A few Q's to the Network Gurus, if I may....

Faithless

Faithless

Faithless

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24 Nov 2006
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Hi all,

I'm in the process of designing a mini office network using one server (WIN2K3) and 4 clients (Vista Business or XP Pro). There is one cable line into the premises.

My questions:-

Is it better to have a router before or after the server. The reason I ask is more because I want to ensure that files being moved around the network do not impact drastically upon the internet download speeds.

Also, I'm looking to store all the 'My Docs' folders on the server (as in each client is \\servernamehere) in the 'My Docs' properties. From this, I'm looking to use Robocopy to make a daily/weekly backup of the server. Any advice regarding this.

Also, any advice regarding using Vista Business with WIN2K3 Server.

Thanks
 
Can you give a better idea of what your trying to achieve? e.g.

4 workstations

1 server

1 router

And Cable ? (net access? / Ethernet access?)

if you mean internet connection id let the server run the internet connection so you can filter to the corrosponding workstations, and block etc unwanted websites , spyware etc.

Or

Just filter a net connection to the 4 workstations and leave the server without net connection, then sending files to the server will be fine. as will the internet connection. But extra protection will be needed for the workstations
 
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Hi, thanks for the reply

By Cable, I mean, not ADSL, its Cable Broadband provided by NTL (to become Virgin Media soon).

Yes, layout would be, 4 workstations, 1 server, 1 router.

Would the ideal connection be, Internet > Router > Server + Workstations?

Your second method, would be Internet > Router > Workstations (and) Server > Workstations < Server.

Would a router not be enough protection for four workstations with AVG installed and built in firewall?
 
Faithless said:
Would a router not be enough protection for four workstations with AVG installed and built in firewall?


Hard to say really , spam, email, popups, malware etc can all generate on a workstation with or without a firewall, But i have a netgear dg834g here, with Nod32 as my anti virus. So far so good. Just block naughty sites etc.

Would the ideal connection be, Internet > Router > Server + Workstations?

Your second method, would be Internet > Router > Workstations (and) Server > Workstations < Server.


Well i think either method will be fine tbh but id rather have a router doing the routing and the server as a server as it says on the tin tbh.
But id still have anti virus on the server to scan files as it sends across.
Click to expand...
 
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Hi

Using the second method then, a Router to split the internet across the four machines and leaving the server off the internet, would you then use a second router to provide connections to the workstations? If so, would each work station require two NICs?

Also, how would the server receive AV updates, etc, if it had not net connection?
 
Mybad, my brain isnt with me atm have a cold ;/ anyway. 1 router - connect to the 4 workstaions + server.


Server(1) - Router(1) - Workstations (4)

Server has main internet connection, which then filters to the 4 workstations. install antivirus on the server (if its for a business i wouldnt trust a free anti virus Get Nod32) have the router as a firewall (if vista has a FW i dont know ive not used it yet) then depending how good the FW is on Vista id use either but mainly hardware firewall is better.

This one ..lol :)
Would the ideal connection be, Internet > Router > Server + Workstations?
 
Thanks,

I guess then, that even though the router sits at the top of the chain, the data speed between the 4 machines intranet and data from the internet won't be drastically affected? Would the spec of the router have any bearing on this at all?

What I'm trying to avoid (although I don't think it will ever happen), is for the workstations to be file sharing from/to the server large files whilst using the internet. I spose if the machines are spec'd at 1Gb LAN then this wouldn't be an issue?
 
Right i think with Cable routers you either get one or the other with the selection from Netgear. http://www.netgear.co.uk/rangemaxnext_wirelessrouters_wnr854t.php gives you a gigabit network (if the other computers have a gigabit ethernet connection) but no firewall and the other is a downgrade to 100mbps but agian not firewall.

Maybe have a look at linksys which i cant give guide you with that as ive never used them
 
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