Configuring win2K Server.

[bostonflunkie]

Hey guys, I would reeeeely appreciate if some1 can help me out here. I am setting up a win2k server @ home just for the fun of it.
I am hoping to set it up to work as gateway. I have never done it before. I have set up the OS and client stations (2) one 9x and the other one NT4. I like to access the internet thru this gateway. I need to configure the server/gateway now. Could some1 please write the steps how to do it, may be recomend a book or a website.
Hope to hear from some1 soon.....

[weazel]

you either have to install ICS or configure routing and remote access to use the server as a gateway. just click start...programs...admin tools...configure your server...select networking then routing...the wizard will start and you can decide how you want to set it up

[Eagle PC Diagnostech]

Check out this site

http://www.labmice.net/networking/VPN.htm

[choadster]

You could consider the Linux router project, its a floppy based router for home use. Its easy.
http://beta.linuxrouter.org/

[imd14u]

The is no install ICS, if the Win2K Server will be the gateway. In your Network properties, all you have to do is share the Internet connection, simply right clicking it and choosing sharing. By doing this, it will make itself a DHCP in you home LAN. All other clients, should have their TCP/IP settings "Obtain an IP address" to connect to the internet through the Win2K Server. If it is dial-up, then you can enable On demand so that everytime the clients want to access, it will be dial automatically for them.
<IMG SRC="smilies/wink.gif" border="0">

[bostonflunkie]

Thanks guys but I am stumped. I don't see "Saharing" tab in my msn folder. How the heck you get proxy server address OS has assigned a DHCP server ip, is that it? I was wondering about my ntfs partition that this server is installed on, my nt and win98 machine will be able to read this disk? I have been tinkering with 2k professional peer to peer network, it was a no brainer. I need help, with this. I did visit homenetworing site, briefly. I wil check it out again. But in the mean time if you guys can help me out, I will be thankful.
My plan is to set up win2k server/router then Linux definitely.

[Eagle PC Diagnostech]

The easiest way would be get a cheap hub like Encore and uplink your cable/DSL modem to it.
Or get a Linksys Cable/DSL 4 Port Router and get the benefit of a firewall.

[bostonflunkie]

I don't have either a DSL or cable modem. An Actiontec External 56K works like a charm. It's hard to find I don't know why. If you can find it grab it under $100 it's worth every penny. Anyway, It may be easy like you said but I like to be able to configure this damn thing, every one else seems to be able to. It will take me some time and frequent visit to this site.
There got to be a site which shows step by step configuration of router. There are 100s to help you install win9x. Thanks for the help. I will be posting my progress here.

[Ron Prestenback]

bostonflunkie - the correct way to set this up will depend on how you have the three computer linked together, as ICS will only work from 1 NIC (or modem in your case) to 1 NIC. In other words, if you have just a modem and 1 NIC the server, and the other computers are connected to a bus, then no problem. The "sharing" tab would be on the properties page for the connection in "My network places". Get there by right-clicking on my network places, select properties, then right-click on the connection that goes to your ISP, select properties. You'll see the sharing tab. Enable ICS, and you're off.

If however, you have the modem and 2 NICs in the server, then things get a little more complicated. Same goes for 1 modem, 1 NIC in server, and two NICs in 1 machine, with the third machine daisy-chained through the second NIC.

Honestly, unless you need to learn this in order to actually set up a network, I would get some sort of NAT software (I use WinRoute Pro, by Tiny Software). In order to configure RRAS to do NAT, you really need to know how NAT works, as well as understand subnets, private IP addressing, and why it's not routing by default in the first place. It's a big headache honestly, but I can understand wanting to learn how to do it. It you like, I can send you the chapter that deals with NAT from the Windows 2000 Server Course Curriculum Book, because you will need to read the whole chapter in order to do it.

Sometimes, you just have to give up and go third party....after fighting with RRAS myself for two or three days trying to do exactly what you're trying to do, I gave up and installed WinRoute. Hehe...no configuration, no reading anything, no fooling with proxy information....After I installed WinRoute, it all just worked...
Beautiful!

[bostonflunkie]

Hey Ron, mucho thanks. I am glad that you understand the feeling. I am telling you I will not rest until I get this thing going. I have been away from computers for sometime, I gotta work you know. Look, I can do ICS with winme not a problem as you know. But I want to be able to do it the way I want to, you understand that. Anyway, I do have NIC in all thre computer and the modems for now, I am going to to take the modem out of the other two client system as soon as I get the server/router going. I never heard of the software you are suggesting, where do I get it from and how much does it cost. And please, please do send me the chapter that explain NAT, I have no clue what that is all about. I am still scrathing my head over how the other Fat32 and fat16 machine going to read and write ntfs that I have on the server. I had to use ntfs because that's the win2k server requirement as I found out when I had the server installed on fat32. I will try what you suggested and let you know the result. Thanks again for helping me. Will look forward to hearing from you again.

[Ron Prestenback]

A couple of comments: Win2K Server doesn't require NTFS. Active Directory requires NTFS, so if you want to make this computer a DC and use DFS, domain policy, stuff like that, then yes, you would need to go with NTFS.

The various computers talk to each other through TCP/IP. In this context, TCP/IP is like an interpreter that translates NTFS into FAT32. This is why the internet works. Otherwise, you would only be able to visit web sites that were run by computers with the same file system as yours, and that wouldn't really work out too well <IMG SRC="smilies/smile.gif" border="0">

I didn't understand your answer about the NIC's and modems however...are you saying that you have a 1 modem and 1 NIC in each machine???? If that is the case, how are they communicating at all?

[bostonflunkie]

Yes all three computers have a NIC and a modem in it and they are NOT communicating with each other. That's why I was wondering aboutntfs and fat32, when I just installed win2K pro they all came on line meaning as a LAN I did not have to do anything at all I don't think I even had to map the drive, all I did was enable sharing. BTW I checked and recheck to see if I can enable sharing my internet connection I did not see the sharing tab, I think I am screwing something up royally. I opened up My networking places and msn folder -->properties and all I see is General and Options in options the phone # are listed where I call to get on line. I am trying... Thanks.

[Ron Prestenback]

I guess what I was asking is "How are the machines physically connected? Because according to what you wrote, you could only connect one computer at a time to the server.

One of these computers will need to have two NIC's in it. It could look something like this:
C stands for client computers
S stands for server
x stands for NIC
---- stands for network cable

config 1
Sx-----xCx-----xC

config 2
Cx-----xSx-----xC

But with only 1 NIC in each puter you have this:
Sx-----xC xC
or
Cx Sx-----xC

[bostonflunkie]

Hey Ron, I have lost you. I dont know how to set 2 x in one machine, I mean I know how to insert them physically! I thought I have set it up like you are saying
Sx--xc--xc
I have connected every thing thru the hub, like I should. I have a 5 port hub every-- going in the hub from x. I have just taken out the 3rd machine in the hope to make it simple. Could you please explain how to hook up 2 nic in one machine, I will definitely give it a shot. Thanks for bearing with me... and how about that chapter on NAT?

[Ron Prestenback]

You should have received my email regarding those NAT pages. If anyone else is interested in this chapter on NAT, please email me.