Problem with 2 NICs

[Guest]

I have win2k server and several win2k clients. There is
one client in particular has 2 NICs, one is attached to
the internet via Router, the other is attached locally to
a hub for internal access to the server and the other
clients.

My problem is that when I connect to the internet through
Yahoo, messenger, MSN messenger etc, I get a confusing
report on the address being used for the NIC. The router
assigns a private IP to the Internet NIC in the
192.xxx.xxx.xxx range; The server assigns a private IP to
the internal NIC in 10.x.x.x range. Run ipconfig and you I
see that the interal NIC gets its IP from the server as it
should and that the Internet NIC is getting an IP from the
router like it should. Conncecting to the internet is not
a problem but at times connecting to the server is?????

Firt off, I want to say that I don't ever login to the
domain when using this client, I login locally and use the
Server shares through shortcuts: (the server itself is not
connected to the Internet router and there is no Internet
Sharing activated.)

Now when I connect to a chat service etc, it seems that
the NIC that is attached to the server (not the router) is
the one that is connected to the Internet somehow. It
never connects with the 192.xxx.xxx.xxx address, the you
are connected to this session with IP address message
always reports the 10.xxx.xxx.xxx address; I am not sure
why this is happening or to be honest if this is by design
or an error or some sort. I want to know is my server
somehow in jeopardy? I am confused and nothing I do except
disable the second NIC works. Should I be concearned about
this???

I just want to know what is going on so I can understand
this better and if there is a problem fix it, there are
times when connecting either to the server shares or from
the server to the clients is nearly impossible and I go
nuts trying, I have Zone Alarm pro but disabling it
doesn't change the issue with connection to and from the
server to the internal clients - or with what IP address
is reported as connected when on the Internet.

Also one other thing Zone Alarm keeps popping up that
(Local NIC the 10.xxx.xxx.xxx address) LSA.dll, spooler
sub system, and others want to act like a server; I only
let these service connect locally when prompted but other
times they popup with one of the following addresses
either 127.0.0.0, 255.255.255.255 or 0.0.0.0 and ask to
connect to the Internet, should I allow these services, I
deny them and it doesn't hurt connecting to the Internet,
is microsoft trying to send itself information or what is
going on here? All of these dlls, are Windows components.

TIA for any help

 

[Marina Roos]

Why does that client have 2 nics? You server should have 2 nics, one
connecting to the hub/switch, one connecting to the router.

 

[James]

The client is where I do my work; therefore Internet
access is required, also I will need to access the server
for files shares - the point was to protect the server
from the Internet; but that doesn't seem to work somehow
the server seems to taken over this client or something
eelse is up.

 

[Marina Roos]

You better 'share' the internet from the server. If you use 2 nics, have a
firewall or ISA 2000-server, your server and workstations will be protected.
(IF configured the right way that is.)

Regards,
Marina