Home Domain Setup

[iainstott]

Hi guy's, hope someone here is able to help.

I have recently bought a new computer, and am wanting to turn my old computer into a server.

Roles of server are

- File And Print Server

- Website & E-mail Server

- Automated Backup

- RIS at a later date

Operating system I am going to use for the server is Windows Server 2008 Enterprise x64.

I wouldnt mind implimenting Active Directory to authenticate client pc's on the network, and also off-load DHCP from my router to my server.

Now the one thing i am having trouble understanding is 'How will my Wi-Fi Connected Laptop Connect to the domain??'

The laptop uses a Belkin 54Mbps PCMCIA add in card and uses Windows XP Pro SP3 wireless networking to connect to the router at the mo, so will it just be a case of leaving it connecting to the wireless router, but using the server as its DHCP server, or will i need to get a wireless PCi card for my server and implimenting a new wireless network.

Also, if i install a 'One-Click' DVD Encoding software on my server, will i be able to access that from my client pc's and use the servers hardware to encode the dvd, or will that be done on the client pc???

[AO3]

First check the hardware requirements for 08. Your cpu may not meet them.

Your laptop will connect to the router just as it has. No changes needed

Your server should be network via cable, don't do wireless.

Next the server or the router can do DHCP.

Now for web and email. You will have to get static ip's from your ISP. Which means getting business class service. Will cost more.

One more thing. You can look at MS home server. Has great back up and can give you access to files via the web.

Edited February 12, 2009 by AO3

[iamtheky]

Now for web and email. You will have to get static ip's from your ISP.

An outlook server and Proxy can be established behind the wall. Though, serving yourself email seems fruitless unless you are going to be testing filters or apps like barracuda. The web server might offer more games to play, but throttling yourself is only enjoyable for like a minute. imho.

[iainstott]

cheers guys, that stuff about the wifi was just what i was looking for.

Just one more question regarding the static ip. Because i use a router and asdl connection, my ip will stay the same unless i restart the router, or disconnect and reconnect. In those circumstances would i just not edit the dns forwarding details, thus saving me the need to get a static one. I am only planning to set up personal web site and email, so there is no business dependancies involved.

[DigeratiPrime]

use Dynamic DNS so you dont need a static ip.

http://www.dyndns.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamic_DNS

[iamtheky]

If you are publishing a website and you expect to have public traffic, you most certainly would want a static (or ddns). If you ask nicely some vendors will set your lease to many days/weeks so that you can test from the outside before you pay for a different class of service.

Edited February 12, 2009 by iamtheky

[iainstott]

Ahhh dynamic DNS, remered i have used that once before a few years back, as soon as you mentioned it.

Im just installing Server 08 on my desktop for a week or two as a secondary OS, while im waiting for the grafix card.

So looks like im going to have a few experiments to play with.

[iainstott]

Can i leave the dhcp server enabled on my router for the families pc's and laptops to get their ip from, and have my server do the dhcp for my laptop while i am playing around with the server.

Its just that i dont want to have to change every comps ip setting every time i make a change.

Will i have to set up my servers dhcp to lease out on a diff subnet???

[Idontwantspam]

NO NO NO!

Having two DHCP servers on the same network is a bad idea.

Is there anything wrong with just having one DHCP server running on the router? What IP settings do you ever have to change on each computer? The whole point of DHCP is that you set up the server and then the computers get their IP settings automatically.