What can I do with a second NIC?

As those of you following my saga with Evesham will know, they have basically re-built my desktop machine (if you thought I was quiet, I was busy installing software, tweaking etc!). The new mobo, a Foxconn, has to gigabit NICs onboard. I was just wondering if there was anything useful I could do with the second one (I can't think of anything), or might I just as well disable it in device manager?

Creative thoughts appreciated.

On a single desktop PC that connects to a router I can't think of anything vaguely useful.

I'm curious why they would put dual NICs on a desktop board as I tend to associate it with servers (adaptor teaming etc.)

seems to becoming a common thing - mine has as well - I just ignore it

Was just curious, do you know if Windows allows you configure the 2 NICs to have IP addresses within different subnets/networks ?

It's just that I tried to do that same thing (using a USB dongle that provides another RJ45 network connection), and I always had trouble

Yes.

Dedicated interface to specific hardware. (only needed by one PC on a network)

Use one NIC for Internet access and the other for file sharing etc (other PCs have no Internet access)

Correctly using using Internet Connection Sharing with an ethernet modem

One of the network is faster, I know that much, but you need a router or switch to make use of it, as you said it more for servers.

Both of my NIC are disabled in the bios as I don't use them, I use wireless.

I did, of course, mean two NICs, must remember to read before posting.

Mmm. I suppose if I get a second gigabit machine, it would be worth putting a switch in to get the extra speed on file transfers, other than that I could try to persuade my wife we need a file server, or possibly I could use it for NAS. I could get really creative... and expensive.

I couldn't understand it either, I assume it was the only mobo they had, or could get their hands on, but outside a server, for home use, it does seem excessive. I suppose I could treat it as a spare in case one fails, but I have a feeling that if one goes, both would...