Morning Gentlemen, ladies:

I'm a newby...need some basic direction.

I've got a Windows 2003 server, for file sharing and print operations. Nothing more. Our LAN is connected through a workgroup. We share a gateway for our internet service, the subnet mask all the same, the TCP all the same for first three parts, where the device is the only difference. Our server simply verifies user names (authenticates) and does not allow access if it's not in the system.

I think I need to change that. We ordered a static address from our ISP in hopes to access our server in our office from our homes. I need to change our network to share the internet within our office's lan but also continue our file sharing and print sharing access. That's my first step, I need to get an operational network... not too worried about the server access over the net quite yet (we do have PC Anywhere though).

Right now I can share the gateway we use and we all have access to the internet (our Network Card address for our internet router being that gateway)... it works well...

When I setup our new modem using the new gateway (due to the static IP) only one IP address will allow access to the net on our server or our workstation, everything else seems firewalled or something... (I assume because it's a static address).. I am no longer able to share that gateway due to the firewall not allowing my workstations (having a higher/lower IP ranges) to access the net...

Anyone know where i should start on this? I just need a very very basic setup... nothing estravigent. We are a very small company with only about 12 computers and 1 file sharing server....

Hello brian,

Welcome to PCHF.

Do you have access to the router, or is it maintained by your provider. You can normally access your router settings via Internet Explorer, and type in the IP address of your router. You can normally configure your IP Address range from there?

I don't. They won't allow me access. They keep telling me it's an administration problem. I'm assuming that if I can get that 1 IP Address to work over my LAN, but no others, the others must be firewalled or not in the assigned IP range for the LAN...

Could it be something else maybe? Why only 1 IP will work throughout the office... to access both the server and the internet?

According to our ISP they have to setup a static hostmap. Anyone have any experience in this area? According to what i know End-to-end access is not so easy... ftp won't work to access our office from our homes at that point, but I am not sure....

Hi, you didn't say where your PC's are allocated their IP addresses from - could you clarify. Also, in terms of topography, where, in relation to the network, does the 2003 box sit?

What/where is the firewall that you reference situated? Locally on each PC or on the router/modem?

K...thank you everyone for your help!!!! Our LAN computers are attached to a hub. The hub is attached to the server. The modem is also attached to our hub.

Right now, our gateways on our local machines are set to the number I assigned to the NIC card on our server. At that point, our internet works and we can all attach to the server without a problem.

I was told I should install DHCP on my server... and that I wouldn't have to do anything else at that point... I am trying to avoid complete rehaul of our network environment. I think, our server is acting somewhat as a router at the same time??? So, I think, installing the DHCP should allow us to continue to share the internet service, but I am not sure...