2 workgroups sharing 1 internet connection

[Jason Osman]

Is it possible to set up 2 workgroups that can be linked
together somehow to share 1 broadband internet
connection.

eg. I have an existing workgroups of 10 PCs sharing an
internet connection. I have set up another workgroup in
the office (client does not want to go to domain. Can the
second workgroup connect to the internet via the modem
connected to the first workgroup? If so what is the
process?

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

Is it possible to set up 2 workgroups that can be linked
together somehow to share 1 broadband internet
connection.

eg. I have an existing workgroups of 10 PCs sharing an
internet connection. I have set up another workgroup in
the office (client does not want to go to domain. Can the
second workgroup connect to the internet via the modem
connected to the first workgroup? If so what is the
process?

Yes, it's possible. Workgroups have no role in Internet access. All
computers that are physically connected to the same network can share
the Internet connection, regardless of what workgroup they're in.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

Yes, it's possible. Workgroups have no role in Internet access. All
computers that are physically connected to the same network can share
the Internet connection, regardless of what workgroup they're in.

An additional note, Jason: workgroups don't provide any type of
security, either. Computers in either workgroup can access the shared
disks and folders on computers in the other workgroup.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[Guest]

Thanks so much for your advice.

To set this up though, what is the method to connect both
workgroups to the one adsl connection. I hope i am making
myself clear as to what i want to achieve.

I have 1 workgroup of 10 pcs (workgroup called "staff").
The client wants another workgroup (5 pcs) seperate from
the staff workgroup called "students". (when i say
seperate i mean there is no physical connection (via a
cable)between the two workgroups. What is the process to
connect the two workgroups so that "students" can utilise
the adsl on "staff" rather than me buying another adsl?
Do i have to put a router between the two workgroups? I
want them both seperate but sharing 1 modem (if that is
at all possible. I note the security of shared file
access in workgroups.

-----Original Message-----

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

Thanks so much for your advice.

To set this up though, what is the method to connect both
workgroups to the one adsl connection. I hope i am making
myself clear as to what i want to achieve.

I have 1 workgroup of 10 pcs (workgroup called "staff").
The client wants another workgroup (5 pcs) seperate from
the staff workgroup called "students". (when i say
seperate i mean there is no physical connection (via a
cable)between the two workgroups. What is the process to
connect the two workgroups so that "students" can utilise
the adsl on "staff" rather than me buying another adsl?
Do i have to put a router between the two workgroups? I
want them both seperate but sharing 1 modem (if that is
at all possible. I note the security of shared file
access in workgroups.

To give both workgroups access to the ADSL connection, connect all of
the computers to one or more linked network switches.

I think that we have different notions of what "workgroups" are.

Workgroups are simply groups of computers that have the same workgroup
name. In Windows XP, workgroups have no practical use. In Windows
95/98/Me, their only function is to determine which computers appear
immediately when you click Network Neighborhood.

A network can have any number of workgroups. It isn't meaningful to
say that there's no cable between two workgroups, because workgroups
don't have network connections, and they don't connect to cables.
Computers have network connections and cables. Computers in different
workgroups can connect to the same network switch.

The ADSL connection has no association with "staff" or "student". All
computers that are physically connected to the network can connect to
it, regardless of what workgroup they're in.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[Guest]

Ahh Ok...this is where i am getting confused. I could
have 4 computers attached to the same network switch, 2
of them in 1 workgroup, 2 in another and still share the
the adsl connection.

So the students workgroup could only see student
computers in their network neighborhood and staff can
only see staff. Of course, students could go START RUN
\\staff\nameofcomputer to access a staff machine. Is that
correct? What will my options be to prevent that from
happening. Not much i understand as workgroups dont offer
much in terms of secuirty.

Thanks again for your advice.

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

Ahh Ok...this is where i am getting confused. I could
have 4 computers attached to the same network switch, 2
of them in 1 workgroup, 2 in another and still share the
the adsl connection.

Yes, that's right.

So the students workgroup could only see student
computers in their network neighborhood and staff can
only see staff.

No, that's not right. On a computer running Windows XP, shared
resources from all computers, regardless of workgroup, appear in My
Network Places. On a computer running Windows 95/98/Me, you can
click the Entire Network icon in Network Neighborhood to see the other
workgroup, click the other workgroup to see the computers in it, etc.

Of course, students could go START RUN
\\staff\nameofcomputer to access a staff machine. Is that
correct?

Yes, that's correct.

What will my options be to prevent that from
happening. Not much i understand as workgroups dont offer
much in terms of secuirty.

The best solution is to have a server computer acting as a domain
controller and validating access for all computers based on user
names.

In a workgroup, there's no easy way to control access between
computers running 95/98/Me/XP that are connected to the same physical
network.

The most practical solution is probably to use three broadband
routers:

Router #1: WAN port connects to ADSL. LAN ports connect to #2 and #3.

Router #2: WAN port connects to LAN port of Router #1. LAN ports
connect to staff computers.

Router #3: WAN port connects to LAN port of Router #1. LAN ports
connect to student computers.

Putting each group of computers on its own router isolates the two
groups from each other.

Make sure that #2 and #3 use a different LAN subnet than #1. For
example, if #1 uses 192.168.1.x, use 192.168.0.x on #2 and #3.

Thanks again for your advice.

You're welcome.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com