HELP PLEASE!!!!

[aldi]

I have an nt4 network. The PDC (nt4) is running the DHCP server, WINS server, MSExchange Server and Proxy server, this same server is connected to a ISDN modem to connect to the internet. No problems....
Actually our ISP contract expires on jun 30 and we have signed a new contract with another ISP via wireless (DSL)
My intentions are to replace the ISDN modem with a Linksys BEFSR11 v2 which I already bought.
I connected the router to our network through a hub and then I connected to it via the web browser, without logging to the network and changed the internal IP to our network IP schema.

LAN IP Address
Router IP 10.0.0.2
Network mask 255.255.255.0

WAN connection type:
The static IP adress assigned by the ISP
Subnet Mask
Default gateway
Primary and secondary DNS

On my workstation I entered in the properties for the TCP/IP
IP Settings
Static IP address 10.0.0.5
NetMask 255.255.255.0

Gateway
10.0.0.2 router's IP address

DNS settings
Host name: computer netbios name
Domain: ns1.tor.terago.ca
and DNS server serch address

On the browser I disabled the proxy connection since I was not connected to the network.

After this I tested the connection and it was fine no problems surfing.

Now, I want all users to be able to connect with IP addresses assigned by our DHCP server (I disabled the router's DHCP feature) also connect through the proxy server and receive emails....but I don't know how to do it and here is where you can help me (thanks).

I know I have to do some port forwarding to be able to get the mail ei: 10.0.0.1 port 25 and pop3?
Also I know, that I have to let the DHCP know the address of the router to be used as the default gateway.

Do I need to enter the internet domain name somewhere in the DHCP or any other place so it can be assigned to clients?

Is it a better choice to continue using the second NIC on the PDC to connect the router as it was before?

Is the NAT firewall going to give us some protection using this approach?

What else I need to know?

Please send me detailed information, since I don't have much exposure to this stuff and I have been reading a lot of information for the last two day.

Thank very much in advance,

Aldi

 

[bcastner]

How many people on this LAN?

The BEFWS11 is the smallest router in the Linksys product line. A lot of home users exceed its memory and connection table capacities.

This should be a good time to rethink the hub connection. Return the BEFSR11, and purchase the BEFSR41, or 81. Use the switches that you gain.

This is also a good time to rethink your proxy server. You will be behind a NAT router. Let it route the traffic.

The domain name is not important. You are not providing a local DNS server to your LAN clients, so there is no registraton need on their behalf.

You only need one connection to the router from the Server.

 

[aldi]

Hi bcastner and thank you for your response,
We have 50 users.

In other words, If I use a router I don't need the proxy server anymore. Is it correct?

What about changes to the DHCP, Are the steps above right?

Thanks in advance,

Aldi

 

[bcastner]

DHCP is fine.
I would get rid of the proxy server, it is not needed. If you add a DNS server at some point that would be a good idea, but otherwise point the boxes at the Gateway IP of the router.

Please heed my earlier advice: there is not a large amount of RAM in the Linksys router you chose. Linksys uses store-and-forward as its routing method, and you could easily swamp its routing table with 50 users. As you go up the Linksys router line (count the number of wired ports available on the devide) Linksys adds 20 Megabytes of RAM for each port.

 

[aldi]

Hi bcastner,
Oh yes, I definetely going to change the router to 81.
Thanks for the Advice,

If you have time, could you briefly explain me what would be the benefit of installing a DNS server, which is something I wanted to do, but I did find a reason...so far.

Thanks in advance,

Aldi

 

[bcastner]

Under NT using WINS is perfectly acceptable. But at some point when you move the server OS to Win2k or Windows 2003 you should make the change to add a DNS server locally.

The primary benefit to you is that when you move your workstation clients to XP or above as client software the way in which Netbios names are resolved in a Domain becomes primarily through DNS services. If you do not provide local DNS resolution for XP clients you will find very slow network traffic and assorted problems. Please read this and file the notion away for the future:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314861>

 

[aldi]

bcastner thank you for all your help.

Have a wonderfull day!!!!!!!!!!

Aldi