New Network setup questions

  • Thread starter Thread starter Asad
  • Start date Start date
A

Asad

Hi,

I am trying to setup a small network and I would just like to ask a
few questions and see if someone can guide me through those.

Here is what I'm thinking right now:

http://members.rogers.com/asadkhan2/ExchangeNetwork.jpg

Basically, I have a static IP address coming in through a DSL line.
The DSL modem the connects to a LinkSys Router which either has DHCP
off (manual ips hardcoded in the machines) or DHCP on with fixed ips
assigned to the two computers labelled Exchange Server and DC. (The
Exchange server machine is obviously running MS Exchange, and the DC
is the Win2K Server machine acting as Domain Controller).

Now, all the SMTP requests that come in, I configure them on the
LinkSys router to be sent to the Exchange machine. My first question
is just this. I am actually new to this, so would this work? (I am
just a little skeptical because my Exchange machine is not getting the
WAN level static ip. Its getting a LAN level static ip address).

My second question is that since DC can also act as a DHCP, then if I
turn the DHCP on the Domain Controller OFF, can the two machines
(Exchange and DC) communicate via the router? or would I have any
problems?

My last question is that I have laptops that all connect via a
wireless Access Point. And I want to provide them with the internet
connectivity. How can I connect the LinkSys router to the Wireless AP?
(I was thinking I can use the uplink port of the LinkSys router; I was
also thinking maybe I can assign the Wireless AP an IP address from
the LinkSys Router DHCP ... but then didn't make much sense to me
.......)

Anyways. Need input from you guys. Thanks.

Asad
 
(e-mail address removed) (Asad) wrote in
Hi,

I am trying to setup a small network and I would just like to ask a
few questions and see if someone can guide me through those.

Here is what I'm thinking right now:

http://members.rogers.com/asadkhan2/ExchangeNetwork.jpg

Basically, I have a static IP address coming in through a DSL line.
The DSL modem the connects to a LinkSys Router which either has DHCP
off (manual ips hardcoded in the machines) or DHCP on with fixed ips
assigned to the two computers labelled Exchange Server and DC. (The
Exchange server machine is obviously running MS Exchange, and the DC
is the Win2K Server machine acting as Domain Controller).

Now, all the SMTP requests that come in, I configure them on the
LinkSys router to be sent to the Exchange machine. My first question
is just this. I am actually new to this, so would this work? (I am
just a little skeptical because my Exchange machine is not getting the
WAN level static ip. Its getting a LAN level static ip address).

My second question is that since DC can also act as a DHCP, then if I
turn the DHCP on the Domain Controller OFF, can the two machines
(Exchange and DC) communicate via the router? or would I have any
problems?

My last question is that I have laptops that all connect via a
wireless Access Point. And I want to provide them with the internet
connectivity. How can I connect the LinkSys router to the Wireless AP?
(I was thinking I can use the uplink port of the LinkSys router; I was
also thinking maybe I can assign the Wireless AP an IP address from
the LinkSys Router DHCP ... but then didn't make much sense to me
......)

Anyways. Need input from you guys. Thanks.

Asad
Click to expand...

Hi Asad --

With the Linksys router, the wireless AP and the W2K server, you have three
possible DHCP servers here. The main thing is to pick one device to act as
the DHCP server and disable the DHCP server service on the other two
devices.

I personally would pick the W2K server as the DHCP server, as it is a full
featured DHCP product. Please note that I used the word "personally" --
others may disagree with my choice. You should probably read the
documentation for each product and evaluate the DHCP server offered by each
one, and then pick the one you prefer.

As for setting up DHCP:

Give your DC, Exchange server, and AP static IP addresses or (for the
Exchange server and the AP only) create reservations for them on the DHCP
server based on their MAC address.

[An advantage of reservations is that if you change values for DHCP scope
options (like router/default gateway), DHCP clients will receive the
updated information as soon as the DHCP client renews its IP address lease.
This saves you from administrative overhead that you have if they are all
statically configured. It's no big deal if you just have a couple of
machines to configure manually, but it becomes more tedious if your network
grows. Plus the more stuff you configure manually the more possibility of
error there is.]

If you use the DC as the DHCP server, you can create two scopes there, one
for the local subnet (192.168.1.x) and one for the wireless subnet
(192.168.2.x). Then you need to enable DHCP forwarding on the router so
that DHCP broadcast messages can traverse subnets.

Your lease times for the local subnet can remain the default -- if I
remember correctly for W2K DHCP, that is 8 days. For the wireless subnet
you might consider making the lease time shorter, depending on the number
of wireless computers coming on and off the network and how long they
usually stay on. (If you get a lot of computers coming on and off all the
time, IP addresses might run out if the leases are too long. As short as
10-20 minutes is OK for most wireless deployments, but again your situation
should determine the lease time you use.)

About this question:
My second question is that since DC can also act as a DHCP, then if I
turn the DHCP on the Domain Controller OFF, can the two machines
(Exchange and DC) communicate via the router? or would I have any
problems?
Click to expand...

I'm not sure I understand what you are asking. Your network diagram shows
the DC and Exchange server on the same subnet. If they are on the same
subnet and have IP addresses from the same IP address range, they can
communicate. It doesn't matter if they got the IP addresses from DHCP or if
you manually configured the IP addresses.

Your AP documentation should explain how to connect the AP to a router.



--
James McIllece, Microsoft

Please do not send email directly to this alias. This is my online account
name for newsgroup participation only.

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
 
Back
Top