Connecting my network to a broadband connection
Shaun McCann
many times).
Ok, I'm soon to get broadband in my area (July 16th) and I'm wondering as to
the best way to connect my network to a broadband connection.
I've got 3 computers on my network (but no server and the network runs
really slow when I've got all 3 connected) and currently my setup is to have
my main desktop PC as the computer that connects via dialup modem to the
internet with ICS running and to connect via this computer with the other 2
if they want to use the internet.
So how do I go about connecting this setup to broadband?
Do I keep the setup I have at the moment and just replace the modem I've got
with a broadband modem?
Do I get a broadband router instead with the same setup?
What if I build a dedicated server? If I buy a case then I've got enough
bits to build a server. What would be the best way of connecting a server/3
client computer setup to broadband?
Any advice (or links to websites that deal with this sort of thing) would be
much appreciated.
Shaun.
Alastair
message news:bba3di$76c3i$1...@ID-131396.news.dfncis.de...
> Sorry if this has been asked about before (as I'm sure it probably has
been
> many times).
>
> Ok, I'm soon to get broadband in my area (July 16th) and I'm wondering as
to
> the best way to connect my network to a broadband connection.
> I've got 3 computers on my network (but no server and the network runs
> really slow when I've got all 3 connected) and currently my setup is to
have
> my main desktop PC as the computer that connects via dialup modem to the
> internet with ICS running and to connect via this computer with the other
2
> if they want to use the internet.
>
> So how do I go about connecting this setup to broadband?
Use a router and stop using ICS.
> What if I build a dedicated server? If I buy a case then I've got enough
> bits to build a server. What would be the best way of connecting a
server/3
> client computer setup to broadband?
Just plug the server into the router as well.
Martin Cooper
> Sorry if this has been asked about before (as I'm sure it probably
> has been many times).
>
> Ok, I'm soon to get broadband in my area (July 16th) and I'm
> wondering as to the best way to connect my network to a broadband
> connection.
> I've got 3 computers on my network (but no server and the network
runs
> really slow when I've got all 3 connected) and currently my setup is
> to have my main desktop PC as the computer that connects via dialup
> modem to the internet with ICS running and to connect via this
> computer with the other 2 if they want to use the internet.
>
> So how do I go about connecting this setup to broadband?
>
> Do I keep the setup I have at the moment and just replace the modem
> I've got with a broadband modem?
You can keep your existing setup and just put in a broadband modem.
Avoid USB modems, when they work they are fine, but lots of people
have had problems with them.
>
> Do I get a broadband router instead with the same setup?
This is a better option, as the router will allow you to maintain your
internet connection, rather than having to login on each reboot, and
will allow all of your PC's to access the net without the need to keep
a gateway machine running.
>
> What if I build a dedicated server? If I buy a case then I've got
> enough bits to build a server. What would be the best way of
> connecting a server/3 client computer setup to broadband?
The main thing to think about here is do you need a static IP ? You
will need to decide this before you choose an ISP. If you are likely
to run any form of serve in the future, things will be easier if you
have one or more static IP's. It is possible to run a server through
DDNS on a dynamic IP, but it makes things more complicated. If your
PC's are all running at the same time, and you use software like
netmeeting, you will find things work better if you go for a number of
static IP's. If you decide to go down this route, your choice of ISP
is more limited, and keep in mind that you get what you pay for. I
would highly recommend A&A if you want to experiment with servers,
they provide me with a /29 (8 static IP's, 5 usable for machines on
the network) for my network, see www.aaisp.net.uk, and the newsgroup
alt.internet.providers.uk.aaisp for more info. Also Zen at
www.zen.co.uk do a similar package with 8 static IP's, and are well
respected.
>
> Any advice (or links to websites that deal with this sort of thing)
> would be much appreciated.
>
>
> Shaun.
Take a look at http://www.adslguide.org.uk for ISP and hardware
reviews.
Martin
Shaun McCann
> Avoid USB modems, when they work they are fine, but lots of people
> have had problems with them.
I'll bear that in mind. Cheers.
> > Do I get a broadband router instead with the same setup?
> This is a better option, as the router will allow you to maintain your
> internet connection, rather than having to login on each reboot, and
> will allow all of your PC's to access the net without the need to keep
> a gateway machine running.
I'll probably do this as, from what I've understood, a router will give me
more flexibility than a modem and for only a little extra in price.
> The main thing to think about here is do you need a static IP ? You
> will need to decide this before you choose an ISP. If you are likely
> to run any form of serve in the future, things will be easier if you
> have one or more static IP's. It is possible to run a server through
> DDNS on a dynamic IP, but it makes things more complicated. If your
> PC's are all running at the same time, and you use software like
> netmeeting, you will find things work better if you go for a number of
> static IP's. If you decide to go down this route, your choice of ISP
> is more limited, and keep in mind that you get what you pay for. I
> would highly recommend A&A if you want to experiment with servers,
> they provide me with a /29 (8 static IP's, 5 usable for machines on
> the network) for my network, see www.aaisp.net.uk, and the newsgroup
> alt.internet.providers.uk.aaisp for more info. Also Zen at
> www.zen.co.uk do a similar package with 8 static IP's, and are well
> respected.
The ISP provider that I'm currently looking at, Nildram, offer a package for
a 512Mbs with a contention ratio of 50:1 that gives you a static IP and the
initial deal is only for 3 months at £29.99 or I could pay an extra £3 a
month to get a 20:1 contention ratio service with the option to buy more IP
addresses. Plus I've read good reviews of their service so I'll probably go
for that.
One of the things that I'll want to do with my network is - if I've
understood things correctly - run a mail server and be able to route each
persons mail to their computer.
> Take a look at http://www.adslguide.org.uk for ISP and hardware
> reviews.
I access this site quite a bit so I'll have a trawl through it the next time
I'm on there............
Cheers for the advice.
Shaun.
Tiny Ramsden
Get a Zen connection if you want 8 ip static numbers they are very good and
have free connection for £24 at the moment.
You do need a router and preferably a wireless one if you have a laptop.
This is also a good idea if you share with a neighbour you can get the
connection fee down to £12 a month between you. (Lioncom connection offer).
You could easily do it for free by running Linux Mandrake 9.1 which gives
you on installation a full XP type interface and a fully functioning LAMP.
(Linux, Apache 2.0 (set for 6 seperate servers) Mysql and PHP 4.3) You can
run it staright away as a secure server to though you will have only a
local signed certificate.
This will not take you more than an hour to install on a fast machine and
you only have to load up your html files, these can just be moved over the
desktop from your Windows disk to your Linux drive in the directory
var/www/html.
You could also move them from any site using the konqueror browser by again
moving them across the desktop. You can use the powerful Quanta 3.0 to do
this and write pages as well. (Doesn't work if your writing php though,
yet)
If you want to host on more than one machine you should get a good router
that converts your wan ip address's to the lan address's, most can forward
8 and also have the advantages of a hardware Firewall to.
All the links and everything you need are in the help files of Mandrake and
the Apache, Openssl, Quanta websites.
--
Lioncom adsl 4 port router, Nildram adsl running on Redhat 7.3. You can see
and hear me and my pal Joe Longthorne on uktalent.org.
Arc
for
> a 512Mbs with a contention ratio of 50:1 that gives you a static IP and
the
> initial deal is only for 3 months at £29.99 or I could pay an extra £3 a
> month to get a 20:1 contention ratio service with the option to buy more
IP
> addresses.
I _think_ you must mean 512Kb/s or 0.5Mb/s, as they are more sensible.
However, if Nildram do offer 0.5Gb/s for 30 sheets a month, please let me
know as that would be amazing!
Arc
Shaun McCann
> I _think_ you must mean 512Kb/s or 0.5Mb/s, as they are more sensible.
>
> However, if Nildram do offer 0.5Gb/s for 30 sheets a month, please let me
> know as that would be amazing!
Woops - a bit of a typo there!!
;)
Shaun.