Internet Cafe setup - some help please

[Warbie]

I've been asked by a friend of a friend to setup the network for their internet cafe. They don't want to pay the price for a professional installation and, seeing as i'm 'the guy who knows computers', have asked me. tbh I can do with the cash.

I finished my CCNA at uni, but that was years ago and I think i've drunk most of it away. Some help would be greatly appreciated:

There will be 12 stations and a print/file server. All the wiring is done.

I'm not quite sure on the correct topology, but am leaning towards PCs -> Switch -> Router -> Internet. Someone suggested PCs -> Switch -> Server -> Internet. This is the area I could most do with some advice.

Having never set up anything other than a gaming lan i'm also a little unsure where to stick the server - do you just add it to the network as you would a workstation?

Software has already been decided on - Softvision Explorer - and other than configuring print sharing and emails there's nothing else to do.

Any suggestions would be great.

 

[Warbie]

From there you will have a router --> Server --> Switch --> PC's

Cheers

Do we actually need a router in this case? and just go Server -> Switch -> PCs?


As for proxy servers - I haven't a clue about these.Are they pretty straight forward?

 

[Warbie]

Thanks rick, advice taken.

A quick question regarding server placement and switches:

Is placing the server between switch and router to allow easy monitoring of the workstations/security? I understand (roughly) that switches break up collision domains, but seeing as each station will have a port to itself I don't really get why pcs -> switch -> server -> router is preferable to pcs & server -> switch -> router.

Some basic networking knowledge I probably knew a while back is escaping me here.

 

[Warbie]

Thanks again, rick.

I don't quite get this bit:

'It also means your router is physically distanced from the PCs rather than logically seperated. If your router is attached to the switch and a PC is on the same switch you will need VLANs for security'

Why would vlans be necessary? I'd have thought a password would be enough to keep nosey people out of the router.

Also, would adding a server between router and switch not add an extra step for stations simply browsing and sending emails? I haven't a clue how to configure a server to pass data back and forth between router and switch and, as the server will be primarily used for printing, am not sure how often pcs will want to chat with it.

I should probably add that the clients want something quite basic - browsing, emails, skype, printing and that's it.

 

[Warbie]

Are you wondering why the server can't just sit at the side and 'watch over' the data being passed between the switch at the router?

Pretty much.

I'm also a little concerned about configuring the server - i'm used to plugging things into a router and forgetting about them. With this info has to pass back and forth through the server - which is all new.