Setup a Proxy Server/DHCP server/Internet Access Server on One PC

Basically what it says in the title - I'm attempting to setup a combined Proxy, DHCP, and Internet Access PC all in one to replace the broken one at the Primary School I work at.

Current Setup: Netgear 48 Port Switch connects to 36 Client PC's and 8 Laptops via Cat5 Cable. Netgear is connected to a Win2003-server PC, and a Cable Router where it get's internet access. Each client PC has to have a proxy setup in internet options in order to get internet access.

I'd obviously like them to get their internet access through the Proxy/DHCP server PC, but I really have no g'darn clue how to go about it.

I've researched about WinProxy and using Apache as a Proxy server, and think although Apache maybe a bit more complicated to setup, it's probably the best, and free, option.

Soooo....where do I start?

The original Proxy PC used two NIC cards (and the new one will too), one was directly connected to one of the Ethernet 10Base-T, Ethernet 100Base-TX, whilst the other was connected to one of the 2x10/100/1000Base-T(uplink) ports. Guessing one of the NIC's was used to assign the DHCP, whilst the other connected directly to the network?

I've never done it with a PC running Linux but it is possible. One NIC connects to the LAN and the other NIC connects to the Internet.

I do however know how to do it using Windows.

Install the DHCP service on the Windows 2003 server - it's free! Set the appropriate IP range e.g. 192.168.100.1 - .254

Install Windows on the PC, XP will do. Set the NIC properties up both using FIXED IPs. The one facing the LAN could be .1 or maybe .254 this will then be the gateway address. The NIC connecting to the Internet gateway/router will need to be set to whatever the router is expecting.

Get cheap NAT/gateway package such as CCProxy which costs $US 69 for an unlimited user count license. Download from - http://www.youngzsoft.net/ccproxy/purchase.htm

If that's they way you're thinking of going I'll get you details on setting up DHCP correctly on Server 2003.

Where would the Server2003 server be connected to? To one of the Ethernet 10Base-T, Ethernet 100Base-TX ports, or to one of the 10/100/1000Base-T(uplink) ports? I'm going to go with one of the 10/100/1000Base-T(uplink) ports on the Netgear Switch, as that is what the switch uses to assign the proper IP's to the rest of the client PC's. Do let me know if I'm wrong in this regard however.

Already done

Chyeah, school doesn't want to/isn't going to pay for something that can be gotten free (Apache) - stingy gits they be.

Anyway, some good info on this. I'm still quite confused as to how they're all connected to the 48 port switch - guess I could always test.

All the 'client' PCs & lappies connect to the switch. The Windows 2003 server also connects to the switch. Thus, running DHCP server on the 2003 server means that it is visible to all the PCs/lappies for them to get IP addresses.

The switch is 'transparent' and doesn't allocate addresses etc.

Apache is a web server NOT an Internet proxy server and it runs on Linux/Unix systems not Windows.

The PC that is acting as a gateway has 2 NICs. One connects to the 48 port switch and the other to the router/gateway.

See attached example_LAN.pdf for an approximation.

Ahh k. So the Client PC's should just dynamically get an IP address from the Windows 2003 Server attached?

This page says it does both: http://www.devshed.com/c/a/Administr...-Proxy-Server/

And this page shows how to install it on Windows http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.0/platform/windows.html

Thanks for the PDF. Cleared up quite a few things. I'm not a Network engineer, as can be seen.

No problems, I am not hot on Linux/Unix but am pretty good on networks.

On the DHCP server you need to set the address pool with the top and bottom IP addresses to fit your LAN e.g 192.168.100.1 & 192.168.100.254

Then you need to set Scope Options and you need at least:-

003 Router which holds the IP address of the PC NIC acting as Gateway e.e. 192.168.106.1

006 DNS Servers - holds the address of the INTERNAL DNS server, should be setup on the Win 2003 server.

015 DNS Domain Name - holds the domain name of your LAN e.g. mydomain.ac.uk

If you have WINS running on the Win 2003 server then add:
044 WINS/NDNS Server - holds IP address of WINS server
046 WINS/NBT Node type - set to 0x8

The PCs then get this info when they request an IP from DHCP and you can see this on the PCs by opening up a command prompt and enetering - ipconfig /All

Any further questions please ask.