Hey guys,due to the advice on the forums over the months, I have decided to get an internship job while I complete my computer degree at the local university. (Insuring that I am not a paper cert

So I have been interning now for a good 3 months, however, the network will be switch to a client/server model. This is where things get tricky and what Sybex and Mike Myer books dont teach you- real world problems!!!!

Here goes any suggestions greatly appreciated. This is how the network is set up as it stands. Its probably best to draw a diagram.


There are 15 computers scattered across the building. There are rj45 cables running from the pc into the wall outlet.

All wires eventually converges to a patch panel in the opposite end of the building.(yes wires have been verified and wihtin maximum distance)

ANother set of rj45 cables run from the patch panel to a workgroup hub. One slot on the hub is reserved for the DSL router. The hub and the dsl router is connected together via a rj45 cable to allow internet acess.(obviously the router has another cable connecting it to our ISP).



The solution ???

Purchase a stand-alone computer to be the server.
Server will have 2 ethernet adapters
Also purchase a switch so that all users can have optimum speed


I can directly connect the server to the patch panel or to the switch.
Which one is better???

From there,
plug the dsl router rj45 cable into the second ethernet adapter on the server.

Then following the steps of users,groups,domains yada yada


Am I set to save the day or just chaos waiting to happen??
Any suggestions greatly appreciated... thanks a million

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good idea with the switch
plug the server directly into switch
but what kind of server is it ie. file server, print server, dns, etc....
while one or two functions are ok having all these things on one computer is not really a good thing (I don't know how your setup is so you may not have to get more than one) but if your doing a domain type deal then having the router(internet gateway) being the only server in your network things will be VERY unsecure not to mention slow

this is what I would do

dsl goes into one nic on gateway, other nic goes to switch (nothing else on this server, except firewall software, and maybe some internet cacheing stuff)
another server for your domain controller (users, groups, all shared dirctories, all home directories,I'm assuming your using win 2000) also connected to switch
patch panel doesn't need to be changed and hubs will work fine for your small network

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Ok here is the best soulotion as I see it as I do this in the real world and it will save you much time.

1. Have all 15 pc's, 1 server, 1 dsl router all plug in the patchpannel. Then label your patch pannel to where it is on the floor so that you can use it for what it was inteaded to do. You almost never wana go directly into a switch or server unless you must. So now that everything is in the patch pannel then from there make your patch's go into the switch and this will make it all look clean and neat. Make Sense? If not make another post and I will help.

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Thanks so much Manjo and Jombewoof.

I have created blueprints for the setup as the server will arrive this coming Tuesday.

The IT budget is tight, so purchasing two servers will be a dead end. So the server will have to be a multi-purpose... domain controller, dns and file. Yep we will be using win2000.


thanks for the advice to both of you.

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