SBS 2003 vs Linksys BEFSR41

Ok. Maybe someone can give me a hand with this. We are setting up a Small Business Server 2003 network. Everything is going great except for the Remote Access configuration. We are leasing a T1 line in the building and our office is connected via a Linksys BEFSR41. How can I map the servers local IP to an external one with this router? Thanks and sorry if this is an easy question or if you need more info.

Firstly, I searched Google for your product and I was directed to the Linksys page (at http://www.linksys.com/products/pro...?prid=20&grid=5). Clicking User Guide on the left hand side opens the acrobat user guide. Going to page 36 of 66, you'll see a section on port forwarding which covers what you want to do.

This is taken straight from the guide:

To add a server using Port Range Forwarding:
1. Enter the name of the application in the appropriate Customized Applications
field.
2. Next to the name of the application, enter the number or range of the external
port(s) used by the server or Internet application in the Ext. Port column.
Check with the Internet application software documentation for more information.
3. On the same line, select the protocol UDP or TCP, or select both protocols.
4. Enter the IP address of the server that you want the Internet users to be able
to access. To find the IP address, go to “Appendix F: Finding the MAC
Address and IP Address for Your Ethernet Adapter.”
5. Check the Enable box to enable the services you have defined. Port Range
Forwarding will not function if the Enable button is left unchecked. This is
disabled (unchecked) by default.
6. Configure as many entries as needed—the Router supports up to 10 ranges of
ports. Click the Apply button when you are done.

Basically what you are doing is configuring the router to open certain ports. When people try to access these ports externally, they are automatically forwarded to the Ip address of your internal server, making it appear as if the server is directly connected to the Internet.

edwinbrains,

I realize that this was posted awhile ago... but didn't want anyone else to read your response without knowing the "other" side of the story. Checking the Linksys site did not give you the real story because SBS2003 has a terrific way of handling this situation.

To enable RAC, re-run the EICW (Email and Internet Connection Wizard). As with most SBS configurations... the wizards work wonders! The SBS will automatically configure the router's ports as long as UPnP is enabled on the router.

How the fields in the wizard are completed depends on whether the server has one or two NICs. Using two NICS, the Internet connection goes directly into the server which then acts as the firewall (a separate hardware firewall can also be used).

I would suggest that SBS users just open SBS's HELP and enter "router configuration" in the search box. There are great instructions there.

The SBS is a very secure server environment, but it only remains that way if you follow Best Practices. Manually configuring a router could open up your entire network, especially if you aren't quite sure what you're doing.

Hope that all helps!

:-)

That sounds pretty good, if SBS does do it all for you. I've not looked at this yet, so I can't try it out for myself.

Well, they aren't offering that exact procedure... but you can demo SBS 2003 via on-line interactive demo:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsser...os/default.mspx

Check it out!