Route ONLY through Win2K Server in Wireless LAN

[ashparvez]

Hi,

I have a Linksys 54G installed with access to internet through cable
modem. It also offers a wireless link which is being used by a Windows
2000 Server and 4 PCs, establishing wireless LAN. The Linksys router is
capable of providing ONE additional wired and 50+ wireless connections.

PROBLEM : My Win2K server establishes VPN tunnel and data from PCs is
required to be routed through the server. I have already purchased
wireless LAN cards and plan to use a wireless link between server and
PCs. I desire to have the configuration given below:-

Cable Modem
|
| (through wire)
|
|-> Linksys Router (Also wireless Accesspoint)
|
| (through wire OR wireless)
|
|----> Win2K Server
|
| (through Wireless)
|
/ | \
( Four PCs)

Is there a way of doing it without adding another router above Linksys
and taking Win2K server between the new router and linksys. Please
consider following:
1. All PCs MUST reach internet through Win2K Server (although they are
on wireless network and the accesspoint is directly connected to cable
modem).
2. I do not want to place Win2K Server right in front of the internet
for security reasons. So internet MUST reach Win2K server through
Linksys router.
3. I do not have enough money to add another router.
4. I don't want to get into hassle of cabled LAN.

Any help will be appreciated.

Arshad

 

[Phillip Windell]

For the sake of terminology (so you will know what I mean by what I say), I
always call those Linksys boxes "NAT Devices" because that is what they
are,.. they are not a real "routers". When I say "router" I mean a real
router that routes traffic accross subnets (without NAT) like Cisco 2600,
2500, or 1700, etc.

Is there a way of doing it without adding another router above Linksys
and taking Win2K server between the new router and linksys. Please
consider following:
1. All PCs MUST reach internet through Win2K Server (although they are
on wireless network and the accesspoint is directly connected to cable
modem).
2. I do not want to place Win2K Server right in front of the internet
for security reasons. So internet MUST reach Win2K server through
Linksys router.

No. In fact you need to disable the wireless portion of the current Linksys
box and run it "cabled only" with the Server being the only machine cabled
to it. You then need a "wireless access point" (WAP). This is not a
"so-called" router and does not do any kind of NAT,...the WAP is just a
wireless version of a Hub or Switch.

Internet
|
Linksys NAT Device (wireless disabled)
|
Server
\
\
WAP
/ | \
/ | \
(Other PCs)

For additional information. I have no problem running the Server directly
on the Internet using RRAS on it to create the NAT based internet sharing.
I have one on a small network for years and it has done fine. You just have
to configure it properly and not do anything stupid with it. the first
"golden rule" is that you don't run things on it that you don't want people
to connect to, and some of the other things you only bind to the internal
Nic and not the external.