Hamins

Hi cluberti, Thnx for the info on PING. Also, I'll try out the NETMON2 utility. We've implemented Symantec Corporate AV on all the workstations, along with a Watchguard Firebox X500 firewall.

Yep, the pinging issue comes up any time of the day, but only with large packets, in excess of 15000 bytes. How do I test, if the cables or any other pertaining hardware ? Hi Chili, Once again, thnx a ton for the response. I'll check out Webmail. I've also found another email server caled VPOP3 that would allow me to syn the mailboxes. However, VPOP3 would cost around $350 USD.

Nooo..... What I meant was that I need mailboxes on an internal mail server, simply to sync with mailboxes on an external (web based) mail server. I dont want a complete in-house mail-hosting server. The primary mail server will be external. Yes, I know that exchange does that. However it's way over our budget, and would be an over-kill if we're just going to use it to sync internal mailboxes with external ones. I would like a freeware utility/server like Mailenable that does that. Any suggestions ?? Anyone??

Hi Chilifrie, I've setup Mailenable on a test server, and done some basic configuration after reading the configuration guide. However, I can't figure out a way to configure Mailenable to sync, download and distribute mails from the external mail host. Could you help me out with this, please? Thnx

Hey Chilifrie, Thnx once again, m8. You've been of super help. I'll check out squid from Windows. Also, if you someone could answer the question below.... Could someone please provide me with an answer/solution to this query ? Thnx

Hi Chilifrie/ByTheWayBoy Thnx a ton guys, for all yer help. Chili, Mailenable seems pretty neat. I think the Standard (free) edition would be fine. I just want the local mailboxes on the local email email server to be mapped to the mail boxes on net based email service. I'll also check out CC-Proxy. A Linux based implementation for email and proxy server seems pretty tempting, but I have'nt worked with any nix based platforms since me college days, so I'm pretty rusty. However, I would'nt rule out Linux based solutions in the future. Could someone please provide me with an answer/solution to this query ? Thnx

Could someone please provide me with an answer/solution to this query ? Thnx

Hi Chilifrie/InTheWayBoy, Thnx for the response guyz. I'm from India. Sorry, I forgot to specify that it would Rs.1,00,000 ($1 = Rs.43) not $1,00,000 ...heheh. Bandwidth is expensive in India. We're using a Win2003 Standard server, which unlike Win2003 SBS does not come bundled with Exchange. Yes, I was thinking of implementing some kinda Internal mail server to sync with the external one periodically. However, a mail server like Ms-Exchange Standard would be beyond our budget. Is there any other decent mail-server solution that would be considerably cheaper ? What effective/economical proxy server would you recommend, Chilifrie ? Also, could someone recommend a good Freeware software that monitors LAN and Internet traffic, and identifies network bottlenecks. Thnx

Hi, I've just started administering a network of around 20 WinXP nodes, and one Win2003 server. The physical network structure is as follows : We have a 256k Leased Line internet connection that comes to us via a leased line modem which is connected to the router, which is connected to a Watchguard X500 Firewall. There are 2 un-managed switches connected to the firewall. One is a 10/100mbps switch and the other is a Gigabit switch. However, none of the 20 nodes have a gigabit lan card. so the speed is 100mbps. Now for the issue : For the past 2 months or so, we've been facing some serious latency issues with the Internet connection, which is affecting productivity. Our ISP has checked the connection, and claims that the latency is due a problem in our LAN. The users on the LAN don't face any latency when loggin onto their roaming profiles, accessing files from the server, or loggin out. When I do a normal PING, TRACERT, or a PATHPING from one node to another on the LAN, the response time is 1ms, which is normal. However, when I PING with anything more than 15000bytes , then I receive Request Timed Outs, with packet loss of around 60%. Is this normal ? If not how do I resolve this problem, so that there is minimal or no packet loss when PINGing within the LAN, with large packets. Can someone recommend a good Freeware software that monitors LAN and Internet traffic, and identifies network bottlenecks. Also, I have noticed that internet latency is only between 9:00am - 11:30am. This is when most employees come in and check their emails, download attachments, visit web-sites etc. Hence, I feel that the internet bandwith is been used to the max. Upgrading to 512k would be really expensive. Itwould cost a around a hundred thousand more per year to upgrade to 512k. So, is there a solution to reduce the internet traffic, without affecting the productivity ? I mean, we still want the users to come in every morning, and check email, download attachments etc. (work related, ofcourse). Please I need some solutions, suggestions ASAP. I would really appreciate it. Thanx

No one??

aww come on guyz!! someone ?? If you'll need further clarification to the question, lemme know.

Hi, I have created a pre-configured user-profile, and stored it in the NETLOGON\Default User path on the Domain Controller. So, whenever any new user logs onto the Domain, this pre-configured profile is set as the user's default profile. However, I dont want this profile to be the default profile for all new users. I want different pre-configured default profiles for user's in different groups. For example, users in the HR group will have a different pre-configured user profile from user in the Accounts group. The user in the Domain Admin's group should have a different user profile..... How can I do this ?

ummm.... I think there's a GPO that says "Add Admin access to user profils" go through the GPO list. I'm sure there's an option. Yes, the exact Group Policy is : Add the Administrator security group to roaming user profiles-- This policy allows an administrator to choose the same behavior as Windows NT version 4.0, and permit the administrators group to have full control of the user's profile directories. In Windows 2000, the default file permissions for newly generated roaming profiles are full control, or read and write access for the user, and no file access for the Administrators group.

The in-built mail server that comes with Win2003 would be a cheaper solution, if you just want basic mailing facility solution. If you want a full-Fledge mailing solution you'll have to go in for something like Exchange server. However, the cost would put a dent in your pocket. Personally, I always favour Lotus Domino/Lotus notes. It's much more than a mail server, but would cost more then Exchange. If you want a cheap solution, then you can go in for something like VPOP3.

Chilifrie, I understand what you're trying to say. However, I want to know if it's possible at all, or not ?

Chilifrie, I understand what you're trying to say. However, I want to know if it's possible at all, or not ?

I want to do somethng similar to this. I want to deny users access to all website except a few. Is there any way of doing this through Windows2003 ?

Hyea Chili, thnx for all the resopnses. I really appreciate it. It's not the question of putting in another NIC. However, I asked this question cause the VPN setup procedure would'nt go any further, cause my server did not have 2 NICs. How do I setup VPN with just one NIC?

After installing 2003 Std, you will have to promote it to a Domain Controller, and set up Active Directory Services. To do that follow the tutorial on this link ... http://www.visualwin.com/AD-Controller/

Hi Chilifrie, Yes, you're right. Even I'm not too keen on creating a VPN server on the DC. However, I dont think I have a choice, as we have only one 2003 server, that acts as the DC, file-server, print-server, DHCPs server, DNS server etc etc. When I was adding the VPN/Remote access role to the server, it gave me a message saying that the VPN server requires 2 NICs.

Hi, I want to configure a VPN server. I just need to know the pre-requistes, in terms of Hardware and Software. I have the following network enviroment. A leased line modem connected to a router, which is connected to a Watchguard X500 Firewall, which is connected to a Gigabit switch. There is a Windows 2003 server that is a Domain Contoller, and around 15 Windows XP clients. The firewall has one external port to which the router is connected, and 2 internal ports. One of which is connected to the Gigabit switch. I want to make the Domain Controller act as the VPN server. Now, taking the above mentioned network setup into consideration, I would like to know if my server needs 2 Lan Cards (NICs) for it to act as a VPN server ? If not, how do I configure a VPN server with only 1 LAN Card ? I ask this question cause my network is behind a firewall.

heya chilifrie, Thnx once again. I knew these existed in the GPO, but just did'nt know where exactly. Thnx!!

Hi, I have a Windows2003 DC, and around 20 WinXP workstations. All the workstations have 2 partitions on the HDD, a CD-ROM drive , and a floppy drive. All the users on the net have roaming profiles, and home directory. All the work related data is stored in shared folders on the file server. What I want is to deny the users, access to all local drives and folders, except for their profile folder that gets copied from the server onto the local PC, when the user's log in. The user's should be able to read/write/modify anything in their own profile folder. Ofcourse, the users should have read access to certain program, and system folders, but they should not have write access to them. I want to know if this is possible, and how ? Is it through GPOs ? Thanx

Initially, all computers will appear under the Un-assigned WSUS group. You will have to create a WSUS group, and then move the Unassigned computers to that group.

Thnx Chilifrie, I had already checked out the microsoft site. I wonder if it'll work in a live enviroment too.