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Michael said:
ok, this is were i am. i have 2 businesses about 20 miles
apart. i need to set them up where i a can see all
computers on one network. both locations have windows 2000
server and routers with fixed ip addresses. i have a
program that does everything for sales and inventory etc.
i need to be able to share files and print from any
printer. more less being on the same network. thats where
i am and want i need to do.
michael delahoussaye
This would be much easier to do if you set up a single AD domain at both
locations then you would just set up a VPN link between the two, AD
replication would take care of everything.
That being said, in the absence of an AD Domain, you still need the VPN
link, then give your network a FQDN such as my network.local make a forward
lookup zone for that name in DNS, primary on one secondary on the other and
manually create the host records in DNS for machine hostnames, i.e. server1
and server2 with the respective private addresses in the primary.
Point all machines to the private addresses of these servers for DNS
With this setup if the link is working then all machines would resolve the
names by the FQDN as server1.network.local and so on.
The problem with not using an AD domain is for anyone to access the shares
all users will have to have local accounts on all servers that have matching
usernames and passwords. If anyone changes their password it would have to
be changed in the local accounts on all machines. This could be a real PITA
to administer.
Do yourself a favor and set up a single AD Domain, with a DC in both
locations and a VPN between the two.
You still need DNS at both locations but replication would take care of
everything, including users and passwords. You will be much happier with the
outcome.