 meg downloads with regular Comcast! Not all the time but often enough to notice.

I have no idea about business rates, but even ignoring that, there are still the routing and load balancing to consider.

David already supplied a solution.