Internet Connection Sharing

[~~Alan~~]

I have some time on my hands in addition to an older system and some other
things. I want to build a router that will also act as a server/firewall
among other things.

I am thinking of building an XP system and configuring ICS or Internet
Connection Sharing. This will require two LAN adaptors, one of which will
be connected directly to my cable modem (WAN) and the other will have a hub
connected to it for my LAN.

On this machine, I want to:
1. connect a printer to share to my LAN, and
2. connect some external USB disk drives for file sharing on the LAN.
3. install anti-virus software and not have to run it on my other systems.
4. configure this applicance to accept VPN connections and with a DDNS
client, connect to my LAN from the internet.

I know I will have to configure the LAN side as a DHCP Server

Is this do-able and what do I need to watch out for? What kind of security
should I consider on the WAN side. I want to make this thing as dumb as
possible on the WAN side just like a home router and have a small file and
printer server on the LAN side.

~alan

 

[WindPipe]

Hello ~~Alan~~, please se in-line except number 4.

I have some time on my hands in addition to an older system and some other
things. I want to build a router that will also act as a server/firewall among
other things.

I am thinking of building an XP system and configuring ICS or Internet
Connection Sharing. This will require two LAN adaptors, one of which will be
connected directly to my cable modem (WAN) and the other will have a hub
connected to it for my LAN.

You shouldn't really need to go down the ICS line. Plug the server PC and the
cable modem into the router. Don't know the model (age) of your router, I am
assuming it has a WAN plug for the web (as in your cable modem).

On this machine, I want to:
1. connect a printer to share to my LAN, and

Connect into the server, enable File and Print Sharing, share it. - OR- If your
router and printer are capable (or it's not do difficult to do), you can plug the
printer into the router (No need for the File and Print Sharing service). Either
directly or via a Print Server (it needs to be a good print server, otherwise your
locking the printer until your done before anyone else can access it). Better plug
it into the server.

2. connect some external USB disk drives for file sharing on the LAN.

Plug it into a USB port on the server and apply sharing\security\permissions to it
appropriately. For slightly better performance of the disc(s), optimise them for
performance rather then quick removal, just an after thought it not that
essential.

3. install anti-virus software and not have to run it on my other systems.

If your network is wired, you will require a firewall of some sort(s) at the
server end. Hardware\software\both you can find lengthly discussions on that, even
in this newsgroup. Assuming your router and cable model have one, it wouldn't be
so wrong to have a software one on the server either.

Anti-virus, install on all the PCs (and server) in the network, especially for
emails, unless the server takes care of... Nuh! put antivirus on all the PCs, and
the server.

4. configure this applicance to accept VPN connections and with a DDNS client,
connect to my LAN from the internet.

I know I will have to configure the LAN side as a DHCP Server

Is this do-able and what do I need to watch out for?

Yes, it's been done before and many times.

What kind of security should I consider on the WAN side. Firewall

I want to make this thing as dumb as possible on the WAN side just like a home
router and have a small file and printer server on the LAN side.

~alan

Hope that helps even a little.

- WindPipe

 

[Patrick Keenan]

I have some time on my hands in addition to an older system and some other
things. I want to build a router that will also act as a server/firewall
among other things.

I am thinking of building an XP system and configuring ICS or Internet
Connection Sharing. This will require two LAN adaptors, one of which will
be connected directly to my cable modem (WAN) and the other will have a
hub connected to it for my LAN.

On this machine, I want to:
1. connect a printer to share to my LAN, and
2. connect some external USB disk drives for file sharing on the LAN.
3. install anti-virus software and not have to run it on my other systems.
4. configure this applicance to accept VPN connections and with a DDNS
client, connect to my LAN from the internet.

I know I will have to configure the LAN side as a DHCP Server

Is this do-able and what do I need to watch out for? What kind of
security should I consider on the WAN side. I want to make this thing as
dumb as possible on the WAN side just like a home router and have a small
file and printer server on the LAN side.

~alan

I really would not rely on one XP system set as a router, being the entire
antivirus protection scheme. You should install A/V software on all
systems. In the first place, if people have physical access to the other
systems, it's very, very easy for malware to be introduced by way of
removable media, such as CD, ipod, USB key, etc, and the hosted A/V will not
detect it until it's much too late.

You might also consider using a Linux distribution for this instead, as it
is more suited to this kind of task. It's actually rather easy to set up a
Linux box for file storage and printer host for Windows systems. XP Pro
has a hard limit of 10 connections, and you may very well suddenly find
yourself out of connections, with only an OS upgrade to server as a fix.
This won't be the case with Linux.

HTH
-pk

 

[Patrick Keenan]

Hello ~~Alan~~, please se in-line except number 4.




You shouldn't really need to go down the ICS line. Plug the server PC and
the cable modem into the router. Don't know the model (age) of your
router, I am assuming it has a WAN plug for the web (as in your cable
modem).

As I read it, the OP doesn't want to use, perhaps doesn't have, a commerical
router.

He essentially wants to *make a router* out of an XP box.

I'm not sure this is a good or practical idea (Linux may be a better
choice), but that's what I think he's asking.

-pk
<snippage>

 

[Patrick Keenan]

I have some time on my hands in addition to an older system and some other
things. I want to build a router that will also act as a server/firewall
among other things.

I am thinking of building an XP system and configuring ICS or Internet
Connection Sharing. This will require two LAN adaptors, one of which will
be connected directly to my cable modem (WAN) and the other will have a
hub connected to it for my LAN.

On this machine, I want to:
1. connect a printer to share to my LAN, and
2. connect some external USB disk drives for file sharing on the LAN.
3. install anti-virus software and not have to run it on my other systems.
4. configure this applicance to accept VPN connections and with a DDNS
client, connect to my LAN from the internet.

I know I will have to configure the LAN side as a DHCP Server

Is this do-able and what do I need to watch out for? What kind of
security should I consider on the WAN side. I want to make this thing as
dumb as possible on the WAN side just like a home router and have a small
file and printer server on the LAN side.

~alan

Google "use XP as router" to find some links on how to set up IP forwarding
in XP Pro to make it work sort-of as a router (there's a registry key).
This kind of thing is what I call a science project, rather than going
directly to a working solution. It's valid as that, there is no guarantee
it's valid as a solution. If you want server functions, you should use a
server OS.

HTH
-pk

 

[WindPipe]

DOH! Just made an ASS-of-U-and-MPTION...! Your correct if that's what he was
asking for, I have never seen an XP box as such, but have seen quite a few RedHat
and Solaris systems configured as such. ~~Alan~~, get a router for a simple
Windows solution. Not saying Linux is hard, like Windows, you just need to know
it.

- WindPipe

 

[~~Alan~~]

I have a router, lots of routers as a matter of fact. As i wrote, I also
have a lot of time on my hands and I was just wondering what was involved.
Linux might be a way for me to go. I have not played much with Linux for
quite a while now. I suppose this would be a good exercise.

Thanks for the advice.

~alan