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complicated home network setup

J

JoeyM

Senior member
What I want:

Cable modem connects to router (which has VOIP and will serve for security/firewall). The VOIP router connects to a sixteen port managed switch and connects to the wired ethernet outlets throughout my home. One outlet is connected to a six port unmanaged switch in the attic which has 2 data servers and 2 client computers attached. Two of the managed switch ethernet outlets on opposite sides of the house will be plugged into Wireless N routers (each has 4 Lan outputs). The wireless should have the same SSID and passwords for roaming.

I can't seem to configure the network so that all computers can see each other (especially the attic servers). I am not an IT person and have searched the forums for answers to what I am doing wrong.

1. Should I be using crossover cables between routers?
2. Should the wireless routers be attached to the WAN port or the LAN port?
3. What specific settings for the various routers especially with regards to DHCP and security?
4. Any Windows settings (such as disable firewall) that are important to get things working?

Any help would be appreciated. I'm off today and this is my project before the kids get home from school.

Thank you,

Joe M.
 
Can all of the computers access the internet?

Since you have a hardware firewall - disable all software firewalls.

Are all of the systems set to the same workgroup?

Does the managed switch have any special settings enabled?

Should the wireless routers be attached to the WAN port or the LAN port? - wireless routers have firewalls that block traffic. Nothing in front of the wireless router will be able to access anything behind the router without some kind of special configuration on the router.
 
Texashiker said:
Can all of the computers access the internet?

Since you have a hardware firewall - disable all software firewalls.

Are all of the systems set to the same workgroup?

Does the managed switch have any special settings enabled?

Should the wireless routers be attached to the WAN port or the LAN port? - wireless routers have firewalls that block traffic. Nothing in front of the wireless router will be able to access anything behind the router without some kind of special configuration on the router.
Click to expand...

I have thigs set up differently right now so I have to set things up as outlined above. I will post answers after plugging everything in.
 
JoeyM said:
What I want:

Cable modem connects to router (which has VOIP and will serve for security/firewall). The VOIP router connects to a sixteen port managed switch and connects to the wired ethernet outlets throughout my home. One outlet is connected to a six port unmanaged switch in the attic which has 2 data servers and 2 client computers attached. Two of the managed switch ethernet outlets on opposite sides of the house will be plugged into Wireless N routers (each has 4 Lan outputs). The wireless should have the same SSID and passwords for roaming.

I can't seem to configure the network so that all computers can see each other (especially the attic servers). I am not an IT person and have searched the forums for answers to what I am doing wrong.

1. Should I be using crossover cables between routers?
2. Should the wireless routers be attached to the WAN port or the LAN port?
3. What specific settings for the various routers especially with regards to DHCP and security?
4. Any Windows settings (such as disable firewall) that are important to get things working?

Any help would be appreciated. I'm off today and this is my project before the kids get home from school.

Thank you,

Joe M.
Click to expand...

Don't use the "WAN" ports on the N routers except the one that is the firewall. Disable DHCP etc on all but one of the routers, most likely the main firewall in the house.

You're creating a double-nat (multinat actually since your stacking a bunch of these things) which creates a huge mess that is way more complicated than it needs to be. Your setup is actually quite "simple" in the theme of things, you're just making it hard and complicated.

You might need crossovers if you are connecting 100mbps to 100mbps. Gig is autocross and can use standard cables. As for the Windows firewalls... I turn xp's off since it seems to cause more issues than it solves. Windows 7's however works so I leave it on.
 
Thanks for all the resposes. I will read through the link above. Only the first (VOIP) router is 100mbs-all others are Gig routers. I will use the LAN ports and not the WAN ports on the wireless routers and I will disable firewall on XP computers. I'll let you know what happens.

Thanks,

Joe M.
 
Texashiker said:
Since you have a hardware firewall - disable all software firewalls.
Click to expand...

The above is as true as.

All donkeys have ears.

Humans have ears too.

So all humans are donkeys. :\

Router's NAT Firewall it only an inbound firewall which in today Internet provides only 30-40% of the protection needed.

---------------------------
Any Router beyond the one that is connected to the Modem (wireless or wire) have to be configured this way, http://www.ezlan.net/router_AP.html
---------------------------

When the topology is correct configure the Sharing of each computer.

----------------------
Win7 when configured on peer-to-peer Network has three types of Sharing configurations.

HomeGroup = Works only between Win 7 computers. This type of configuration makes it very easy to Entry Level Users to start Network sharing.

Home Network or Work Network = Basically similar(and better) to the previous methods of Work Group sharing that let you control what, how, and to whom folders would be shared with.

Public Sharing = Public Network (like Internet cafe) to reduce security risks.

For best results log to each computer's System Screen and set all the computers to be on a with the sameWork Group name while each computer has its ownunique name.
http://www.ezlan.net/Win7/net_name.jpg

Make sure that the Software Firewall, AV, or other components of Security allow free local traffic on all Networked computers. If you use 3rd party Security On, Vista/XP Native Firewall should be Off, and the active Firewall has to adjusted to your Network IP numbers on what is some time called the Trusted Zone (consult your 3rd Party Firewall instructions

General example, http://www.ezlan.net/faq.html#trusted

Please Note that some 3rd party Software Firewalls/AV/Security suits keep blocking aspects of Local Traffic even it they are turned Off (disabled). If possible configure the Firewall correctly, or totally uninstall it to allow clean flow of local network traffic.
If end up with the 3rd party software uninstalled or disabled, make sure that Windows native Firewall is On .

------------------------------
If your network is comprised of Win 7 only and you want a simple Network, use this.
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/help/videos/sharing-files-with-homegroup
After configuring the Homegroup scroll down to the Permission/Security section.
-----------------------------

Networking Win 7 with other version of Windows as Work Network (works very well if all computers are Win 7 too).
In the Network Center, clicking on the Network type opens the window to the right.
Choose your type of Network. Notice the check mark at the bottom, and check/uncheck it according to your needs.
http://www.ezlan.net/Win7/net_type.jpg
Win 7 - http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/...mputers-running-different-versions-of-Windows

Win 7 Work Network specific folder sharing - http://www.onecomputerguy.com/windows7/windows7_sharing.htm

Vista File and Printer Sharing- http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb727037.aspx

Windows XP File Sharing - http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;304040

In Win XP Pro with simple sharing Off, you can Visually see the Permission/Security setting , and configure them to your liking.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/security/learnmore/accesscontrol.mspx#securityTab

Printer Sharing XP - http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/expert/honeycutt_july2.mspx

Windows Native Firewall setting for Sharing XP - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/875357

Windows XP patch for Sharing with Vista (Not need for XP-SP3) - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922120

When finished with the setting of the system it is advisable to Reboot all the hardware including the Router and all computers involved.
-------------
If you have Permission and Security issues with Vista/Win7, check the following settings.

Point to the a Folder that meant to to be share. Right click and choose properties.

In the properties

Click on the Security tab shown in the pic bellow to the right) and check that the users and their permission (shown in the pic bellow center and left) are correctly configured. Then do the same to the Permission tab.
This screen shot is from Win 7, Vista's menus are similar.
http://www.ezlan.net/Win7/Permission-Security.jpg
In both the Security panel, and the Permission panel you have to highlight each User/Group and examine that the Permission Controls are checked correctly.
When everything is OK, Reboot the Network (Router, and computer).

* Note . The Groups and Users shown in the screen-shoot are just an example. Your list will look the way your system is configured.

**Note . All users that are allowed to share need to have account onall the computers that they are allowed to connect to.

Everyone is an account, it means a group of all of the users that already have an account and been established as users. It is available to avoid the need of configuring permission to each on its own, it does not mean
Everyone that feel that they would like to login.
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