[vox-tech] server setup

[Jeff Newmiller]

Cylar Z wrote:
> Hey guys,
> 
> Linux novice here. Running FC 7 from Redhat. I’ve
> been all over Google on this and haven’t found much
> of use since most of the matches on the subject seem
> to pertain to Windows servers. The router mfg’s
> website also has been useless.

[...]

> The problem is when I try to combine the two. The
> server and the Windows client need to be able to share
> the DSL connection. Question is, how?

If you have a /29 block, you can just plug both computers
into your DSL connection.  You may need a hub or switch
if your DSL modem doesn't have a built-in switch (multiple
Ethernet ports).  If you have this configuration, the rest
of my comments are moot.

If you don't have a /29 block, I would recommend getting
a firewall/router (e.g. Netgear RP614).  Note that the
best firewall configuration will have your server on
its own network ("DMZ") and your workstation(s) in a
separate network, so that someone finding a security hole
in your server doesn't automatically get a crack at your
workstation too.

ISP
|
RP614
|
+-Server
|
RP614
|
+-Internal Network-Workstations

This can also be set up using an old computer with LEAF or IPCop
and three ethernet cards:

ISP
|
(Red)
IPCop(Orange)--Server
(Green)
|
+-Internal Network-Workstations

> Do I connect both the client and the server to the
> router, then set the server up in a DMZ/port
> forwarding scheme? Tried this and it didn’t seem to
> work – the server could ping the Windows client but
> not the Internet.

Note that if you don't have multiple addresses from your ISP,
there will be challenges browsing your web pages from your
internal network due to the fact that your workstations will
view your server has having a private IP address while the
outside world will view it as having your public IP address.
You will need to hand out the private address of your server
to your workstation machines (via a private DNS server or
by editing the "host" file on the workstation), and you
will have to be careful to use named redirects on the
server (if you need redirects).

> Or do I use 2 Ethernet cards in the server, secure it
> via a software firewall, and then put the router
> behind it (with the client attached to the router)?
> I’m not crazy about the second way since it means
> routing 100% of my Internet traffic in both directions
> through the server.  
> 
> I’ve got a domain name I’m going to associate with
> this thing, but that comes later. Eventually I’m
> going to set this up to handle incoming HTTP requests,
> and I also want to run a mail server. 
> 
> Right now though, I just want my connection sharing to
> work. This has got to be a very common problem for new
> amateur server admins. I’m sure some of you are
> doing this at home and that the setup is relatively
> simple – can anyone give me a few pointers? How did
> you do it when you set your server up?


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