Network guru's, in here please!

[struggles]

Looking for some advice.
Got a small client/server network at one of our satellite offices.4 nodes and a server. The way its currently configured, one station has a external modem.The others, none. The server has a program which is a huge space hog and should probably be left alone,(I think.)What would be the easiest way to get the other 3 stations internet access? I have only this one phone line.What hardware will I need? Any other idea's? Thanks in advance!

I think there is an open port on the hub.

Whoops, wrong forum. (Socal, move me if you must.)

[This message has been edited by struggles (edited 01-04-2001).]

[This message has been edited by struggles (edited 01-04-2001).]

[Nathan]

What are you running on the server? NT, Novell, etc.? What version is it?

[bassinvader]

Best bet is to run Windows 98/ME and use the in-built Internet Sharing connectoid.
If as I suspect you may be using NT then I suggest you look at an excellent program called WinroutePro V4.1 - It provides integrated basic email , web browsing , DNS forwarding , NAT Security and DHCP amongst others. What you basically need is a proxy service - The above gives you everything in a small program - It is also remotely configurable and faster than MSPROXY Server

[e980238]

if you are a client/server network DO NOT change os's to me or 98 to enable ics. ms proxy works absolutley fine on my client server network (nt4 server with ms proxy and win98) also (win2k advanced server with ms proxy and win2k pro)

[struggles]

The server is running NT 4.0 I think. Heres the problem. The station with the dial up modem connection is running win95 as well as one other station. The third station has just been replaced with a new box running win98. Can you be a little more specific with your answers? Should I move the modem to the server? Appreciate your help.

Changing o/s at a business is not a valid response.

[This message has been edited by struggles (edited 01-05-2001).]

[knucklebusted]

Go check out this product. It is cheap and works with Win95, Win98 and WinNT. The one computer that is modem connected will be the gateway and the others will look to it via IP default gateway for their internet connection. I used this for a year before I got a cable modem.
http://www.sygate.com

[Nathan]

Please keep in mind that we are suggesting ideas here. We are helping here for free. It's a good thing if you don't bite the hand that feeds you the info. We all come here because we want to help and learn ourselves.

Let us know how it turns out.

[DVNT1]

A very reliable method to share the connection would be a product like the WebRamp 300 ( http://www.webramp.com ). It is an analog router that uses 1 to 3 phones for access. It is a good product that would take the dependability off the workstations.

You would need and external modem (~$80) and the Webramp (~$300).

Analogx, Sysgate, Wingate, NAT32, all can be hosted on an existing Win9x PC and have PROS & CONs. Less cost is a PRO, some have PROXY capabilities which can be good too. CONS are primarily reliability. Dependability of the host Win9x computer is much less than a hardware device like the WebRamp 300.

[struggles]

Thanks for the advice fellow techs. Appreciate it.
Nathan, you asked what o/s I was running, and I responded. I was looking for some good solid advice, not a lecture from you.I am not biting the hand that feeds me. As you know, you can get pointed in the wrong direction rather quickly if the wrong person is responding. I have gotten some excellent advice from most sysopt members in the past and am grateful for it. You must first put some thought into your advice before you post
it. Dont you agree?

[dosrules]

I say scrap the hole thing and start form scratch. merchandiser has plenty of money to throw around they could easily build a state of the art network. They need more than 4 nodes and a server. The office is bigger than that.. This co. sucks

[ricomania]

For what it's worth here's my 2 cents. i would move the external modem to the server, configure each station to point to the server for internet connection using sometype of proxy program (I have winproxy; before my dsl and router hook up http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif). I would also get a firewall program and install it on everything (server and stations).

How does that sound? Or do you all think that that would make too much of a security risk to the server?