how to setup a network for 1 server and other computers

[moghbr]

i've a t3900 dell precission computer and 25 dell gx620 and 4 other compataible computers.

how can I make them all connected into a network with a one server so i can make the best use of these resources?

and can I do anything remotely on any one of them through the server or not?

that is all.

[+John Teacake MVC]

What do you want to be able to do?

[+BudMan MVC]

You plug their nics into a switch = shazam networked..

You connect them to the same wireless network, networked! You use a combination of those two.. etc..

[JonnyLH]

Connect them all to a switch, or even a home router with enough ports. Bish bash bosh.

 

Then its just what you do with the network. Could work in external access and a DMZ for the server for media resources. World is your oyster.

[+Fahim S. MVC]

You also need a DHCP server of some description, or every machine configured with an IP address.

Most routers have a DHCP server built in.

[+BudMan MVC]

Not actually true - boxes will APIPA if no dhcp normally, so they give themselves a 169.254 address and be networked just fine that way.

But yes its normally better to have a dhcp server, especially if your going to want to route off that network to other network and want to hand out what to use for gateway and or name resolution (dns), etc.

[sc302 Veteran]

Why do you need a DHCP server to network computers?  Why do you need to have every machine configured with an IP address?  While IP is the most common protocol used, you don't need either to have a network environment.  IPX/SPX could be used instead of TCP/IP, why anyone would is a story for a different thread.  Point is that tcpip isn't needed, a network protocol is...any network protocol that allows a computer to communicate with another.  Need isn't the same as recommend or should.

[+BudMan MVC]

^ true -- maybe they want to run netbeui ;) Or appletalk maybe.

[+Nik Louch Subscriber²]

  Quote

Why do you need a DHCP server to network computers?  Why do you need to have every machine configured with an IP address?  While IP is the most common protocol used, you don't need either to have a network environment.  IPX/SPX could be used instead of TCP/IP, why anyone would is a story for a different thread.  Point is that tcpip isn't needed, a network protocol is...any network protocol that allows a computer to communicate with another.  Need isn't the same as recommend or should.

 

The language used is often chosen due to the audience.  As far as this thread goes, that audience is seemingly ignorant of different networking protocols.  

 

He NEEDS a protocol.  He NEEDS to use the simplest, out-of-the-box setup (it seems).

[sc302 Veteran]

True, but we need to educate the audience.  This is a tech site after all, not just a solve my computer problem today site.

 

And if that were the case he wouldn't need to do anything other than patch in a cable to a switch or hub as it will work out of the box with the APIPA address that it gives itself when it can't find a dhcp server or isn't manually assigned an address.  TCP/IP is enabled by default and if you are on a current release of windows ipv6 is also enabled by default.

[+BudMan MVC]

"just a solve my computer problem today site."

heheh you sure about that.. It sure seems like that most of the time..

If you offer a suggestion that is NOT exactly what the user asked for, or suggest that they might be going about it the wrong way.. Or even just asked a freaking question to help clarify what they want to accomplish you quite often get, just answer the F'ng question or don't bother posting..

That does not seem like a tech site to me, those sorts of threads make it seem like - hey spoon feed me this tidbit I need that I am too freaking lazy to look up my self type site ;)

[sc302 Veteran]

Most of your posts go much more in depth than this is how you do it.  You explain not only how to do it but why you do it.  I am more to the point with most of my posts.

[+Fahim S. MVC]

  On 08/08/2013 at 13:34, sc302 said:

Why do you need a DHCP server to network computers? Why do you need to have every machine configured with an IP address? While IP is the most common protocol used, you don't need either to have a network environment. IPX/SPX could be used instead of TCP/IP, why anyone would is a story for a different thread. Point is that tcpip isn't needed, a network protocol is...any network protocol that allows a computer to communicate with another. Need isn't the same as recommend or should.

Because the majority of networks aren't built around IP these days /s

I made some assumptions about what the OP wants/needs. I think I was right but I am sure we'll see.

Oh yeah - and please chill out. It's only a forum.

[sc302 Veteran]

  On 08/08/2013 at 14:34, .fahim said:

Because the majority of networks aren't built around IP these days /s

I made some assumptions about what the OP wants/needs. I think I was right but I am sure we'll see.

Oh yeah - and please chill out. It's only a forum.

lol, sure.  no reason to chill out, I am pretty chill as it is.  Sorry that you took offense to it, but you saying need says to me that you don't know what you are talking about.  You know what assumtions lead to, right? 

 

And I will quote myself so that you know and can add to your personal knowledge base.  I will quote budman too being that he stated it first.

 

 

  On 08/08/2013 at 13:29, BudMan said:

Not actually true - boxes will APIPA if no dhcp normally, so they give themselves a 169.254 address and be networked just fine that way.

 

 

  On 08/08/2013 at 13:47, sc302 said:

And if that were the case he wouldn't need to do anything other than patch in a cable to a switch or hub as it will work out of the box with the APIPA address that it gives itself when it can't find a dhcp server or isn't manually assigned an address.  TCP/IP is enabled by default and if you are on a current release of windows ipv6 is also enabled by default.

[+BudMan MVC]

"Because the majority of networks aren't built around IP these days /s"

Almost didn't notice your shorthand version of <sarcasm/> - problem with the shorthand version is could been read as day's if not looking closely..

And I agree your normally going to see tcp/ip -- my point is that with APIPA, and then sc302 mentioned ipv6 link local you don't really require a dhcp server to be "networked" even using tcp.

I don't think anyone is getting heated or needs to chill here, seems like a normal discussion about the networking to me.. Where is sc302 heated about anything?

I sure was not - just pointing out facts is all. What the saying about facts, does not matter if you believe them or not, still facts ;)

[+Fahim S. MVC]

OK - the response seemed more abrasive than was absolutely necessary. It seemed my interpretation of the seemed abrasiveness missed the mark and for that I apologise.

As for APIPA - no I didn't know that, but do now, so thank you for educating me. But in reality how many IP based networks are really set up like that?

[sc302 Veteran]

standalone networks, quite a few.  It isn't until you need to route, for example if you have multiple subnets or vlans or want to simply get out to the internet, when you have a need for a statically assigned address or dhcp server.  You can set a statically assigned address prior so that you know what the IP address is, but it isn't needed to have a standalone network that doesn't route outside of itself.  And there are plenty of reasons to have a standalone network... if I were put a part of my network on a network that is capable of connecting to the internet or even another internal network, I could be fired (best case) or be put into jail (worst case) because if those systems get compromised in anyway people could die.  There is no dhcp server on that network, every one of them has a assigned address and are locked down, these networks could be done with APIPA without issue.

[+BudMan MVC]

APIPA, believe its called zeroconf in linux/bsd circles I believe Avahi is the implementation most used has been around for quite some time, and yeah you would be surprised how many networks work just fine with it. I personally am not a fan.. But home user connects his 2 machines even with just a patch if one is gig nic and shazam they are networked. User does not even have to know what tcp/ip is - he just looks in his network icon and there is his other machine.

There are quite a few other protocols that play nice with this sort of setup, mDNS and DNS-SD, nss-mdns, etc. etc..

But yeah until you want to "route" plug the things together and bing bang zoom you got a network and can share files, find printers, remote desktop to the other machines, ssh too them, etc. etc. The whole shahbang -- if all you want to do is talk to devices that are local your good to go.

Now most everyone wants to get on the internet these days, so such a network isn't much good.. But since the OP gave us next to nothing to go off of ;)

As to reading abrasiveness into posts, that seems to be a common flaw on neowin.. If I wanted to be abrasive -- you would freaking know it!! ;) I just don't like fluff or unnecessary flowery prose.. I like to get to the point and the facts as bluntly and quickly as possible.. Sc302 seems to be of the same nature, maybe this is why we get along so easy ;) hehee

I assure you, I find it unlikely I would get upset or heated about something some random username on the net said.. Now I can get a bit passionate about topics for sure, I hate FUD and people repeating it can annoy me at times.. But I just don't care enough about random usernames to really care all that much - other then helping those that don't get all upset that I didn't say your welcome or sir or flowery wording like.

I don't believe you have correctly understood what I was trying to express.

I would more than likely say something along the lines of, hey dip**** are you on drugs.. WTF did I just say.. I have tried to refrain from that sort of wording.. But I assure you if I did say it that way, it was meant friendly -- which is hard without hearing tone.. Which is why I think I add way too many :) and ;) into my posts.. Trying to express I am kidding or trying to be friendly if the wording is blunt..

[moghbr]

Thanks a lot for all your replyings.

Honestly I was not expecting all these information because I am not good or expert with networking.

I want to access all computers remotely.

I want to handle it in case it is not booting so I can recover it with ease.

Honestly I do not know much about these protocols, I am sorry to say so but thanks for the info.

I want to be able to check my computers from my samsung galaxy when I am outside home so I can check if it is working correctly or not and also be able to check which applications are running.

Thanks a lot

[+Fahim S. MVC]

BudMan it wasn't your post which I felt was a little abrasive.

[+BudMan MVC]

Yeah but I get that a lot about mine as well, so figured I would join into the conversation and give my 2 cents. sc302 seems to follow me around and post in a lot of threads I do ;)

So I have read quite a bit of his stuff, and we have sent quite a PMs back and forth, etc. So he is one of the few nicks on this board that I actually have a bit of insight into I think.. And fairly sure if you think he is being abrasive its just a misread because there was no tone of voice to hear.

But maybe I am way off base and he was just being a DICK, that could be it too ;) hehehe

[+Fahim S. MVC]

I understand and hope he accepts my apology.

It was the use of bold and underline that caused my reaction.

You and I have interacted a little and you should know I take no offence at being told I am wrong and being educated. We all have to learn somehow.

[sc302 Veteran]

no apology necessary.  the bold was just to emphasise it, not to be angry, mad, hot headed, or any other reason to "chill".  I just stated facts and I am sorry if that got you bent out of shape in any way.  I try to stay out of posts that budman is in, mainly because he explains things very well and anything that may come out of me won't add to the conversation as it has already been stated.

[AJerman]

Sure, APIPA, DHCP, for IP solutions. I didn't see anyone just suggest assigning static IPs. With so few systems and what seems like a fairly simple setup, if you wanted to skip on DHCP you could just set static IPs. That might be too easy though. :laugh:

 

Then again, if you use an actual server OS on the server, it should already have DHCP built in so you might as well use it. It's not hard to set up a simple DHCP server.

 

As for remote, are you just looking for RDP/VNC? You could access any computer from any other computer, not just the server. Depends on the OS you want to install.

[sc302 Veteran]

I mentioned static at least once, I think budman and fahim also mentioned it.