Link to home
Start Free TrialLog in
Avatar of Theo
Theo

asked on

Do I now suddenly need a router?

I am in the middle of a migration from SBS 2003 to 2011. I let myself guide by the "Migrate to Windows sbs 2011 standard from Windows sbs 2003" which can be found here (http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=14570 ).

There is a chapter in there where I am asked to Reconfigure my existing network and install a router. I do not understand this. For one I do not have a router, only a cable modem which feeds directly into one network port of my server (and another NIC that serves my lan). The "multihomed' server so to speak. I have a  DHCP server on my server as well. This configuration has worked allright in the past decade or more.

Can someone tell me what I should do now?
Avatar of Alan Hardisty
Alan Hardisty
Flag of United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland image

You will need a router.

A modem straight into the SBS 2011 server will leave it publicly available and that's not in the least bit recommended.

With SBS 2003, you could install ISA server which acted as your firewall and protected the LAN side of the server.  That doesn't exist in SBS 2011.

Alan
Avatar of Theo
Theo

ASKER

Thanks very much, but what I forgot to mention is that I also have the Microsoft Forefront disk (Threat and Management gateway 2010 Standard) here. Does that change anything.
SOLUTION
Avatar of Cliff Galiher
Cliff Galiher
Flag of United States of America image

Link to home
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Start Free Trial
TMG is a complicated beast to setup and manage unless you are very knowledgeable about it.

I'd stick with a router - much easier to install, configure and manage, and as Cliff has said, you will need a second server for it.

My personal preference for a router would be something with Draytek written on it.

Alan
SOLUTION
Link to home
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Start Free Trial
Avatar of Theo

ASKER

Thank you all very much. It looks attractive to create my own router with Untagled, but that is for the future, for the time being (and given the hildays and my isolated location) I'll have to content myself with a hom router.
First a possibly stupid question: I have an Eminent 4553 which is a wireless router. It has however 5 rj45 ports so I wonder whether it can also be used as a regular router.
Avatar of Theo

ASKER

My question is less stupid then I thought. Everyone offers routers but on close inspection they are meant for wifi or are a combo with a modem, which apparently disallows a fixed Ip-address as I need. So what are the specs I should look for?
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
Link to home
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Start Free Trial
Avatar of Theo

ASKER

Thanks, but this again has a wireless component and I already have a well running wifi network. WEhat is the barest router possible.
Try the 2860 instead - no wireless, or the 2830.  Does USB and Ethernet (as well as DSL)

Alan
Avatar of Theo

ASKER

All these routers are meant for ADSL, I have a cable connection
No - they cover ADSL, Ethernet, USB and if you get the 2860, VDSL too.

Your cable modem presumably provides you with an Ethernet cable you plug into the server, well you just plug that into WAN 2 on a Draytek, configure the router and off you go.

Alan
Avatar of Theo

ASKER

Allright, am totally new to routers and needed to know that. I am now offered a Vigor 2130, what do you think of it?
No worries - totally understand.

That will do the job.  Aimed more at the SoHo market, but just as good as the 2830 / 2860, just cheaper ;)

Alan
In an earlier post of yours you mentioned you had a DAP 2553 access point/router.  Is this the same site?  If so could you not use it?  It sounds like it was connected to the LAN side of your SBS before, but now you will only have 1 NIC and one network segment.  It could be placed between the modem and a switch, configured with the public IP, and the rest of the settings left as is.  You would then connect a switch to the SBS and PCs.
you dont need a router you need a firewall.

I would go with the opensource pfsense which will run on an old pc as long as it has 2 nics.
Avatar of Theo

ASKER

@Rob Will. I do indeed have a DAP 2553, but it is only an access point. It doesnt have a WAN port, so cannot be used as a router.

@donnk Looks like similar to Untangle, but not on Windows

All very worthwile suggestions, but this is a SOHO and the administration of my system is already taking up way too much time.
Meanwhile I have bought a Netgear N300, mainly because this was the only thing available on New Years day. It isnt the professional device I'd prefer, but that is probably for the future. Now I have to get this thing running - for which I'll open another thread here. Everyone thanks.