[PLUG] Networking question

[Eugene Smiley <eug+plug@esmiley.net>]

I'm wondering if this is possible, but I'm not a networking guy so I 
throw this out to the list. Is it possible to do something like this 
(simplified):

Broadband 1 -\              /--- Router 1 (Off the shelf)
              >-- Switch --<
Broadband 2 -/       |      \--- Router 2 (Off the shelf)
                     |
                     \-- Gateway/Rtr (Load balancing) Embedded device

Broadband 1 and Broadband 2 could be  any combination of DSL, Cable, 
ClosedNetworks, whatever...

Where traffic goes from R1 to GW which picks Cable or DSL based on 
traffic levels and then back again. I know there are hardware options 
out there that do something like this, but I've not been happy with the 
results, and I'm looking for a 1 port or 2 port embedded linux device 
that I could attach to a 16 or 24 port switch to make it scalable and 
inexpensive.

Specific questions:
- How can GW negotiate itself as the MAC to talk to the cable router in 
the event of a power outage caused MAC reset? Is this possible?
- Am I barking up the wrong tree to begin with?
___________________________________________________________________________
Philadelphia Linux Users Group         --        http://www.phillylinux.org
Announcements - http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-announce
General Discussion  --   http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug