Hi Just started learning 2008 Server and would very much appreciate some help I have installed a trial of 2008 R2 Enterprise on my PC at Home, so far I have managed to Install Active Directory and promote the server as a PDC. I have also installed DNS on this PDC. The PDC has a fixed IP and is connected via ethernet to a router, also with a fixed ip. I have connected a laptop running XP Professional to the same router, the laptop also has a fixed IP. Created user accounts and managed to get the laptop to join the domain and log on (hoorah!) I have another router which sits downstairs, connected to the internet, with wireless enabled. I have managed previously to connect this router to the one upstairs (which is now being used with my 2008 server) and turned off DHCP on the upstairs router, then connecting the two routers together via powerline Ethernet. This enabled me to extend the range of my wireless successfully. The downstairs router has DHCP enabled. My question, at last, is, if I connect the downtairs router to the upstairs one again, via powerline adapters, given that I now also have my new PDC connected to the upstairs router, running DNS. How can I allow my server and ultimately the connecting xp laptop (which logs into the server), to have internet access via the downtairs router. I am concerned that my network should remain secure internally whilst being able to access the web via the two routers, connected together. Do I need to disable DHCP on the downstairs router? Given that other devices need to connect to it wirelessly, such as phones. I hope this makes sense, I would very much appreciate any guidance, please bear with me, as I am not an IT person. Thanks

Hello, Just started learning 2008 Server and would very much appreciate some help I have installed a trial of 2008 R2 Enterprise on my PC at Home, so far I have managed to Install Active Directory and promote the server as a PDC. I have also installed DNS on this PDC. The PDC has a fixed IP and is connected via ethernet to a router, also with a fixed ip. I have connected a laptop running XP Professional to the same router, the laptop also has a fixed IP. Created user accounts and managed to get the laptop to join the domain and log on (hoorah!) I have another router which sits downstairs, connected to the internet, with wireless enabled. I have managed previously to connect this router to the one upstairs (which is now being used with my 2008 server) and turned off DHCP on the upstairs router, then connecting the two routers together via powerline Ethernet. This enabled me to extend the range of my wireless successfully. The downstairs router has DHCP enabled. Please provide us with picture which illustrates your infrastructure. My question, at last, is, if I connect the downtairs router to the upstairs one again, via powerline adapters, given that I now also have my new PDC connected to the upstairs router, running DNS. How can I allow my server and ultimately the connecting xp laptop (which logs into the server), to have internet access via the downtairs router. I am concerned that my network should remain secure internally whilst being able to access the web via the two routers, connected together. Do I need to disable DHCP on the downstairs router? Given that other devices need to connect to it wirelessly, such as phones. For your DC, please make sure that it points to its private IP address as primary DNS server and to 127.0.0.1 as secondary DNS server. Once done, run ipconfig /registerdns and restart netlogon on it. Also, please make sure that your ISP DNS server is set as a forwarder. For your client computers, make sure that they are pointing to the DC as primary DNS server. For more information, I need to know your exact infrastructure. This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties or guarantees , and confers no rights. Microsoft Student Partner 2010 / 2011 Microsoft Certified Professional Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator: Security Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer: Security Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist: Windows Server 2008 Active Directory, Configuration Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist: Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure, Configuration Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist: Windows Server 2008 Applications Infrastructure, Configuration Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist: Windows 7, Configuring Microsoft Certified IT Professional: Enterprise Administrator Microsoft Certified IT Professional: Server Administrator

Hi Mr X Thanks very much for your reply, My objectives are to 1. log on to the server via wired/ wireless connections 2. Share files from the server 3. Securely Access the internet from the server and pc's/laptops logged on to it I should have mentioned that Router 2 has the firewall enabled, Router 1 it is switched off. I have hashed together a quick diagram, as requested.

For the DC, I keep the same advice. For client computer, I keep the same advice. For internet you have not specified which router is connected to internet. Just make sure that your routes are well configured. If you proceed like that then all should be okay. For ports, I recommend allowing only needed ports to secure access. For AD authentication: http://msmvps.com/blogs/rexiology/archive/2006/04/05/89389.aspx For access to shared folders: open 445 (TCP/UDP) port This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties or guarantees , and confers no rights. Microsoft Student Partner 2010 / 2011 Microsoft Certified Professional Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator: Security Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer: Security Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist: Windows Server 2008 Active Directory, Configuration Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist: Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure, Configuration Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist: Windows Server 2008 Applications Infrastructure, Configuration Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist: Windows 7, Configuring Microsoft Certified IT Professional: Enterprise Administrator Microsoft Certified IT Professional: Server Administrator

Hi, thanks again for the info, very helpful, I'm still not entirely clear about the routing aspect, my Homehub router (Router 2 in the diagram) is a standard BT one, connected to the internet. It has a firewall enabled. It also has wireless enabled for allowing laptops to access the web directly via the router. Assuming I didn't have the first router and I just connected my Windows 2008 DC to the router 2, directly, would I still need to reconfigure the router or server in some way. My only requirement is to securely access the internet on the server and eventually access the internet on clients that log onto the domain server. I beleive, although not entirely sure that my internet router is performing NAT, so I assume I do not need to set this up on the server, or install a proxy server. I am only using the server for learning purposes, I would like to connect to the server eventually using the wireless capability of the router, although maybe I am running before I can walk. I hope this makes sense, I do appreciate your assistance I will be investing in some decent books. Any suggestions ?