Question

Networking Windows Server 2003

Asked by: gudbuddy

Hello Guys:

I need your help and your opinions on the following project that I will be doing the next few days:

Networking Microsoft Server 2003:

One Server (2003)
8 PCs (XP Home Edition)
1 laptop (XP Home Edition)
2 Printers

What are the pointers I need to consider here? Hardware and software-wise? What about cabling?

Is it not complicated to network server 2003 with XP machines?

Please help.

This Question has been solved and asker verified All Experts Exchange premium technology solutions are available to subscription members.

Subscribe now for full access to Experts Exchange and get

Instant Access to this Solution

  • Plus...
  • 30 Day FREE access, no risk, no obligation
  • Collaborate with the world's top tech experts
  • Unlimited access to our exclusive solution database
  • Never be left without tech help again

Subscribe Now

Asked On
2004-10-19 at 10:51:31ID21174220
Tags

2003

,

server

,

microsoft

,

windows

Topic

Windows Networking

Participating Experts
3
Points
225
Comments
13

Trusted by hundreds of thousands everyday for fast, accurate and reliable tech support.

  • "The time we save is the biggest benefit of Experts Exchange to Warner Bros. What could take multiple guys 2 hours or more each to find is accessed in around 15 minutes on Experts Exchange." Mike Kapnisakis, Warner Bros.
  • "Our team likes having a resource that is more secure than just using Google and most experts using this service really know their stuff. It's nice to look here first versus using Google." Dayna Sellner, Lockheed Martin
  • "Anytime that I've been stumped with a problem, 9 out of 10 times Experts Exchange has either the accepted solution or an open discussion of the potential solution to the problem." Kenny Red, eBay Inc.

See what Experts Exchange can do for you.

Got a question?

We've got the answer.

Experts Exchange has been collecting answers to technology questions since 1996…3 million and counting! If you have a question, chances are we already have your answer.

Screenshot of Experts Exchange Knowledgebase

Need individual assistance?

Our experts are ready to help.

If you can't find the exact answer you're looking for, ask our exclusive community of 50,000 experts. You’ll get a personalized answer from a trusted professional.

Screenshot of Experts Exchange Knowledgebase

Want to learn from the best?

Read articles from industry experts.

Thousands of free tech tips, tricks, how-to’s and tutorials are available in our peer reviewed articles section. See for yourself how smart our experts are, no login required.

Screenshot of an Article

Working on a long term project?

Store your work and research.

Save solutions to your questions, answers you’ve discovered through searching plus helpful articles in your personal knowledgebase for easy future access.

Screenshot of Experts Exchange Knowledgebase

Access the answers to your technology questions today.

Subscribe Now

30-day free trial. Register in 60 seconds.

What Makes Experts Exchange Unique?

Members of the expert community talk about why the experience at Experts Exchange is different than what you will find anywhere else.

Trusted by the world's most respected brands.

image of each brand's logo

Faithfully serving IT professionals since 1996.

Experts Exchange Logo

Try it out and discover for yourself.

Subscribe Now

30-day free trial. Register in 60 seconds.

Related Solutions

  1. Network Cable
    I'm setting a simple network up at home with just 1 client and 1 server. If I want to link the 2 computers directly do I need a special network cable? As I understand it, a simple UTP Cat 5 cable won't work with this scenario. What cable do I need?
  2. Network Printer Setup
    Hi Guys, I have a small Windows 2000 domain, and i want to use a printer as a network printer. This printer will be connected to LAN with a network cable, it will not be attached to a PC or server. I know that i need to create a printer port, using printer's IP adress. B...
  3. Opinion for LAN Network
    Hi, experts. I would like to ask some of your opinions on which type of networks(LAN) below (3 options) is suitable for the large volume of data is to be processed by the network? 1. Switched or Shared Ethernet 2. Wireless Network 3. Token Ring Three of the option...
  4. Network Cabling and Layout Design
    Hello! I have thought of a network cabling design for a client of mine. Would like a second opinion and some advice please :) One building with three concrete floors. No raised flooring or floor ports. Need to install a cabled network for the following setup: First f...
  5. Need Second opinion  bad network jack
    I am an (General) computer expert and i just want a second opinion i believe that my mom's brand new computer's network jack which is onbord is bad i don't have all the information on the comuter at this time all worried about the computer getting screwed up so i can't do...
  6. Networking through printer cables?
    I have a stand alone computer (not on the internet, no wireless devices). It is connected to a HP all in one printer using old time LPT1 parrell port. My network uses the same printer thropugh a print server using cat 5 to the print sever and then a USB cable to the Hp pri...

Free Tech Articles

  1. WARNING: 5 Reasons why you should NEVER fix a computer for free.
    It is in our nature to love the puzzle. We are obsessed. The lot of us. We love puzzles. We love the challenge. We thrive on finding the answer. We hate disarray. It bothers us deep in our soul. W...
  2. SCCM OSD Basic troubleshooting
    SCCM 2007 OSD is a fantastic way to deploy operating systems, however, like most things SCCM issues can sometimes be difficult to resolve due to the sheer volume of logs to sift through and the dispe...
  3. Migrate Small Business Server 2003 to Exchange 2010 and Windows 2008 R2
    This guide is intended to provide step by step instructions on how to migrate from Small Business Server 2003 to Windows 2008 R2 with Exchange 2010. For this migration to work you will need the fo...
  4. Create a Win7 Gadget
    This article shows you how to create a simple "Gadget" -- a sort of mini-application supported by Windows 7 and Vista. Gadgets can be dropped anywhere on the desktop to provide instant information, ...
  5. Outlook continually prompting for username and password
    There have been a lot of questions recently regarding Outlook prompting for a username and password whilst using Exchange 2007. There are a few reasons why this would happen and I will try to cover t...
  6. Backup Exchange 2010 Information Store using Windows Backup
    There seems to be quite a lot of confusion around the ability to backup Exchange 2010 using the built in Windows Backup feature. This stems from the omission of this feature prior to Exchange 2007 s...

Cloud Class Webinars

  1. Avoiding Bugs in Microsoft Access
    Alison Balter takes and in-depth look at avoiding bugs in Access. In this webinar you will learn about using the immediate window to debug your applications, invoking the debugger, using breakpoints to troubleshoot, stepping through code, setting the next statement to execute, ...
  2. Top 10 Best New Features in Visio 2010
    Scott Helmers gives live demonstrations of the top 10 new features in Visio 2010. This webinar will teach you how to create compelling diagrams by adding shapes to the page with a single click, linking the shapes in a diagram to data in Excel (or SQL Server, or SharePoint), ...
  3. IT Consultant Business Secrets Revealed
    Michael Munger, Experts Exchange tech pro and IT consultant, pulls back the curtain on his very successful businesses and answers question on every IT consultant and business owner should know about. He shares secrets on what he did to solve the 5 most common problems in IT, ...
  4. Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity
    Quest CTO, Mike Billon, gives an overview of the steps involved in building a dunamic disaster recovery plan. Through case studies and an examination of software/hardware tooles for monitoring and testing, you'll gain a better understandin of where you are, where you want ...
  5. Organize Your Visio Diagrams with Containers and Lists
    Scott Helmers uses cross functional flowcharts, wireframe diagrams, data graphic legends and seating charts to teach you: how to ustilize all three new structured diagram components in Visio 2010, the best practices for organizeing shapes in previous version of Visio, how to organize ...
  6. How to Us Objects, Properties, Events and Methods in Microsoft Access
    Alison Dalter gives an in-depbth look at objects, properties, events and methods in Microsoft Access. In this webinar you will learn about using the object browser, referring to objects, working with properties and methods, working with object variables, understanding the ...

Join the Community

Give a Little. Get a Lot.

Join the community of experts here and help other tech pros by answering question in your area of expertise. You can earn FREE access to all Experts Exchange's premium features and resources.

Join the Community

Answers

 

by: Chris-DentPosted on 2004-10-19 at 11:10:33ID: 12350110


Did you intend installing the Server as a Domain Controller? If so, XP Home edition cannot join a domain (that needs XP Professional).

Do you have an Internet connection to consider?

You'll probably need a hub, or better still a switch to connect all those PCs together. You probably have that though?

What would you like to do once you have it set up?

 

by: gudbuddyPosted on 2004-10-19 at 11:20:20ID: 12350220

Do I have to install it as a Domain Controller? I think that should it be, right? Its going to be a stand alone server and all other PCs should be networked with it.

Its what I thought, I can not do it with XP Home.. it will only do on XP Pro and Win2K, am i right?

We have an internet connection which is the Verizon DSL. I have a hub and a router from the DSL Modem.

Its for work-office purposes... to share resources within a small office.

Please more inputs .. thank you!!


 

by: tonyteriPosted on 2004-10-19 at 11:24:35ID: 12350262

You can network the XP Home machines, but you will not be able to join them to a domain, unless you upgrade them to XP Pro.

TT

 

by: Chris-DentPosted on 2004-10-19 at 11:30:05ID: 12350327


Okay... there's not much point in installing it as a Domain Controller, you don't have anything that can join the domain to make it worthwhile. So just a standalone server.

You should definately consider something to protect yourself (preferably a Firewall and some Anti Virus software) from the rather nasty viruses that are floating around at the moment, I think the time to attempted infection after connecting to the internet is down to about 5 minutes.

I recommend installing a DHCP Service on the server, that'll happily look after all your IP Addressing (the 192.168.0.0 range is probably the most appropriate). You may find your Router already does this.

To prevent continual Access Denied and password prompts you'd have to create matching local accounts on the Server (matching with the Computer accounts).

 

by: Chris-DentPosted on 2004-10-19 at 11:32:10ID: 12350351


And yeah, you can network Windows XP Home, you just can't join it to a Domain ;)

 

by: brownmetalsPosted on 2004-10-19 at 13:02:23ID: 12351427

Hi there.

I realize this is a small office, but it might be worth your while to upgrade each client machine to WXP Pro, and make the W2K3 Server a domain controller. Doing this will give you more control over your network. You'll be able to centrally manage the network.

For instance, you can use Group Policy to control the client machines. This includes controlling Windows Update settings, Firewall settings for clients with WXP SP2, controlling IE settings, hiding control panel icons if necessary, and Software Installtion to name a few. Group policy gives you centralized control options for all machines that are part of the domain. Controlling them from the server eliminates having to administer each machine separately. This will come in especially handy for user accounts. With a domain conroller, you can use Active Directory to centrally manage all the users on the network. On the flip side, with a Workgroup type network, you'll have to administer each individual user account on each individual machine. This becomes a tedious task very quickly.

Here's a couple of functions I mentioned that you can tackle with W2K3 as a domain controller.

Remotely Install Software
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;816102

Control Internet Explorer Settings
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;325342

Hide Control Panel Tools
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;325852

Good luck in the setup!
Jay

 

by: gudbuddyPosted on 2004-10-19 at 13:25:33ID: 12351672

Can I upgrade the PCs to Win2K instead of XP Pro?

I think its better to have it as a domain controller... but with 9 users is it worth it?

If I dont do a domain controller... can it do administrative funcstions too? I am very particular with its security issues.




 

by: brownmetalsPosted on 2004-10-19 at 13:39:11ID: 12351804

As far as I know, you can't "upgrade" from WXP Home to Win2K Pro. That would be moving backwards. The only way to really put W2K on each machine would be to dump the contents from each drive and install a clean version of Windows 2000 Pro.

Now, will W2K machines work on a domain with a W2K3 Server as the domain controller? Yes, these machines will work fine. You won't be able to use some of the features that you'd otherwise have available in WXP Pro (like Remote Desktop), but that may be a minor concern on a small network.

I have a network with about 15 users, and I use a domain controller. The ability to centrally manage most functions of the network make it well worth it. Also, if you think about it, Microsoft developed Windows 2003 Small Business Server for businesses with 75 users or less. That product can only be setup in the domain controller configuration. Yes, SBS has many other features preinstalled as part of the operating system that require a domain controller, but SBS is mainly for small businesses without IT expertise. It uses mostly wizards to allow a non-IT person to setup the server and manage the network. But, it's still a domain controller that provides that central management ability for non-IT personnel that don't have a lot of time to spend configuring and maintaining the network.

Hope that helps you out.
Jay

 

by: gudbuddyPosted on 2004-10-21 at 19:11:02ID: 12377210

OK. I will upgrade all the PCs to XP Pro then. Here are my simple questions which I understand are simple for you:

1) Are there some resources that I can read or get how to do all these process? like, do I have to upgrade all PCs to XP Pro first and then install the server W2k3 and let these PCs join the domain?

2) 1 PC contains very important files on Quickbooks, what is the best way to back this up? I was thinking to do an exact duplicate of the PC but won't it affect it on XP Pro since it is from XP Home to XP Pro? If I will do exact copy of that PC's content, what is the best tool to use?

3) We have a DSL modem from Verizon, how and what is the best way to connect the W2K3 server as a domain controller and all other 8 PCs all connected on a network and share internet connection? What are the tools and equipments to i need?

4) If anybody can give me a step by step and precise procedure in doing all the above please.

I am adding another 100 points for this question because I think I am asking too much answers.

Thank you so much.

 

by: brownmetalsPosted on 2004-10-21 at 22:01:24ID: 12378019

1) Upgrading to XP & Installing W2K3 Server
Windows XP - Upgrade Center
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/upgrading/default.mspx

Windows 2003 Server Deployment Kit
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/techinfo/reskit/deploykit.mspx

2) Backup of Data
http://www.pcmag.com/category2/0,1738,4798,00.asp
PC Magaizine lists some backup product options that might help you accomplish your goal. I'd suggest Norton Ghost or a Veritas product if they have a small desktop backup version in your price range.

3) DSL Modem & Internet Connection
Here's a Small Office Network Hardware Guide
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/using/productdoc/en/default.asp?url=/windowsxp/home/using/productdoc/en/hnw_preexisting_network_overviewp.asp

4) Step by Step Guide
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/technologies/networking/default.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/WindowsServ/2003/standard/proddocs/en-us/default.asp

If you haven't already purchased Windows 2003, I would suggest using Windows 2003 Small Business Server. It is already a domain controller and has many wizards built in to setting up a network. It's aimed at making network setup and management easy for non-IT personnel.

If these articles aren't enough to help you get the network setup, then I would suggest maybe hiring some outside help. Your question says that you are setting up the network in the "next couple of days." It could easily take you that long to just read through all of this documentation, and maybe longer if setting up a network is somewhat new for you.

Hiring outside help for a small business, especially in a technical aspect such as this, can be much cheaper in the long run.

Consider these:
1) If your backup does not take, or has problems, what is the cost of that data that you lost? Figure the time you'll have to take to rebuild the data, plus what inefficient customer service you'll be providing without that data.

2) If your project deadline is 2-3 days for setup, and it takes 2-3 weeks, what is the cost of the time lost? Not only your time, but the cost of time for other employees that did not have access to their data and computing resources. If 4 people are unproductive for half of the day (4 hours), then 16 man hours have been lost just that day. Multiply those 16 man hours by their average salary, and add that amount to the total time lost.

3) Internet connection setup is tricky, and an incorrect setup could allow for numerous viruses, worms, trojan horses, or intrusions. Again, what is the cost of all that data on your network? Can you afford to have a virus wipe out all of your data? Can you afford to be without computing resources for half the day? If you're company sells $10,000 per day, and your computing resources are down for half the day, you've just lost $5,000. That's a quick and dirty estimation I use to figure out what down time costs.

Hiring an outside consultant to setup your network may cost $150 - $200 per hour, but they may be done in 8-10 hours total, if that. In that case, you're spending between $1200 - $2000 for them to setup your network and you're off and running.

Now all these numbers are just thrown out there as an example. You'll have to plug in your own company numbers and figure this out, but in this example, paying $2000 for a professionally installed network makes more sense than being down half of the day and losing out on $5000 in sales.

Hopefully this information is helpful for you.
Again, good luck!
Jay

20120131-EE-VQP-002

3 Ways to Join

30-Day Free Trial

The Experts

98% positive feedback on 31,087 answers since March 2000. angeliii is a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional for his work with MS SQL Server & Develoment.

He has also proven his knowledge of Visual Basic Programming, PHP Scripting and Oracle Databases.

The Experts

97% positive feedback on 10,752 answers since July 2000. lrmoore has more than 18 years experience in the networking industry.

The six-time Mircosoft MVPs specialties include firewalls, virtual private networking, and network management.

Testimonials

"...and excellent source for support... Kind of like having your very own IT dept." Electriciansnet

Testimonials

"I was apprehensive at signing up at first. However... it has already made my life as an IT administrator much easier." JaCrews

Testimonials

"WOW! You guys have great, active, and knowledgeable people on here." moore50

Business Clients

Business Clients

In the Press

"If you’ve got a question... Experts Exchange can supply an answer.”

In the Press

"...an invaluable aid for both IT professionals and those who require tech support."

In the Press

"where IT professionals provide quick answers on just about any topic"

Business Account Plans

Loading Advertisement...