Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Download from two internet connections in one computer




With the recently-introduced download cap in Kuwait, I had to figure out a different method of downloading my files. Now I use my Viva 3G mifi card as a second internet line, in addition to the home DSL (at the same time).
I looked everywhere for a reasonably easy way to download from both sources without buying additional hardware or messing with complicates configuration files and/or scripts. I simply use a virtual machine and forward to it the entire 3G card connection.

On your Ubuntu (or windows) computer, set up a virtual Ubuntu machine with bare minimum software and select the 3G as the network source. Now share one of the computer folders with the virtual machine and start downloading on both connections simultaneously.
If you're having any problems with this method let me know in the comments section below this post.

4 comments:

  1. Wow, ... an entire virtual machine just for that; the way I see it, it's a waste of memory and processing!

    My main PC is not powered by a core i7 processor with 6GB of RAM to have a virtual machine running on the side without noticing the deterioration of performance; I have a Pentium 4 PC with only 2560MB of memory (2004 PC). So I'd rather mess around with scripts and configs.

    Your solution is okay, however, no offense, it seems more of a Windows' user solution/workaround! I mean you have Linux, the OS that's built for user customization, it's built for situations like this.

    Anyways, thanks for sharing a cross-platform solution! :)

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  2. I should have mention that this solution is for a server-type machine. The sole purpose of this machine is downloading and streaming files to other machines. I would never have this solution on my main PC :)

    besides, I'm traveling soon and this is the quickest way to set up this 2nd connection hehe

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  3. Ever thought of using a dual wan router?!

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  4. G-Funk I wanted the quesckest solution without buying new hardware

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