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I've got someone who wants me to help them configure a router and switch. I told him I'm rusty, but I'll give it a try. They have a 2600 router, 3550 switch, and web server. I believe they need to configure them to connect to the ISP and to allow the web server to show up on the public web.

Since they are asking me for help I doubt they need anything really fancy, they just want to get everything connected and working. Anyway I've been thinking about how i'm going to do it.

I'm hoping once I get there it won't be as hard as I think its going to be but my biggest question is how do I configure a router to connect to a ISP.

Also, I've been wondering if I should connect the web server to the router or the switch and if I end up connecting it to the switch should I use vlans to separate the server from the workstations.

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Comments

alkamalju

Try "Teamviewer" it's free. It will let you allow to connect a remote PC over internet. Surely, the remote pc will be connected to the router console.

okplaya

Out of curiosity, is this person trying to host a website from home?

Asif Dasl

+1 For TeamViewer

Priston

okplaya wrote: »

Out of curiosity, is this person trying to host a website from home?

No he's doing contract work for a company and he doesn't really know who else to ask for help on cisco configuring equipment.

Also I don't think teamview would be of any help for this project.

Asif Dasl

Priston wrote: »

Also I don't think teamview would be of any help for this project.

How do you plan on remotely configuring the router? Is the router connected to the internet using a ADSL WIC or something?

Priston

Asif Dasl wrote: »

How do you plan on remotely configuring the router? Is the router connected to the internet using a ADSL WIC or something?

Who said anything about remotely configuring the router?

Asif Dasl

Priston wrote: »

Who said anything about remotely configuring the router?

OK so you'll be at the router. How are they connected to the Internet?

mikej412

Asif Dasl wrote: »

How do you plan on remotely configuring the router?

Priston wrote: »

I'm hoping once I get there

It sounds like he's going to be there:

Priston wrote: »

my biggest question is how do I configure a router to connect to a ISP.

What kind of connection do they there (or are they getting)?

Do they have a static IP range (1 IP for the Router and 1 for the Web Server)? Or are you going to use NAT to redirect web requests to the Web Server?

Or do they get a dynamic IP address (which means you'd probably want to use a dynamic DNS solution so you can find the web server from out on the Internet)

Priston wrote: »

Also, I've been wondering if I should connect the web server to the router or the switch and if I end up connecting it to the switch should I use vlans to separate the server from the workstations.

If it's a publicly accessible web server it probably makes sense to put the web server in a DMZ Network. What kind of ports does the router have -- and how many?

The connectivity part is usually easy -- it's the security part that's going to suck down your time if you don't already know what to do. Look for the NSA Security Cisco Routers doc, and check the Cisco site for some of the Security Best Practices or Standard Reference Network Designs for Branch Security.

Cisco Router Guides - NSA/CSS

Cisco Guide to Harden Cisco IOS Devices - Cisco Systems

Enterprise Branch Security Design Guide [Design Zone for Branch] - Cisco Systems

You're also going to have to balance security with the capabilities of that 2600. The 2600s are old and slow and don't support much throughput -- so you may have to take that into account as you configure security.

Priston

mikej412 wrote: »

What kind of connection do they there (or are they getting)?

Do they have a static IP range (1 IP for the Router and 1 for the Web Server)? Or are you going to use NAT to redirect web requests to the Web Server?

Or do they get a dynamic IP address (which means you'd probably want to use a dynamic DNS solution so you can find the web server from out on the Internet)

If it's a publicly accessible web server it probably makes sense to put the web server in a DMZ Network. What kind of ports does the router have -- and how many?

I don't know all of the details yet, that's probably why i'm not sure how i'm going to do everything. But it sounds like its either a DSL or cable connection.

I also don't know if its a dynamic or static ip address, but atleast from your response I know that I'll have to tell them they will need a dynamic DNS solution if it is a dynamic address and also if there's only one static address I will need to config NAT.

Since I don't know all the details yet, I'm not expecting any definite answers. It's just nice to know how to handle unexpected situations.

Like if it was a T1 line, I would need a CSU/DSU. I would also need to figure out if it's PPP, HDLC, frame relay, or ATM. Right?
but if it's a business class cable connection or something, would I just need a FastEthernet port or would I still need something like a CSU/DSU?

ConstantlyLearning

Priston wrote: »

but if it's a business class cable connection or something, would I just need a FastEthernet port or would I still need something like a CSU/DSU?

Probably some kind of cable capable WIC card like a HWIC-1CABLE-D-2.

You definately need more details though.