Advice needed on home network plan

[EDB]

Hi. I'm trying to plan how I can set up a home network that I can use to:
1)share internet/file/printers between 4+ computers (all the time)
2)host websites (all the time)
3)host online/lan games (occasionally)
4)that will work with my existing wireless router
5)practice programming/utilizing SQL/linux/etc. (frequently)
6)practice and learn skills useful for the current job market

I currently have 3 computers connected to my dsl connection through a wireless/wired router (1 wireless/2 wired). This works fine as is for sharing the internet. But me, being the aspiring techguy that I am, I want to tweak it so I can have a server to do the above and more. I was given an 8port switch (Apache FS4008E) recently that I want to include, and will use another comp as a server.

I'm unclear on how to set it up in the most efficient/realistic way.

Can I go: DSL Internet modem-server(w/ 2 NICs)-switch-Wireless router with the wired comps connected direct to the switch, and the wireless laptop receiving signal from the router?

How secure is that setup? Is that the most efficient way? I know I don't need the switch for the network I have, but I want to try using it.
Also, I believe I will need to contact my ISP (SBC Yahoo) to get a fixed IP account.

Any suggestions appreciated... This will be an ongoing process, but I would like to see how I can set that up...
Also, if you have any other links to suggest, I'd like to hear about them... I know I need to review the Build your own server tutorial here.

[mbossman2]

1 few things:

1) before you put up a publically addressable server, review the terms and conditions of your DSL agreement and make sure that they allow public servers to be set up on a residential type line. Many providers will disconnect you for that as you really generate a lot of traffic.

2) hanging a server in front of the router is opening it up for exploitation. NIC 0 would have a public IP and is therefore "hanging in the breeze". Much better to put it behind your router (which I assume acts as your firewall) and forward the necessary ports to the server.

3) wireless - wireless, unless properly secured, opens up the private side of your network to exploitation. make sure that you (1) activate MAC filtering, (2) deactivate SSID broadcast and (3) activate WEP/WPA encryption.

Once you have addressed these three, hooked up your switch to one of the uplink ports on you router, you are on your way.

[EDB]

Thanks for your reply mbossman2! It's very helpful.
I replaced my original switch with a hub, but I think the info you gave is still applicable.

You are correct in saying the my router acts as a firewall. I don't understand what you mean by port forwarding. How can I determine what are the necessary ports to forward? I assume I set that up in my router configuration page, where I can also enable WEP, deactivate SSID broadcasting, and activating MAC filtering, right?

Thanks,
EDB

[mbossman2]

Thanks for your reply mbossman2! It's very helpful.
I replaced my original switch with a hub, but I think the info you gave is still applicable.

hubs bad...switches good....I really recommend putting the switch back in place of any hub

I don't understand what you mean by port forwarding. How can I determine what are the necessary ports to forward?

that is a good questoin. the ports you need to forward are dependant upon the type of server you have (FTP, Mail, Web etc). As most firewalls will reject unsolicited inbound traffic, you need to "poke" holes in the firewall and direct that unsolicited traffic TO somewhere. For example: webserver behind a firewall, you need to direct unsolicited port 80 traffic thru the firewall directly to (and only to) your webserver. Game servers use different ports, so consult the game manufacturer/manual for the correct ports.

[QUOTE=EDB] I assume I set that up in my router configuration page, where I can also enable WEP, deactivate SSID broadcasting, and activating MAC filtering, right?/QUOTE]

all of this should be in the wireless portion of the router set up. Same with the port forwarding from above.

[EDB]

Thanks again for your advice. The portforwarding explanation was very clear... I'll poke some holes later when I set up the server with a basic page.

hubs bad...switches good....I really recommend putting the switch back in place of any hub.

I had read that for my small network, a switch could un-necessarily slow things down. Plus the one I had was noisy. Unfortunately the hub I got is only 10 mbps :( (I have a pretty good source for obselete hardware :D )

Oh yeah, my new (obselete) server is a pentium pro 200mhz hp netserver e40. It came with a scsi harddrive that is 2.1 GBs. There are also IDE ports, so I figure I can hook up an ide hard drive that is larger. Any tips on that?

I don't plan to do much with it, it's really just to practice the ideas I learn here and elsewhere. Later for the gaming experience, I'll get a faster server built.

[mbossman2]

a switch is always preferable to a hub.

decent switches add a small amount of latency to the network but that "loss" is easily made up for by the lack of collisions.