Ntwk Hdwr Setup - Use server as router or use Linksys 4port as router? 1

[johnsonm]

I have a problem, and I need opinions as to what is best...

I have a small, 3 computer network connected to the Linksys 4port switch/router that is connected to my cable modem. The 3 machines are all running Windows XP Pro.

I want to install a 4th computer that will be the web/mail server running windows 2000 server (it's a slower machine). I also would like the win2k server to be the sole domain controller (so that everyone in the house will login to it).

The Windows 2000 Server has 2 network cards in it. I'm wondering if I should let the windows 2000 server be the router, and just use the Linksys as a simple switch, or if I should just let the windows 2000 server act as another node on Linksys switch (which will route traffic the same way it is now).

I'm leaning towards using the win2k server as the router, as it can assign IPs, work better with DNS, and it won't have to make the extra hop through the Linksys router. That, and I'd have more control over what is going on with my connection.

Please let me know what you think!
-Mike Johnson

 

[johnsonm]

I figured out that the issue was actually with my workstation- my wife's machine works fine.

Thanks for all your help! I now have a fully functional win2k server/domain controller/web server!

=)

 

[MattWray]

Great!


Thanks,

Matt Wray
MCSE, MCSA, MCP, CCNA

http://www.sss-steel.com

http://www.total-tec.com