Hi,
I would like some advice please on setting up a 'proper' network in a small office.
At the moment there are just two machines and I have set it up really nOOby style, the first machine has the USB-modem/ADSL connection and all the printers installed on it and the second machine is just connected by a single cross-over cable. Both machines access their emails via Pop 3 and the main machine is backed up via an external hard drive . . . . lol like I said basic!
Now I have a laptop (3rd machine) and have no way to connect it, I also would like to build a small server and have it do server type things!
I could almost 'fudge' it just by using built in WinXP sharing folders and ICS etc but there is some functionality that is missing at the moment.
I have some basic network knowledge and I am thinking I would like to be able to:
1) Have all the data stored on the (Raid-1) Server somehow, in one easy place to backup
2) Have a Broadband-Router thingy, and have all the machines networked through that (always on).
3) Upgrade the email system from the simple Pop3 style, we have our own domain name and stuff but atm we pay some company 0.69p/Month to store our emails and we then access them via Outlook express. Think what I'm getting at here is a mail server but I'm not sure how that works?
4) If a user deletes a file on the network I want to be able to 'undelete' them if possible (is that the backup?)
Do I need something like Small Business Server (never used it before) or can I wing it with WinXP.
Thanks for reading, sorry there is so many questions but I'm keen to know what next step I take . . thanks!
I would like some advice please on setting up a 'proper' network in a small office.
At the moment there are just two machines and I have set it up really nOOby style, the first machine has the USB-modem/ADSL connection and all the printers installed on it and the second machine is just connected by a single cross-over cable. Both machines access their emails via Pop 3 and the main machine is backed up via an external hard drive . . . . lol like I said basic!

Now I have a laptop (3rd machine) and have no way to connect it, I also would like to build a small server and have it do server type things!
I could almost 'fudge' it just by using built in WinXP sharing folders and ICS etc but there is some functionality that is missing at the moment.
I have some basic network knowledge and I am thinking I would like to be able to:
1) Have all the data stored on the (Raid-1) Server somehow, in one easy place to backup
2) Have a Broadband-Router thingy, and have all the machines networked through that (always on).
3) Upgrade the email system from the simple Pop3 style, we have our own domain name and stuff but atm we pay some company 0.69p/Month to store our emails and we then access them via Outlook express. Think what I'm getting at here is a mail server but I'm not sure how that works?
4) If a user deletes a file on the network I want to be able to 'undelete' them if possible (is that the backup?)
Do I need something like Small Business Server (never used it before) or can I wing it with WinXP.
Thanks for reading, sorry there is so many questions but I'm keen to know what next step I take . . thanks!
