Question about a network

tres

tres

tres

Soldato
Joined
16 Oct 2007
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Location
UK
Hi all,

i'm setting up a network, but have limited experience in some areas.

Can you just check this to make sure i've covered all bases?



Server:
Something from Dell, running Windows Server 2008

Users:
Standard Mini-ITX systems running Windows 7 Professional


Network connectivity:

Server and all PCs will be connected to a 12 port gigabit switch
I presume I need a router also connected to the 12 port to do the actual routing.
Also will have a wireless router attached to the 12 port, but will disable DHCP so the other router will assign IP addresses, yet they can all access the net through it?


Also, am I right in thinking that I can run 2 PCs attached to a little 4 port switch, which is then attached to the main 12 port? So only one Cat6 cable needed from server room to the office into the 4 port?

Many thanks



edit: or, can I ignore the router and use Windows Server 08 to act as the DHCP server?
 
Last edited:
First off you want your DHCP scope to be handled by the Server (I assume you mean SBS 2008 rather than the full blown Server 2008? And you will be running Active Directory?), why place two routers on the network at all, get a dedicated wireless AP for the wireless, and configure the Server to handle authentication requests via RADIUS.

Cat5e cable is gigabit certified so no cat6 required anywhere.
 
Thanks mate - SBS it is indeed.

So the server will handle the IP allocations, all connected via switches, dedicated wireless AP and a regular ADSL modem into the switch

Any benefit of doing it with Cat6 at all?
 
You will still need a router to handle the NAT and packet routing to networks outside your LAN, so you could get away with a single router/access point.

Your SBS 2008 server should be set up as an Active Directory Domain Controller, a DNS server and a DHCP server, set the scope options to assign IP's from whatever range you want your network in (10.1.0.0/24 would be where I'd go), point the clients at the Server for the DNS address, and point to the router for its gateway address.

No benefit to Cat6 in short haul environments.
 
tres said:
Thanks mate - SBS it is indeed.

So the server will handle the IP allocations, all connected via switches, dedicated wireless AP and a regular ADSL modem into the switch

Any benefit of doing it with Cat6 at all?
Click to expand...


If you already have a wireless ADSL router, then you can use that instead of a dedicated wireless AP and ADSL modem.

Simply disable the DHCP server on the router, as the SBS server will sort that out, and plug one of the router LAN side ports into the main switch.
You may have to set the LAN side subnet on the router manually to match what the SBS serves (remember to remove it's address from the DHCP scope) or you may even find the router is capable of acting as a DHCP client on the LAN side.
 
Thanks chief(s). Will use existing wireless router/modem, although it's a BT 220 something, might look at getting something a little bit more reliable. But happy with all the other DHCP etc settings

One question - what is Radius? Never used it, does it manage user authentication? Within SBS or seperate?
 
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