ICS networking problems :(

[BillyRain]

Hi guys,

Ok so heres the deal..

At work I urgently need to set something up by tomorrow lunchtime, only with the equipment I have and nothing else. Here is my situation.

I have an RM CC3 server network at work. We have a seperate temporary building, to which I have already created a wireless bridge, enabling students to access the RM network via wireless lappys. This all works fine and they are able to log into the network as usual.

I have now been asked to set up two desktop machines in the temporary building, in a seperate room to the access point, so I cannot simply run a cable to the machines from the AP. I must somehow connect them wirelessly. But I do not have any usb wireless adapters :(

I found an old airstation g54 but I dont think this can be set up as a wireless adapter.

The only solution I have found is this:

I set up a spare laptop to do nothing more than to receive the wireless connection from the AP and send it via ethernet into a switch I had lying around. Then I plug both of the desktop machines into the switch.

OK so this works... but only for ICS. I have managed to get both machines to connect to the internet via the laptop and switch. My problem is this:

Although providing internet, the machines cannot access the server network, and so cannot have users log into the domain as usual. I cannot even ping the server or any other client machines on site. I have no clue how to set this up through the shared connection. Just having internet isnt good enough, users need to be able to log in as usual so that the MIS and lockdown is applied to their accounts and they can access their own areas.

Any ideas guys? I'm sure it is probably something really simple. If only I just had two usb adapters LOL.

Thanks

[BillyRain]

PS. The laptop I have sharing its wifi connection to the desktops is running basic windows XP.

[ChuckFickens]

They won't be able to access the servers, they are being NAT'd (?) by the laptop running ICS so they won't be in the correct subnet.

http://www.microsoft....install.mspx?mfr=true

[BillyRain]

Is connection bridging the answer? Or were you posting that for reference? :)

[ChuckFickens]

I'll start by saying I've never actually tried this with XP....

But yes, if you bridge the wireless and the LAN connection then anything connected to the switch (connected to the LAN port of the laptop) should then get DHCP from the device that provides DHCP for the main network and then be on the correct subnet and have a usable route to the servers.

The way you are trying it is routing between the two ports rather than bridging so the laptop is acting as a DHCP server and providing IP addresses different from the main network range and using NAT to route the data and this definitely will not work for what you're trying to achieve.

Have to say it's sounding like you are setting yourself up for some real performance problems if this is a long term thing!

[BillyRain]

Thanks mate, this makes sense.

Not a long term solution. Just for a day or two.

[BillyRain]

So I bridged the connections and you are correct they can now access the server!! yey!

Only problem is that this has now disabled the internet access!!

Any ideas? Do I continue to have the browsers set to use the proxy server that we use on all other client machines? Tried disabling it to no effect.

[ChuckFickens]

Once the connections on the laptop are bridged the computers should act and be treated exactly the same as any other machine connected directly onto the main network.

So yes, they should have the proxy server setup and if you check the IP settings by doing an "ipconfig /all" in a command prompt you should see they have the gateway address of your main network gateway.

If they haven't then it may be a configuration problem with your DHCP server (though if all the other machines are working that would indicate it's not a problem there)

[BillyRain]

It worked!

Thanks so much mate. This will silence all of the egotistical riff raff over at techsupportforums who were all adiment that it was impossible to achieve.

Thanks :)

[ChuckFickens]

I've just looked at your thread on techsupportforums, they weren't very helpful were they :)

Though as I indicated earlier and was mentioned on techsupportforums, this is a bit of a Heath Robinson solution, but I understand all to well that sometimes needs must and getting it to work with available hardware is the only option.

I will point out that as a general rule wireless should be avoided totally if it is at all possible in a commercial environment, unless there really is no other option, due to it's lack of speed and security problems. I would have done my best to cable the temporary area even if it was only short term tacked around the walls.

Anyhow, glad it's working and welcome to answerbank, stick about and see if you can help anyone else now :)

[BillyRain]

I sure will dude,

Very greatful for your help!

Yeah it really was a needs must thing. Nobody other than you seemed to be able to grasp that concept haha!

Both machines are working nicely and I have had kudos from my boss for solutioning the situ. Credit goes to you really ;)

Cheers mate