NEWBIE with a general Network question

[Samhain]

Hi All,

I have a general theoretical question regarding ISDN internet connection and LAN's.

This office has a Server and several clients. The server has an ISDN connection which costs a subscription fee, plus a fee for how long the computer is connected to the internet. At the moment the staff in the office us this set up by pluging in the phone line from the Server computer then accessing the internet via the client computers.

As this seems like an unorthodox method of connecting and disconnecting (they unplug the phone line when they are done), I wondered if there is anyway they can tell the Server computer to connect to the internet from the client computers. And once they are finished using the internet the client computer can then tell the Server to drop the connection.

This is a general question as I dont know the full details of the set up. Basically :- Can a client ask the Server to connect if it isnt already and then ask it to disconnect if no other clients are using the internet?

Thanks for your time in considering this.

Samhain

[Iniamyen]

What OS is the server? I don't know much about ISDN, but the first thing that comes to mind in Windows is to do C:\>ipconfig /release to disconnect, then C:\>ipconfig /renew to reconnect (get your IP back.) I don't know if you can do this from the actual server though -- It would be like doing it from the router on a normal home network, and you probably won't do a DHCP with your ISP on any kind of connection. Sorry if this is a newbie answer in itself

[Samhain]

Hi Iniamyen,

The OS is Windows 2000. Thanks for your prompt reply I will take it into consideration but I dont think the staff would be confident enough to be using the commands you suggested if they work. I was thinking perhaps if there was some way Internet Explorer could be configured to request that the server makes a connection to the internet.

Thanks again,

Samhain

[glc]

ISDN works like dialup. Is ISDN the only reasonable option you have for an Internet connection?

[Samhain]

ISDN is the only option available unfortunately.

[DougL]

A few of the schools that i visit are on a ISDN line which is connected to a router and from there onto the server. We run two batch files via scheduled tasks that turn on/off the router first thing in the morning and 6pm at night. You can overide these settings by running the batch files manually if required.

Doug