Hello, my plan for my network is to have client computers login to the server. The server would give them certain rights, such as to files and the internet. I have 3 - 4 client computers. I have a linksys wireless 4 port router and a netgear 5 port switch. I have 2 network cards on the server. I was trying to have the internet come into the server from the router onto NIC 1 and NIC 2 would be connected to the switch and would assign IP address via its DHCP. I am slightly confused on what IP address I shouldnt use. I read 192.168.x.x is non routable. Does that mean I dont want to use this internally on my network? Or can I just use a random bunch of numbers such as 110.110.0.1 - 110.110.0.10? Would it be possible for the server and the clients to be plugged in to the single router without the switch and 2nd NIC? How would that assign IP addresses? If I disable DHCP server on the router should I also disable NAT. Do I have to assign a static IP to my server if I disable DHCP on my router? If so how does the router know to talk to it? As you can see I am confused at probably what could be the simplest solution. Thank you for your help

I read 192.168.x.x is non routable. Does that mean I dont want to use this internally on my network? The private IP's (192.168.x.x being the Class C Private IP) are non-routable over the internet. That's why they are "private" and kept that way for use within local area (private) networks (ie: home or corporate networks). Would it be possible for the server and the clients to be plugged in to the single router without the switch and 2nd NIC? Yes, providing the router has enough ports to provide one per client. How would that assign IP addresses? If I disable DHCP server on the router should I also disable NAT. In this scenario (ie: all clients plugged into the router) I would let the router handle DHCP and NAT. In your original setup (ie: router into server's external NIC, servers internal NIC plugged into switch with clients) I would use RRAS with NAT enabled on the server and shut DHCP off on the router. Do I have to assign a static IP to my server if I disable DHCP on my router? If so how does the router know to talk to it? Yes, definately assign a static IP to your server. You don't have to, but because it's a server you should. The same is true for any server or printer or any device that is a "shared network resource". If you disable DHCP on the router, you simply assign it's internal interface an IP in the same range as the rest of your LAN. You then assign a static IP in the same range to the server. They then communicate like any two other devices in the network. example: Router: Internal IP address: 192.168.0.254 Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0 Gateway Address: this should point at the external interface. Server: IP address: 192.168.0.1 Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0 Gateway Address: 192.168.0.254 Your simplest solution would be to plug all PC's and the server into the router (assuming you have enough ports on the router). Enable DHCP on the router and define a scope like the following: 192.168.0.100 to 192.168.0.199 Assign your server a static IP as follows: 192.168.0.1 Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0 Gateway Address: IP address of router's internal interface You will need to find out the DNS addresses of your ISP and put them in the DNS settings on your servers TCP/IP settings so as to get DNS resolution allowing your server to surf the web if that is what you want.

Thanks for your reply. I have set up my linksys router with the ip of 192.168.1.2, subnet of 255.255.255.0 I have set up my server with a static IP of 192.168.1.1, same subnet. DNS servers reflect those of Verizon DSL's connected to my linksys router. I decided to scrap the whole dual NIC card setup for simplicity. The router is DHCP enabled and NAT enabled. Would it be wise for me to disable DHCP on my router and use Server 2003's DHCP server? --- When setting up my XP Pro clients to access the domain win2k3.local it wont work unless I go to the TCP/IP Properties of the network card and assign it the prefered DNS server of 192.168.1.1 (the server itself). Is this step required when setting up my network with all nodes hooked into the router? Anohter interesting thing to note: I am able to login to a client with the accounts i made with active directory even if the network cable is unplugged. Ill assume that they are AD settings that I have not gotten to play around with yet, such as roaming desktop and such. Question: When users login and log off are Dynamic I.P.'s acquired and released from the routers DHCP, respectivley? Thnak you for you time

The router is DHCP enabled and NAT enabled. Would it be wise for me to disable DHCP on my router and use Server 2003's DHCP server? It might be simpler in the long run to disable DHCP on the router and enable it on the server. it wont work unless I go to the TCP/IP Properties of the network card and assign it the prefered DNS server of 192.168.1.1 (the server itself). I forgot to mention that before. Because you're running a domain and DNS is configured on your DC, your clients will want to be setup this way. Point the clients DNS at the server (it's IP address) and then enable forwarding on the server and point that at your ISP's DNS server(s). Question: When users login and log off are Dynamic I.P.'s acquired and released from the routers DHCP, respectivley? Yes.