Will a switch work when a router won't... Weird software problem.

[Matt L]

I'm setting up broadband wireless in 3 offices that all need to use an application that won't work with a router. The company that supplys the software states catagorically it will not work behind a router and needs a public address. It works fine with a dial up connection, but that is not what we need in the offices. I do need to connect 2 computers to the broadband so I was wondering if a switch would work.

i can live without the firewall capability of a router inorder to use this application, are there any other options I can use to connect 2 or more computers and still use this app?

 

[ZeroNine8]

If you want to set it up outside the router, you will need 2 IP addresses from your ISP. Connect your broadband to both this one computer as well as your router (use a switch if necessary) then use the rest of the computers connected through the router as before.

Though, I'm surprised that you can't use port forwarding and get this to work behind the router, I guess the software vendor would know...

 

[Allanv]

would these applications work if both pcs had a dns client installed like www.dynu.com the basic client.

I run all sorts this way behind a router, and all the pcs have internal ip addresses.

So your machines would have a internet address of
made-up-name.dynu.com


ask the question see what happens

 

[JackMDS]

If it really works only with public address it will not work behind Entry Level Router.

Dialup is a Public Address.

Switch would be OK but the two computers will not be able to use the connection together.

You need two IPs from you ISP. Put the computers on a switch and use software Firewall on each computer.

Or.

If the dialup is fast enough for the application and you do not do any thing else concerning Internet at the time. Leave the Dialup Modem in the computer. You can put an NIC in it and connect it to a Router. It is simple to set it so that when the dialup is off the computer will use the Internet through the Router. When you need to use the application start the dialup and the computer will be connect trough the Dialup. The Firewall software will work with both.

 

[Matt L]

I think the real problem is that the application is firewalled, using Check Point. In order for the application to work you have to log into Check Point Secure Remote and then the app will connect and function.

How about internet connection sharing? I'm running Win 2K on all the systems and it wouldn't be a problem to pop in a second NIC and skip the router/switch all together. Thanks for the help...

 

[ZeroNine8]

If ICS accomplishes everything you need from a security and connectivity standpoint, I can't see any big reason not to do it that way.

 

[JackMDS]

ICS Hmm. You can try.

But if the Public IP trick is to make sure that people buy the Application for each computer, then you should take it into consideration, and respect the contract.

 

[dnoyeb]

Because ICS requires one computer to remain on. Thats the drawback. plus i think win2k ICS is using NAT anyway.

No a switch will not work unless you purchase additional IP addresses for each computer in your network. typically your ISP gives you one, but now you need 1 per computer.
Sounds like their setup does not like the NAT address that the router will provide. For me this makes them a backward company as most companies even MS have added the ability to use NAT addresses to their applications.
So I dont think its about the firewall as much as its about the NATted addresses. do you install special software on your computer to connect to their server?

if you are trying to be so secure, using wireless may not be the best path of success, unless you have encryption on the software level and are not concerned with network intrusions.

 

[Matt L]

I'm not trying to be so secure, and yes the company that created the software is backward. It's the Sabre airline reservation system and if you saw some of the arcane code you have to use you would think you were back in 1980! What they've done is port the old code so it works under windows. luckily you don't have to buy the software, they don't care if you have 2 or 20 computers hooked up. You sign a contract and you're set, just download as many copies as you need.

The main computer is on in each office 24/7, so if I hook directly to that and then perhaps ICS will work. They do use other software but it is totally web based Java app and for some reason in the afternoon it completely bogs down, too many users. The old system based software is much quicker and rarely goes down unlike the Java version.

 

[martind1]

someone explain to me why ICS will work but behind a router will not?


did i miss somehting while scanning these posts?

 

[JackMDS]

Originally posted by: martind1Did i miss somehting while scanning these posts?

The all thing is slightly confusing, and I am not sure that I get it right.

However if the software needs public IP it will not work at all from the Router since the computers are on Private IPs.

If one computer is connected directly to the Internet the software might work. The other computer trough ICS might be able to share the Connection, but since it done through ICS it will be on Private IP and will not be able to use the software.

 

[gunrunnerjohn]

I'm curious as to why the DMZ option won't work for one computer behind the router. Obviously, none of the other systems could then forward ports, but maybe that's OK.