[wobblypirate]

I just bought a business that has 5 pc's wired and a wireless router for customer wifi. Having a few issues with the network. Just replaced the main server with a dell 870 optimax, windows7 pro. Im also replacing 2 others, one has windows 2000 and the old server that has xp pro. Im having issues with remote take over on 2 of the pc's. I have 2 dell 390 optimax towers coming tomorrow.

Little info on the network, Motorola modem, wired to a netgear wireless router to a dlink router from there its wired to a netgear hub. The (hub1) feeds 2 pc's in the shop by separate ethernet cables. Another ethernet cable from (hub1) feeds another (hub2) at the counter, (Hub2) feeds a cc terminal and 2 pc's.

I tried to run the hard wired router first, no internet in any of the pc's??? I didn't go into the router to see the settings.

Im looking to upgrade the routers with one, but still run 1 or 2 hubs. I also want to secure the wireless for the customers.

Any suggestions??

My background on computers, know enough to be dangerous.

Thanks
Joe

[LiveBrianD]

If I'm understanding you correctly, your setup is like this, right?




You only want ONE router to have DHCP enabled. In your case, I suggest leaving DHCP enabled on the netgear router, but disabled on the dlink (set it to bridge mode if you can). Also, on the netgear, I suggest setting up a guest network for customers if it has that option, and then securing the main network (for internal use; I STRONGLY recommend using WPA2-AES personal encryption, or if you have older devices use WPA/WPA2 combo mode, and use WEP as a last resort).

This post has been edited by LiveBrianD: 15 April 2012 - 07:28 PM

[waldojim]

This really doesn't need to be complicated.

Connect your modem directly to a quality wired router. I suggest Linksys Small business models. Then feed one port off to the WAN port on a separate wireless router. Do this to ensure your customers cannot directly see your traffic. You will have to cut off access from the customers network in the FIRST router. Do this to secure your own network. Then use direct connections (as your wiring allows) to connect from other locations directly back to your main router. You don't need any other hubs or switches, unless your wiring doesn't allow for direct connections. If you DO connect that way, do not use the WAN port on any other hub or switch.

Also, set router number one to use 192.168.0.x for the main network, and set the second router to a MANUAL 192.168.0.100 ip for the wan port, and use a 192.168.1.x network for the customers. Then DMZ the second router so that your primary doesn't try to build goofy rules for it.

[wobblypirate]

Hub1 feeds 4 ethernet cables, the main server, 2 into the shop and 1 to hub2.

How bout this, I tried using the hard wired router first, modem into the wan port of the dlink, and the Wireless into a lan port of the dlink wired router and a ethernet cable from dlink lan port to hub1. Entire network went down.

There are 2 ip addresses, the dlink hard wired router starts with 180 and the wireless 192.

One of the shop pc's that cannot be remotely taken over and wouldn't do any window updates also ran very slow, I reloaded windows xp pro, still wouldn't do updates and would only go on certain web sites still no remote take over. Moved the connection from the hub1 to the dlink wired router in a lan port, no change. Moved it to the wireless router lan port, was like a new pc, fast, did updates but cannot be seen in the network because of the different ip address.

I would like to replace the wired router, im green on the programing on the router. DHCP is what im confused on.

Thanks for the help!

Joe

LiveBrianD, on 15 April 2012 - 07:27 PM, said:

If I'm understanding you correctly, your setup is like this, right?

network layout.png


You only want ONE router to have DHCP enabled. In your case, I suggest leaving DHCP enabled on the netgear router, but disabled on the dlink (set it to bridge mode if you can). Also, on the netgear, I suggest setting up a guest network for customers if it has that option, and then securing the main network (for internal use; I STRONGLY recommend using WPA2-AES personal encryption, or if you have older devices use WPA/WPA2 combo mode, and use WEP as a last resort).

[wobblypirate]

The 2 pc's at the counter feed off of hub2 because I only have one ethernet cable running out there, I do want to run a quality wired router for sure. Is it more secure to run a separate wireless router than having one unit wireless and hardwired? What model linksys would you recommend?

Im green when it comes to the programing of the routers, not sure what DMZ is? Is there a article or video that you would recommend to read/watch?

Thanks for your help

Joe

waldojim, on 15 April 2012 - 07:54 PM, said:

This really doesn't need to be complicated.

Connect your modem directly to a quality wired router. I suggest Linksys Small business models. Then feed one port off to the WAN port on a separate wireless router. Do this to ensure your customers cannot directly see your traffic. You will have to cut off access from the customers network in the FIRST router. Do this to secure your own network. Then use direct connections (as your wiring allows) to connect from other locations directly back to your main router. You don't need any other hubs or switches, unless your wiring doesn't allow for direct connections. If you DO connect that way, do not use the WAN port on any other hub or switch.

Also, set router number one to use 192.168.0.x for the main network, and set the second router to a MANUAL 192.168.0.100 ip for the wan port, and use a 192.168.1.x network for the customers. Then DMZ the second router so that your primary doesn't try to build goofy rules for it.

[LiveBrianD]

When a computer connects to the network, it needs a numeic IP address, like 192.168.1.5. You can manually assign one to each computer, and reserve it in the router (to ensure another computer doesn't use it), or you can use DHCP on the router and have that done automatically for you. BUT - you only want ONE router with DHCP enabled on the network. I suggest setting fixed IPs for each router aside from the main one, and reserving them in the main router. I'm still a bit unclear on your setup - can you make a little diagram like the one I did and attach it as an image?

[crazy4laptops]

I highly recommend switches instead of hubs, you get more network bandwidth without the collisions.

[waldojim]

LiveBrianD, on 16 April 2012 - 02:51 PM, said:

When a computer connects to the network, it needs a numeic IP address, like 192.168.1.5. You can manually assign one to each computer, and reserve it in the router (to ensure another computer doesn't use it), or you can use DHCP on the router and have that done automatically for you. BUT - you only want ONE router with DHCP enabled on the network. I suggest setting fixed IPs for each router aside from the main one, and reserving them in the main router. I'm still a bit unclear on your setup - can you make a little diagram like the one I did and attach it as an image?

WRONG. You don't want customers on the same network. You want them on their own network, with their own IP pool. This helps to build SIMPLE firewall rules that keep them off the company network.
You set one router to assign something like 192.168.1.x addresses to the business, starting at 192.168.1.100 (this leaves the first 100 open). SET the second routers wan port manually to 192.168.1.10 and connect back to the first. Then set the IP range to 192.168.100.x using 192.168.100.100 as the first assigned IP. Then BLOCK all incoming traffic from 192.168.1.x. Once you do that, build an EXCEPTION for traffic from the other router. 192.168.1.1. This way, only traffic from the internet world can be passed on to the business machines, and NOTHING from the local customers is allowed on the business network.

There are other ways of doing this, but this works out quite easy to remember and maintain.

I suggest any of Cisco/Linksys' small business products. For the wired router, use the RVS4000 or similar, for the wireless use either the RV110W or RV120W.

This post has been edited by waldojim: 20 April 2012 - 09:07 AM

[waldojim]

crazy4laptops, on 20 April 2012 - 07:09 AM, said:

I highly recommend switches instead of hubs, you get more network bandwidth without the collisions.

With more than a few machines, I would agree. If there are only one or two machines on each hub though, I wouldn't worry too much about it.