Both Adapters Can be Reached in Multihomed Windows NT Computer

 Last reviewed: March 26, 1997
Article ID: Q139334
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5 and 3.51
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5 and 3.51
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0

SUMMARY

On your network with a server running Windows NT with two network interface cards (NICs) installed (also referred to as a multihomed computer), you are able to ping both adapters on the multihomed server from each subnet even though routing is not enabled on the server.

MORE INFORMATION

A Windows NT server only maintains one routing table for both NICs. When a network client from either subnet attempts to access the first or second NIC, Windows NT checks in the routing table for the NIC IP address the client is trying to access. Because the IP address exists in the Windows NT server routing table as a local address, Windows NT responds to the network client. The default gateway address of the client must be the address of the adapter in the non-routing, multihomed server that is on the same subnet.

However, Windows NT does not route packets between clients of the subnets on the two NICs unless routing is enabled.

Additional query words: prodnt mpr
Keywords : kbnetwork NTSrvWkst nttcp
Version : 3.5 3.51 4.0
Platform : WinNT

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Last reviewed: March 26, 1997
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