Running a server behind a router..

[FlyingMonkey]

I have a home network - an Asante FR3004 Router with Comcast@Home - with three computers. Two run Windows 2000 Pro and the other is on Windows 98.

On my machine, I'd like to run a server. Whenever I do so, my IP Address is 192.168.123.x - which of course, is for private networks and won't be seen outside of my own network. That means .. say .. a friend down the street won't be able to connect. I do believe my actual IP is assigned to my router .. and of course, the router's not running the server.

So I had one person tell me I had to install/run/etc NAT. I know what NAT is and I know what it does, but I do not know how to set it up. I don't even know where to start. I did a bit of homework last night, but I couldn't quite figure it out. Any advise as to what I can do?

----------------------------------------------


edit:
Secondly - I have all three machines assign their own IP Automatically. Should I keep it like that? Or should I assign an IP to each machine? I tried having a 1v1 UTDM over my lan, but for some reason the two computers would not connect. Would assigning an IP Address to each computer solve this? (this question has nothing to do with the first qusetion above, btw)

[YeOldeStonecat]

Your router already runs NAT (Network Address Translation). What NAT does is take a single IP, your WAN IP, that your ISP assigns you when you log on. Since you have cable, this IP is most likely the same every day. NAT basically shares it to an internal private IP scope, your LAN, your 192.168.XXX.XXX scheme.

Whenever you run a server, you want your server to have a static LAN IP, meaning you assign it, not use the DHCP service of the router. This is because on the routers port forwarding section, you will want to forward the ports of whatever you want to server to your servers IP address....and this can't be a moving target.

You say you want to run a server....a server for what? Games? You need to find out which ports your game will use, and forward those in the routers admin section.

Your friends will connect to your routers WAN IP address, the one your ISP assigns you. There is usually a status page routers which will tell you what that is when you're logged on.

Also on the manually assigned IP addresses of your workstations, make sure you specify the gateway and DNS servers...leaving WINS disabled.

[MosDef112]

I don't know how helpful this document will be, but I visited Asante's support site and found this (http://techinfo.asante.com/action.lasso?-database=webtechinfo.fp3&-layout=web_layout&-sortField=product&-sortOrder=ascending&-sortField=note%20type&-sortOrder=custom&-op=bw&Confidential=general&-op=cn&product=%20&-op=bw&key%20field=FR3004&-search&-Response=detail.html&-MaxRecords=1&-SkipRecords=12) pertaining to your router. Asante doesn't call it NAT, it calls it virtual servers, hopefully that makes sense.

[CBurcik]

Anyone have an opinion about the Asante Router with modem back up?

I have been looking for a router with that feature.

I would get it to replace my Linksys......

[FlyingMonkey]

Alrighty. I think I know what to do. Now I just have to do it. :rotfl:


The Virtual Server seems to be what I have to configure. From what I understand, it takes all traffic from one port, and sends it to an IP within the network - and visa versa. However, since I have a random IP given to me by my router each time I reboot, I'd have to change the Virtual Server ip address each time, correct?


here's a picture of what I'm looking at right now:
http://jmiz5.hypermart.net/virtualserver.jpg

[NetGuru]

Did you get this resolved yet? I have a Win2k Server that uses NAT to translate packets from my LAN to my cable service. Win2k Pro is just the workstation it doesn't have routing remote access. Only server does. You can install a NAT. OR BETTER use the internet connection sharing. A lot of people don't realize that you can setup ports to redirect to local IPs. It's a pain to setup but it will work. The easier way is to have server. But... I recommend Microsoft's knowledge base.

[FlyingMonkey]

Alrighty, I think I got this working. Thanks for all your help :)

[MosDef112]

You're very welcome. :)