Ethernet LAN Teaming

First, I think I should stress that this is not something that really benefits the home user. It's not even for power users. Not even the more ludicrous amongst power users.

This is a technology designed for mission critical servers to ensure network connectivity in the event of failure in a NIC, cable or switch. These are rare events. Very rare.

Also: I have always understood that this technology would require not just Intel NIC's, but very specific Intel NIC's that support this technology. I stand ready to be wrong.. but I do not believe that this technology will work with a mix of Intel + Realtek network cards.

AFT provides no speed increase, and protects against a failed NIC. The second NIC essentially assumes the failed NIC's identity.

SFT provides tolerance against a switch dying - requiring you to have at least 2 switches in your network topology.

ALB is akin to one-way-trunking. It is a multiplexing technique used for outgoing traffic only. (ie. if you have three 100mbit links in ALB, the maximum upstream for that server is effectively 300mbit, provided the receiving end can handle that speed. Downstream is the speed of your primary NIC.)

RLB is an enhancement upon ALB allowing for multiple incoming links to be used. However, while they are aggregate, there is no multiplexing. (ie. if you have three 100mbit links in ALB-RLB, the maximum downstream for that server is still only 100mbit per connection. However, if you could have three seperate and distinct downstream connections each running at 100mbit.)

SLA appears to be a true multiplexing solution, though I admit to not having thoroughly researched it. If so, then it would absolutely require support from the switch you're connected to.

To answer your question: none of these techniques will do anything for you. The limiting factor is your cable internet, and not your local equipment.
 

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