Server behind a router (question)

[kag]

I am going to buy a router/switch (probably the Linksys BEF41) and there will be 3 computers connected to the device, all using the same IP that my ISP gives me (I know I'm not supposed to 🙂)

But there is one thing that I can't figure out : one of the computers will be a server (web/ftp/mail/anything else) and I don't understand how the router will be able to know where to redirect the user that will connect to one of the server. My friend told me I will have to set up a routing table, is that true? If it is, and if I understand what he told me about routing tables, that table will redirect traffic on a particular port to a defined machine?

 

[splice]

kinda... It's called port forwarding... you setup a range of ports that can be forwarded to a server listening on your LAN. So, you map a port and you tell it what LAN IP it should go to.

 

[kag]

okay
well like if someone connects to my web server, on port 80. It will be redirected to machine A. But if machine B browses the net (also on port 80), the 2 connections won't interfer the other, right?

 

[mk52]

Outgoing connections like web browsing arent touched by the router, except you set up packet filters.
Only incoming connections to your server need port forwarding.


-MeliK

 

[kag]

okay thanks everyone

 

[kag]

One last thing....

what about incoming connections like file transfer in ICQ or MSN?

do you have to configure these clients to get it to work, or the router does this by itself?

 

[Jasonh100]

there is some dynamic ellement to some routers. It depends on what router you have.

 

[kag]

I'm going to buy the Linksys BEFSR41

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