Member Avatar for plasticine

Hi,

I have Windows 2000 server setup with 2 NICs to be used as a gateway/firewall for my home LAN. NIC #1 is always on interent. NIC #2 is my home LAN. I spent hours configuring active directory, creating my own DNS server, hardening windows, and firewalling until it was completely stealthed on all online security tests. Then I ghosted it and called it a day. here's my setup:

NIC #1 69.xxx.xxx.xxx

gtwy 69.xxx.xxx.xxx

dns 192.168.1.xxx (points to my DNS server)

NIC #2 192.168.1.xxx

no gtwy

dns points to itself

This was working fine for me with my single XP pro SP2 machine. I had private IP's on XP pro and the DNS points to my DNS server and is forwarded to my ISP's incase it's not resolved internaly.

My problem is:
Now I have to incorperate a NETGEAR WGR614 wireless router for my laptop and future PC's. I want this to be connected to NIC #2 to distribute internet and file sharing to more than just one machine on my LAN. This to me doesn't seem like a big deal, but it's been a huge headache. I have tried a lot of things, and even called tech support for NETGEAR, which they're responce was "we don't support this type of setup in our tech support dept".

What is the IP configuration that I should use for my router? I have a domain mydomain.home as a DNS suffix on my other NIC's. I've tried pointing my router to my DNS, and this didn't work. I tried pointing it to my ISP's DNS in desperation - this didn't work. I can't seem to even ping the router from 2000 server. I don't use DHCP and everything must be static. On a previous setup I used ICS and it worked fine for my LAN via the router, but I don't want my LAN exposed like that anymore.

HELP! I don't know where else to turn. :sad: Plugging my cable modem into the router first and then 2000 server is not an option.

Anyone know what I can do?

David

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Brief, practical checklist and missing steps to finish the topology described by and to build on the suggestions from and .

The Netgear should act purely as a switch/AP (LAN ports only); its DHCP server must be off and its LAN management IP moved into the same subnet as the server’s LAN interface. A common cause of "cannot ping the router from the server" is the router still using its factory subnet (many Netgear units default to 192.168.0.1) while the server uses a different subnet — in that case the router’s LAN IP must be changed to an unused address on the server’s LAN before the two can communicate.

The crucial piece not fully spelled out in earlier replies is server-side forwarding/NAT. Windows 2000 will not forward packets between NICs unless routing/NAT is enabled. Use Routing and Remote Access (Administrative Tools → Routing and Remote Access → Configure and Enable) and choose NAT (or LAN routing) with the Internet-facing NIC as the public interface and the LAN NIC as private. Leave the gateway blank on the LAN NIC and keep the default gateway only on the Internet NIC. After RRAS is enabled, clients should use the server’s LAN IP as their default gateway and DNS.

Troubleshooting steps and diagnostics to apply if things still fail:

  • Confirm physical link lights and try another cable/port.
  • Temporarily give a laptop an IP on the router’s current subnet to reach its web UI, change the router LAN IP, then reconnect to the server.
  • Run ipconfig /all, route print and arp -a on the server to confirm addressing and ARP entries.
  • If pings fail, check server firewall rules (ICMP) and any RRAS filters.
  • Avoid double NAT: either let the server do NAT or the Netgear; stacking both complicates Active Directory and port expectations.

Security note: once working, set strong router admin credentials, apply the latest firmware, and use the strongest available wireless encryption for the AP portion.

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Member Avatar for kc0arf

Hello,

I am assuming a few things:

* The wireless router has places to plug in 10/100T cables that are on the same subnet as the wireless part

* That you want to manage the internet connectivity with the Windows 2K Server and not use the wireless router for management.

I do this at home... my Buffalo Tech wireless router sits behind the Linux box, and both wired and wireless connections get to the internet just fine. Linux box is the firewall.

The secret is to not use the WAN port on the wireless router. Just get a cable from your Windows 2K server, and plug it into the LAN side of the router (and since we are on the same "side -- we are not using the WAN circuits, so we should technically call it a switch or hub, again depending on the innards).

You may need to use a web browser to configure the device to work with your network. For example, I have my Linux box defining the subnet, handling DHCP, and DNS work. The Buffalo Tech unit is nothing more than a 5 port switch with one of the ports being the wireless antenna.

Let us know,

Christian

Member Avatar for plasticine

Hi again,
Yes you assumed right. That's exactly what I would like to achieve. I would like the Netgear router to act like a switch or a hub as you mentioned. The Netgear router is trying to act as a DHCP server, and I've already decided to stick with a static setup, not to mention I have disabled DHCP client backround services in all of my machines. But the router needs some kind of sepearte IP address which confuses me. I guess my main question is what should the IP and DNS be set to on the router after I disable the DHCP on it and put it in the mix. I will share more IP information about my LAN and show you where I'd like the Netgear to live.

Win2K Server machine-----------------------------

NIC #1 - (Internet Static IP)

DNS
and then is forward using RRAP to ISP's if not resolved internally

NIC #2 -

gateway blank
DNS
--------------------------------------------------
(I would like the Netgear Router to connect here to NIC #2 and send out to the rest I reserved for it :eek: )
--------------------------------------------------
XP Pro #1 -

DNS

--------------------------------------------------

XP Pro #2 -

DNS

--------------------------------------------------
Thanks in advance for your help everyone.
I wish I knew iptables better and I'd be using a Linux box like you mentioned. I have some more learning to do before then though. :?:

David

Hello,

I am assuming a few things:

* The wireless router has places to plug in 10/100T cables that are on the same subnet as the wireless part

* That you want to manage the internet connectivity with the Windows 2K Server and not use the wireless router for management.

I do this at home... my Buffalo Tech wireless router sits behind the Linux box, and both wired and wireless connections get to the internet just fine. Linux box is the firewall.

The secret is to not use the WAN port on the wireless router. Just get a cable from your Windows 2K server, and plug it into the LAN side of the router (and since we are on the same "side -- we are not using the WAN circuits, so we should technically call it a switch or hub, again depending on the innards).

You may need to use a web browser to configure the device to work with your network. For example, I have my Linux box defining the subnet, handling DHCP, and DNS work. The Buffalo Tech unit is nothing more than a 5 port switch with one of the ports being the wireless antenna.

Let us know,

Christian

Member Avatar for padapa

You will need to configure your Netgear AP to bridge the LAN and WLAN ports. You will not be connecting the WAN port. Configure the Netgear to be on a static address in the same class C space as your Server. Configure it think that DHCP and DNS are from your Server's address, otherwise, it will assume it should do those services.

You will need to connect one of your Netgear LAN powers to your Server's NIC 2 port. Then connect your desktop to another LAN port. Your Desktop should now be operational. You will have to configure your notebook to access your AP (ESSID, CHANNEL, WEP/WPA). Set the notebook to get it's dhcp and dns information from you Server.

You should be all set.

Padapa

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