Setting up SBS 2003 General/Network Qs

Ironic Namesake · 14 Feb 2009 at 18:41

I need to set up SBS 2003 in our office tomorrow and just want to check what the best way to go about it would be.

Will be mainly used for Exchange , Fax Server and hosting our Sage data files to be shared across several PCs.

We currently have 8 users/PCs, 1 FreeNas box, 1-2 laptops (wi-fi)

Network equipment wise we have 1 x 24port switch , 1 x Belkin Modem w/router

I'm a bit confused as to which way I should be connecting these up do I use both NICs or just a single one on the server?

I was thinking of : Server NIC1 to switch, Server NIC2 to Belkin - but if done like this, would the wi-fi laptops also be able to access the internal network ?

I have tried to find a webste explaining everything but didn't come across anything good unfortunately

Thanks in advance

oddjob62 · 14 Feb 2009 at 19:16

Are you using ISA (part of SBS Premium)?
If not then just use one NIC

Ironic Namesake · 14 Feb 2009 at 19:57

oddjob62 said:
Are you using ISA (part of SBS Premium)?
If not then just use one NIC

Nope, SBS Standard - 1 NIC it is

#Chri5# · 14 Feb 2009 at 20:00

SBS will still probably winge about only using 1 NIC but ignore it.

Seaniboy · 14 Feb 2009 at 20:05

What hardware you using? You maybe able to team them.

brendy · 14 Feb 2009 at 20:16

Hope you have AV and the extra 5 cals for the server.
Dont forget backups as well otherwise your log files will build up like noones business.
I would have the server sat onto the 24port (gigabit port if available) then everything else hanging off the switch. The wireless users should have no bother loging into the domain at all then. Im not sure how au fait you are with SBS but dont forget you must have the server configured as a domain server otherwise you will get the sbscore error and eventually it will reboot automatically every day.

Ironic Namesake · 14 Feb 2009 at 20:25

Its going onto a DL380 G2, Dual Xeon.

Everything will be backed up onto the NAS frequently

Not very familiar with SBS , hence my questions here

this is the only server so will be domain controller.

Ironic Namesake · 15 Feb 2009 at 11:52

Run into my first problem so far

I have connected everything up, installed SBS , run the internet/e-mail config wizard but for some reason can't access the setup page of the router from the server :confused:

The SBS 2003 is the DHCP server, Ip 192.168.100.1, and the router has DHCP off and set to 192.168.100.2 - didn't think I could do much wrong up until this stage

K.C. Leblanc · 15 Feb 2009 at 11:58

Can you ping the router from the server? Are you using the router's I.P or it's name in IE?

Try adding the router to the list of trusted site in IE.

What subnet mask are you using?

I don't want to sound like a bore, NASs are fine for a secondary backup that can be restored quickly. But business critical documents need to be backed up to removable media (ideally something robust like tape) and taken to a secure location off site.

Ironic Namesake · 15 Feb 2009 at 12:06

Nope, can't ping the router from the server - I am using router IP and added it to trusted list already

Subnet mask is 255.255.255.0

The actual very critical files are small ... only around 1gb which we can backup easily on DVD or so frequently

AndyF66 · 15 Feb 2009 at 14:04

OoOverclockaoO said:
Nope, can't ping the router from the server - I am using router IP and added it to trusted list already

Subnet mask is 255.255.255.0

The actual very critical files are small ... only around 1gb which we can backup easily on DVD or so frequently

Can you ping anything? The servers own IP for example? Does internet access work?

Ironic Namesake · 15 Feb 2009 at 14:12

AndyF66 said:
Can you ping anything? The servers own IP for example? Does internet access work?

I can ping the server itself, yes. Unfortunately our internet connection is down - waiting on BT to resolve some issues at the exchange :mad:

oddjob62 · 15 Feb 2009 at 14:25

The link between server and router is definitely up?
Can you connect to the router from other workstations? (Maybe it's set to not respond to ping and allow admin access only from certain IPs)
Can your other workstation ping the server?
can you stick up an ipconfig /all (server and workstation)

Ironic Namesake · 15 Feb 2009 at 15:25

The router is connected to switch, server to switch and network definetely active.

I have tried to connect from laptop (currently only other workstation connected) with no luck - however if I give my laptop static IP and connect to router instead of switch I can connect fine - so the router IP is definetely correct.

I can ping the server from here fine , no problems.

This is ipconfig /all on workstation :

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : Telement.local
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom NetLink (TM) Fast Ethernet
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-15-C5-80-4E-09
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::c53a:ee40:9bc0:f885%11(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.100.12(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : 15 February 2009 14:53:42
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : 23 February 2009 15:11:55
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : fe80::5073:3a3f:8c99:2b72%11
192.168.100.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.100.1
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 301995461
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-10-8D-3B-AC-00-1D-E0-28-6D-F7

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.100.1
Primary WINS Server . . . . . . . : 192.168.100.1
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

On Server :

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : BCM5703 Gigabit Ethernet
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0B-CD-D3-79-FD
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.100.1
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.100.2
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.100.1
Primary WINS Server . . . . . . . : 192.168.100.1

K.C. Leblanc · 15 Feb 2009 at 15:33

Is the server plugged into the router or the switch. It might be worth trying some different ports (especially if it's a second hand switch). Also if it's managed check that there arn't any VLANs setup (best way will be to reset it to factory settings).

EDIT: Scratch that, I started this before your last post.

How many ports does the router have, if you're connecting it to both the laptop and the switch you should still get DHCP from your server. Sounds like a flaky port on either the switch of the router. The other thing that might be worth trying is using a cross wired patch cable between the router and the switch.

Ironic Namesake · 15 Feb 2009 at 15:49

The router has 4 ports and have tried putting into different ports, doesn't seem to change anything

Edit : Success , seems to work now

- Thank you

Bry · 15 Feb 2009 at 16:15

what was wrong?

Ironic Namesake · 15 Feb 2009 at 17:12

I unplugged all the other stuff from the router - switched to different ports and also found one cat5 which was going from one port of the switch into another which may have confused it?

Although, now I have a red light on one of the drives telling me its failed :eek:

K.C. Leblanc · 15 Feb 2009 at 21:44

OoOverclockaoO said:
found one cat5 which was going from one port of the switch into another which may have confused it?

That will confuse a network, don't do it.

OoOverclockaoO said:
Although, now I have a red light on one of the drives telling me its failed

I hope you're using RAID.

Ironic Namesake · 15 Feb 2009 at 21:48

K.C. Leblanc said:
That will confuse a network, don't do it.

I hope you're using RAID.

Wasn't meant to be like that - the cabinet was a bit of a mess so was difficult to tell - all tidied up now.

The OS is set up on Raid 1+0 , although after reboot it said repairing and now the red light is off, seems strange as all the disks are brand new