Small network running Unix server - DSL install question 2

[Hueby]

Hi everyone,

We have a small network of 6-8 computers. We have a central Kingston EtherRx workgroup hub and a server used to run Unix for our old accounting program. All the computers are running Windows 2000 / XP.

We now have a DSL connection. I'm not a network expert here, but can we simply run a cable from the DSL modem into the hub and fiddle with some basic networking setting in windows to provide internet access to everyone?

I guess i'm tryin to understand that as long as we plug into the hub with the modem, then the hub can split up the bandwidth okay? Even with a Unix server there for running the Accounting program?

Thanks for any help, or guidance!

 

[bcastner]

This is why God created inexpsive routers.
A D-Link, Linksys, SMC, or other small router should be used. Connect the modem to the router, and run a cross-link cable from the router to your existing hub.

 

[Hueby]

Thanks for the advice. I will do that then!

 

[edfair]

Use the MS based stuff to set up the DSL and router. And insure that NAT is enabled. For your setup purposes the Unix doesn't exist.

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

 

[Hueby]

Connect the modem to the router, and run a cross-link cable from the router to your existing hub."

- Can I use any open port on the router and hub to connect with?

 

[edfair]

Yes

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

 

[Hueby]

Thanks Ed. Hopefully this will install/setup will go pretty smooth then!

 

[bcastner]

edfair,

I thought about giving your contribution above a star just based on its brevity.

Thanks for backstopping me on this.

Best Holiday wishes to you,
Bill Castner

 

[Hueby]

Thanks all, can anyone go into more detail on NAT?

Isn't this something that I have to install/configure with the router? Windows has no built in NAT functions, it's all router based?

 

[edfair]

Network address translation. It hides your windows machines behind the router. It may be automatically enabled but it may also need to be set in the router setup.

Bill,
Some days you can get by with the short reply. I'm still waiting for the one letter reply.
Thanks for the sentiments. And happy holidays to you.

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

 

[Hueby]

Update on my install: I got the DSL kit from SBC and a D-Link Broadband router. I have it hooked up as suggested: DSL modem to router, then patch cable from router to existing hub. From there, patch cables to wall-mounted cable box, and then CAT 5 run to all the computers and unix server.

First off, I could never get to the router setup using 192.168.0.1

Second, I can ping some of the computers on the network and some I can't. There are around 8-10 computers on the network each one has there own set IP address ranging from 192.168.1.101 to .120 .....

Third, On most of the NIC cards I could never just get one to recognize the DSL modem (just plugging a single computer directly into the modem.) UNLESS, I swapped in a newer NIC card.

I just came in to help this guy (I have not set up the network), and he has some somewhat old hardware he is working with. AKA: systems running from windows 98, using ISA slot NIC cards, etc.

What I noticed in the network adapter settings is some of the NIC cards would say they were in "Legacy Mode". And looking through the "advanced settings" under "line/connection speed" some of the cards were set to TP HALF DUPLEX.

If I tried to bump it up to 10Base5 AUI for example it would stop sending packets, etc.

With that said, is some of the hardware too dated, do I just need some new NIC cards? Is it just set up to where I can't use the new router and DSL? Or am I not doing something right to get into the Router setup?

Any advice or help would be GREATLY appreciated. Or if anyone has some good sites/articles that deal with any of this? Thanks!

 

[edfair]

Your older cards should be fine. I get the older ones off e-bay to use in systems. But there can be some timing issues between various manufacturers that can drive you up the wall. But most I've found work fine. And I don't have any of mine in legacy mode.
Crossover cable for the router/hub? I can't remember.
You may need to cat5 direct to the router to get the initial setup rather than going through the hub. And once you get it up and running you may want to use DHCP. That is a troubleshooting flag for you on workstations. No connection, you look for TCPIP address. No address, networking failure.

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

 

[Hueby]

Hello Ed,

"And I don't have any of mine in legacy mode."
I can't even find a setting for legacy mode, is this something I can control?

"Crossover cable for the router/hub? I can't remember."
Thats what I am currently doing, I guess I can try some regular Cat5 as well.

I'll try connecting directly into the router too. Good idea.

I'll try use DHCP, with that old Unix server and the accounting proram the users use on it, I didn't know if not having manual IPs it would work, etc.

Thanks again for your help.

 

[edfair]

Don't know how they got locked into legacy mode. Having IRQs set to legacy doesn't do it. Do you have drivers loading through config.sys?

You'll define the unix box, but the rest can DHCP.

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

 

[Hueby]

Do you have drivers loading through config.sys"

Not to my knowledge. Again, I didn't setup any of this network. I'll have to look in the config file and see.

This is where I just assumed gettin some newer NIC cards in bulk off E-Bay or something would take care of some of those issues.....

Thanks again Ed. I appreciate sharing your knowledge!

 

[Hueby]

Okay, I'm back... with some new problems.

Well, I was able to setup the Router by pluggin it just in to a computer along with my DSL modem just fine. That all worked.

Once I hooked into the hub with a cross-over cable to the router I couldnt get anything to talk. This was using DHCP.

One thing I noticed, when I set up the router it was on Dynamic Addresses.... but SBC (my DSL provider) says it needs to be setup for PPPoE. When I did that then nothing would work, but maybe i didnt set it up right.

Any more insight???

 

[edfair]

On the workstations do you see any indication that the IP has been set from router supplied IPs?
Ping the router from the workstations? Should see hub activity and router activity.


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

 

[Hueby]

On the workstations do you see any indication that the IP has been set from router supplied IPs?"

No i have not seen any indication.

I can not ping the router from the workstations. It seems the hub and router are not talking together at all....?

Also, I have another question. The cables run from the computers to a wall-mounted "patch panel" and from there some short patch cables run into the hub. Isn't this still the same as running cat5 directly from the computer to the hub? (aka.. no difference from the patch panel setup?)

I ask because I tried to run one of these patch cables into the DSL modem and it didnt find it, but if I ran a cat5 directly from the computer to the DSL modem it would.

Could this at be causing any troubles?? ... just trying to throw out some ideas! Thanks

 

[edfair]

You can have straight thru, and you can have crossover.
How about running one system directly to the router? If it works (pings there) then you start putting in the patch cables to connect through the patch panels for that machine.
Crossover in the path should wipe it out but continuous pinging should keep the activity lites flashing while you swap cables around.
Once you have the direct to router you bring the cable back to the hub and crossover the uplink to the hub.

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

 

[Hueby]

Thanks for the help Ed,

"How about running one system directly to the router? If it works (pings there) ..."

Okay, I can do that again and get it to ping... but, I got lost after that. :\

"... then you start putting in the patch cables to connect through the patch panels for that machine."

I'm sorry, but I not understanding what you mean here... so, I have a computer hooked up directly to the router with a cat5 cable. I have the DSL modem hooked into the router as well. Then, I have all the other computers coming through the patch panel to the hub via patch cables.

On the other side of the patch panel the cat5 is stripped and the wires are wired in to it, so i can't remove/un plug them.

Sorry about this.. I just got confused on what cable was going where ...... lol