Question

Understanding SBS 2003 internet connectivity

Asked by: sasllc

We have worked with a few SBS 2003 networks where the server has two network cards and no hardware firewall, and on those I think I understand how the internet connectivity works.  But now we're dealing with a server that has one network card and they have a Sonicwall TZ180 firewall as well, and we need clarification on a few issues.

1) I wanted to find out whether my laptop was capable of getting an internet connection by plugging the TZ180's WAN cable directly into my laptop, which was set to automatic IP.  But I got the 169...limited access message.  That makes me wonder if this is one of those connections where I would need to define IP info for my laptop connection--like maybe preferred and alternate DNS info.  Is there a place in the TZ180 setup that would show me how IT is set to allow the TZ180 to "see" the internet?  This is a Time Warner Telecom setup on a partial T1, I believe.

The reason I'd like to be able to do this is in a case where the users are complaining that "the internet is down", I could do this test to see whether I am getting connectivity from Time Warner or not.

2) If the TZ180 were to go up in smoke someday, what could I do as a quick fix while I get a new firewall?  Could I take a Linksys cable/DSL router and expect it to get me back up and running temporarily?  I know it would not provide the firewall protection, but could it do for me whatever else the TZ180 is doing?  It looks like the TZ180 is set to output 192.168.16.2 to their SBS server, based on info I've seen in the TZ180 setup, and having seen static IP setup for the SBS network card with the same address.

3) With basic XP filesharing networks, we simply plug all the computers into the switch, as well as the router, and it distributes the DCHP addresses, and everyone has internet access--no matter which computers are up or down.  But with this SBS network, if the server is down, then no one can get internet access.  I do understand that this is normal.

Why is that?  Is there a way around it?  Or is this just "the way it is" when running on a SBS network?  I'd like to know in case the server goes up in smoke some day.  While we're dealing with that problem, it sure would be nice if the users at least had internet connectivity--like they would if they were on a simple fileshareing network rather than this SBS 2003 network.

TIA

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Asked On
2009-08-17 at 18:12:40ID24660151
Topic

SBS Small Business Server

Participating Experts
3
Points
500
Comments
6

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Answers

 

by: bevhostPosted on 2009-08-17 at 18:48:03ID: 25119669

Almost any basic ethernet ADSL router will provide NAT inside the router.
What this does is to permit anything on the inside to talk to whatever it wants on the outside and blocks all incoming traffic that has not be specifically port forwarded through.

This basic setup should get you through.

Some routers have UPNP which is Universal Plug & Play which allows PC's on the inside to request their own port forwards without you having to program them in the router yourself.  Dangerous!!


 

by: CrisHanna_MVPPosted on 2009-08-17 at 20:11:28ID: 25119901

Have a single NIC configuration for SBS 2003 with a hardware firewall is really the optimal configuration as going forward to SBS 2008 this is the only supported configuration.

The SonicWall is still acting as the Internet Gateway as you describe with your peer to peer networks.  The firewall router, the server and the workstations are all plugged into the switch.  The exception is that SBS, instead fo the router, provides DHCP, DNS and WINS naming resolution.

So, The WAN PORT of your TZ180 gets configured with your Public IP

The LAN PORT is tyically configured for any private range with a .1 address

The NIC should be configured with a static IP which matches the subnet assigned on the LAN Port of the TZ180, typically this is a .2 address.  The Subnet mask should be 255.255.255.0   The gateway address should be the LAN IP of the TZ180.   For DNS, only assign the same IP as assigned to the NIC.   Do not assign a second DNS address.

Then run the CEICW wizard.

On the TZ180, forward ports 25, 443, 444, and port 4125.  If you want Remote Desktop you'll also need to forward 3389.  You may also have to configure VPN passthrough.  PS, VPN is easier with single nic.

Then make a note of all the settings.   In a pinch, should the TZ180 go down, you can purchase a Linksys or Netgear router at Best Buy or Walmart and just configure the same settings.

If the server ever went down, you simply turn on DHCP on the router have everyone reboot and verify they got an address from the router and voila, everyone's back on the net.

 

by: CrisHanna_MVPPosted on 2009-08-17 at 20:14:53ID: 25119916

PS.  Some Firewalls have multiple LAN ports which can each be configured independently, so you have one for the SBS network and a second one with DHCP turned on for guest access.

One such is the Calyptix Access Enforcer.

So if you have occassion to offer a firewall solution to a customer in the future, keep that in mind

 

by: nappy_dPosted on 2009-08-18 at 03:24:49ID: 25121600

OK did your ISP provision you with some static IP addresses for use or just a cable modem to connect a "single device to for internet access?

So this is how I envision you internet connectivity. A little box from your ISP. Iis connected your Sonicwall's WAN port. From the Sonicwall, you have an ethernet cable connected to a multiport LAN switch. From there all of your computers/servers are connected.

Is this correct?

If it is correct, the reason you cannot get an IP on your laptop is because your ISP only allows one device to connect to their internet connection, unless you pay for additional.

This is not to say you can't but you would have to do a MAC address cloning to allow your laptop to be seen by their network to be provisioned an IP address. Another way around this is that when you are troubleshooting the connection is to call the ISP and ask them to release the IP that is in use, then connect the laptop and test.

I hope this makes sense.

 

by: sasllcPosted on 2009-08-20 at 16:55:28ID: 25148112

Noted above:

"The exception is that SBS, instead fo the router, provides DHCP, DNS and WINS naming resolution."

"If the server ever went down, you simply turn on DHCP on the router have everyone reboot and verify they got an address from the router and voila, everyone's back on the net."

Why is it done this way?  Why not get DHCP addresses from the router--all the time--rather than the server?



 

by: CrisHanna_MVPPosted on 2009-08-20 at 16:58:41ID: 25148121

Because configuring DHCP Server on the SBS does much more than just giving an address.  Look at DHCP server Options on the SBS server and you'll find things you cannot do with a router's DHCP server.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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