Connecting multiple computers to the Internet

[hpsait]

What is the cheapest way to share one Internet connection with workgroup computers?
I'm thinking of installing Windows 2003 Server on workgroup level with DHCP and DNS enabled.

 

[vacunita]

Depends on the type of internet connection. But in most cases a simple router should be enough. And since the server will still require at least a switch to connect the computers together, unless there's a specific need for a server, I'd say a router would be the easiest cheapest choice.

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Phil AKA Vacunita
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Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.

Web & Tech

 

[hpsait]

DSL router and switch in place. Not sure how may users yet, therefore my suggestion to implement server with DHCP.

 

[vacunita]

The router should take care of DHCP, no reason to involve an expensive server unless there's a really good reason to do so. Like file storage, printer management, etc.... and even then most networks use the router as the DHCP, while keeping the server as file storage, and/or application deployment etc...

Also if you are going for a wired network, you should have at least a general idea of how many computers are going to be plugged in, as switches and/or routers have a limited amount of physical ports.

Not such a big deal if you plan on having a wireless network. But again either a router being the wireless access point, or the wireless router/AP should be used to manage DHCP.








----------------------------------
Phil AKA Vacunita
----------------------------------
Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.

Web & Tech

 

[cdogg]

...switches and/or routers have a limited amount of physical ports.

Just wanted to add that the standard rule of thumb is that you're getting beyond a workgroup and venturing into domain territory as the number of workstations exceeds 10.

-Carl
"The glass is neither half-full nor half-empty: it's twice as big as it needs to be."

[tab][navy]For this site's posting policies, click [/navy]here.

 

[edfair]

Once the DSL is available a router will probably be an insignificant cost, same for switches if you need one.
Wiring the workgroup together will cost more.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[Sunder2011]

It may be too late to reply.But I did lots of calculation and the conclusion was to go for an access point.Bought a D-link and flushed the FW with dd-wrt but changed to Tomato.Been ever happy since.
happy networking
DSL+dlink wireless AP with 25 users No security,MAC filtering