Microsoft SBS 2003 Network Help

[Imburr]

I have recently been pulled into a job setting up an office network, with a new server and sbs 2003. Its a tiny bit above my skill level, but I am going to work through it, and learn in the process. I am a little bit confused as to the order of the network. I will list the devices, will someone please tell me the most logical progression.

HP Server running SBS2003
Comcast Modem
Linksys VPN 16 port router
Netgear 24 port switch
4 client computers running Vista Business
Printer

My thought process was to have the internet in to the modem, then to one NIC on the server. The other NIC out to the VPN, then to the clients. The Printer would be off of the server to avoid spooling issues.

I have not seen the server yet, but I believe it only comes with one NIC, which would slow down traffic, using it for both intra and internet. If this is the case, would I follow the same diagram, or change it to: modem to vpn router, then to server, then switch, to the client computers.

And if I put the VPN router before the server, would this cause VPN access or tunneling issues?

I have a WaP to put in there as well, but I can do that when ever.

 

[office politics]

i would setup the modem to router. its the default gateway. it sets the network perimeter (where the public network meets the private lan).

you can extend the routers switch by connecting a crossover cable from one of the routers switchports to the netgear switch. the crossover cable makes the two devices act as one.

now, you can connect any other devices to either switch for access to the lan.

I would try creating the vpn endpoint at the router because its one less hop to go through. It would be an unnecessary load on the server. if you ever need to reboot the server, you would have to close all vpn connections.

 

[Imburr]

I am not sure I need to extend the routers switch. There will only be 5 client computers, and an access point. Do I need the switch at all? Also, I am foggy on how to go from the server to the clients, without a switch AFTER the server. Modem to Router to Server to Switch to 5 Clients? Can I have the clients and the server all off of the router, and the server will still function as the firewall/server?

 

[office politics]

you won't need the additional switch. you will want to connect the server, clients, access point to the router's switch ports. you will want the router to act as the firewall.

with the server and clients connected to the switch, they will all be able to communicate with each other. if they need to access a network other than their own, they contact the default gateway. This device would be the router. The router will send the traffic into the cloud (internet) through the modem.

if you were to draw this, openoffice draw (free) or ms visio (pay) is ideal for this, you would place the cloud at the top. connect a modem to the cloud. connect a router to the modem. connect a switch to the router. connect the clients, server, access point to the switch.

 

[Imburr]

Thank you for the detailed response, you helped me out a lot. The beginnings of this project went terribly, though I knew it was going to be long:

The server came without SBS2003 installed, or an install disk, so they will have to ship one out in two days.

The switch needs to be set up through a console, using a null modem cable- for which I dont have the adapter or terminal for.

The existing 4 client computers are FILLED with spyware, lack antivirus, and have a million useless programs/services installed. I deleted 4 toolbars for IE off of one computer today.

Since I cant set up the server, I have to set up the office as a home network temporarily, which means needless settings changing for two days.

The passwords for about 15 users, router, and wireless WEP keys were all lost, which means a lot of resetting to defaults.

The rack that was installed to hold the switch/router is the wrong size, which means I have to wall mount them instead. The existing cat 5 and telephone cords are a disaster in the closet.

Oh, and the cat 5 ports in the closet are labeled, but the panels in the rooms are not, nor is there a diagram. Thats means manually finding out which port goes to which of the 30 panels in the rooms.

A good start, FML.