Home Network

BTW, the DHCP might be on the CISCO Router, I dunno.

All I care about is that I want to keep it the way that it is currently setup.

Just a few questions first:

1. How do you currently have the NT Server setup?  As a PDC or Standalone machine...This is a big question.
2. Why are you using ICS on the Win2k Box when you have a router?


And a few suggestions:

1. Utilize the router for Internet sharing as opposed to the Win2k Pro machine.
2. Use the NT Server box as a DHCP server.

If all PCs
- use some kind of Microsoft OS
- all uses the same IP range
- have the same default gateway
- are in the same Workgroup/Domain
- have no specific limited acces/rights set
you should be able to se all computers from all the others (It might take a while 5-10min or so befor a newly turned on computer appear) without the use of domain servers, WINS or DNS (Allthough the help and quicken things up a bit)

not all of the pcs use the same ip range--

5/6 of there use my static ips; and the rest use 192.168.0.1 (local) ips.

i would ideally just like to use the nt server for Wins, and not DNS (along with being a PDC).

1. the NT Server is currently configred to be a PDC.  
2. because it works.

Ok, so the static IP addresses are public addresses which use the router, and the private address range uses ICS??

Each machine should be on the same network.  If the above question is correct, then set all machines to your private address range and use the Win2k box as your gateway.  ICS offers DHCP, so this may already be working.  

To participate in the domain, the machines will have to be setup as follows:

Win9x, ME

Under Network Neighborhood, Properties, Identification Tab, set the workgroup to your domain name.

Go to the properties under client for microsoft networks and check to box that says log on to domain, and fill in the domain name in the supplied field

Win NT, 2000

You'll have to join the domain on these machines by changing from a workgroup or previous domain to the domain located at your house.  A computer account must be created using an account with administrative priviledges.

i want to keep certain machines on the Web (with static ips) for web-serving purposes.

and in these machines i want to install 2 nics, so that they can also have a DHCP (setting on the) card that connects to the Domain (PDC).

BTW, all machines are Win2K, pro & server.

I want to use the Static IPs on certain machines for the best www.server experience possible.

and i want to use the NT4domain for security on these web servers.

Then install the second network card in each machine with the static ip address, setup the card for DHCP, and follow the steps to participate in the domain.  

I wouldn't assign a gateway address to the second network card though, as you'll already have it setup with the static ip addresses.

It sounds to me like you need a firewall with NAT and IP and/or portforwarding maybe even DNS, routing traffic between your private network, your DMZ and internet. This would get you some protection, You have quite some machines there to protect, and might save you some NICs.

i dont currently have the DMZ (as i understand)

i just thought that this was a little too much for home..

i was planning on setting up MS Proxy 2.0/SBS 4.5 in order to have the best overall package..

aaron

Yin:  I agree with what you are saying but I was trying to get him up and going with what he has..

to stay simple, I would do what was suggested and just add a second NIC to the public servers and join them to the domain. However, this open a big hole into you private network. I would be sure to open only specific needed ports on the external NICs and possibly add a packet filter on the router if you don't want to put a firewall. If you do decide to install a firewall, I wouldn't use MS proxy2.0, I would use windows2000 RRAS or a hardware solution like a Sonicwall or a linksys.

Hope this helps.