Connecting two Lans in Different Locations

Connecting 2 Lans in Different Locations
Let’s say you are currently operating an office of 10~50 users, running Windows Server 2000/2003, mainly to share printers and files. You need to open a new office or add new location to work from. You want to create a WAN or VPN so that the users can still access files on the server. Your current Internet setup is ADSL Modem, to a Router, to a switch. Server connects to the Switch and the rest of the office connects to a switch also. Also, another possibility is to say you just want to connect your Home to your Network at work. Or even two different networks in your building.

What you basically want is a network like the attached Image below. Set up each site as its own network but using different private address ranges. If you have a different private addressing scheme in place at the main site (eg 192.168.2.xxx or something) then keeping that is fine, just make sure that the one you use at the new site doesn't overlap. When you connect the two sites, they'll just see each other as one big network, so in that diagram below the people in the new site will be able to ping 192.168.1.2 and just get to the right machine at the old site. Everyone will be on the same gateway as programmed into each router


There are two basic options for how you connect the two sites.

The first is to run a private link between them. Typically this would be something like ISDN, frame relay or Ethernet, depending on distance, speed requirement and how much money you have to throw at it. This is generally the more expensive option, although it's also the most reliable.

The other is to give each site a decent (cable/ADSL) Internet connection and set up a VPN pass-through. By configuring the VPN on the two routers, the machines at each end have no idea what's in the middle; they just see the other site as a network which is reachable through the router. This is generally cheaper, but you're relying on your ISP for performance. If you do this, pay particular attention to the upload speeds your ISP offers, because the transfer speed between the sites will be kept to the slower of the sending site's upload and the receiving site's download. Normal ADSL is capable of up to 1.5 Mbps uploads, but many ISPs throttle it to far less.

For the VPN method, some of the higher-end consumer gear can set up a VPN tunnel over an Internet connection. For the direct link, you'll be looking at a proper Cisco router or similar brand. Although, Cisco now owns Linksys and their BEFSX41 router will also work just fine.(See *-Note)

The important thing I don't want to forget to mention is that you need to look for in the specs is the ability for the router to maintain a VPN connection by itself. Just about every consumer router will support 'VPN pass-through', which is just letting the PCs behind the router do VPN stuff, but only some will maintain the VPN tunnel themselves.

The other thing you'll need at each end is a static IP address on the Internet connection -- dynamic DNS and IPsec VPNs generally don't mix.

*-Note! The BEFSX41 Linksys Instant Broadband™ EtherFast® Cable/DSL Firewall Router with 4-Port Switch/VPN Endpoint is the perfect solution for connecting a small group of PCs to a high-speed broadband Internet connection or a 10/100 Ethernet backbone. The Router can be configured to limit internal users’ Internet access based on URLs and/or time periods - URL filtering and time filtering. For enhanced protection against intruders from the Internet, the Router features an advanced Stateful Packet Inspection firewall. Use the Cable/DSL Firewall Router with 4-Port Switch/VPN Endpoint to create IPSec VPN tunnels, so you can securely connect to the corporate server from your home office—or any location when you’re on the road. The Router provides a dedicated port for DMZ hosting and acts as the only externally recognized Internet gateway on your local area network (LAN). With the performance and security features of the Cable/DSL Firewall Router with 4-Port Switch/VPN Endpoint, your network will take advantage of the Internet while keeping its data secure.

Another Option is a WRVS4400N Wireless-N Gigabit Security Router with VPN, Secure, high-speed wireless networking for growing businesses or gaming family.
• Wireless-N offers greater speed and coverage than Wireless-G, while at the same time being backwards compatible with 802.11b and g devices
• SPI Firewall, and Intrusion Prevention secure the work from outside threats
• QuickVPN IPSec VPN tunnel support provides secure remote user connectivity
• Support for WMM provides improved QoS over wireless connections for better video and voice performance

The WRV200 Wireless-G VPN Router with RangeBooster, Secure, smart wireless networking for growing Businesses.

• RangeBooster (MIMO) technology for dramatically increased range
• SPI Firewall, Encryption, and VPN support makes your network secure
• Multiple BSSIDs and VLANs provide separate secure networks
• Enhanced QoS for both Wireless and wired provide improved quality voice/video

READ MORE - Connecting two Lans in Different Locations

Symbian Foundation roadmap, NFC, social networking hooks discussed

Remember the BeagleBoard prototyping platform, which was put to such cost-effective use in the DIY Beagle MID earlier this year? Expect to see plenty more of the $149 OMAP3 device in future, now that Symbian Foundation have released their latest build for the platform. Speaking at Nokia’s The Way We Live Next 3.0 conference today, Symbian Foundation’s Shaun Puckrin discussed the roadmap for Symbian^3 and Symbian^4, the next-shipping versions of the platform, together with some of the functionality that will be hard-baked into the OS.

While there are currently 16 different packages of the current Symbian release available, together with an EPL release of the microkernel that, Puckrin expects, will see semiconductor firms proliferate low-cost chipsets for the platform, Symbian^3 is on course for completion in Q1 2010; handsets are expected to reach the market in the second half of next year. Meanwhile the Symbian^4 kits will begin to become available in Q1 2010, with the OS scheduled for completion in Q4 2010 and commercial availability of handsets in the first half of 2011.

Symbian^3 and ^4 will bring with them at least 466 new features from the Foundation team themselves; Puckrin also expects many more additions from the developer community itself. The Foundation expects to differentiate its offering from Google’s Android by virtue of broader access to core aspects of the OS, together with a different open-source license which will require those modifying and tweaking the Symbian code to resubmit their changes and adaptations, a move Puckrin believes will prevent fragmentation.

Among the native functionality baked into Symbian^3 will be near-field communications, which will allow mobile devices to communicate wirelessly with in-car electronics, media systems and other handsets, together with a new social web API. Similar to Android 2.0’s API “hooks”, this will allow social networks such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter to connect to core applications such as contacts and messaging, for aggregation of content and sharing profile photos and other information. The upcoming OS will also feature hardware graphics acceleration, potentially boosting video playback performance to hitherto unseen levels on mobile devices.

Rather than leave finding applications to chance – or to the occasionally clunky Ovi store, Symbian Foundation have developed Horizon, a combination application publishing system – which will push new code into the Ovi store for download – as well as act as a “yellow pages” for apps. Rather than replicate the Ovi functionality, Horizon will offer a full database of software from both large and small developers, as well as multiple links to the various places it’s possible to download those apps from. There’s also a suggestion site, ideas.symbian.org, where smartphone enthusiasts can suggest new features, vote for other suggestions, and the Foundation will attempt to connect developers and popular ideas for later inclusion in the core OS.

While we’re inherently cautious about any platform purporting to be “The Future of Mobile”, some of Symbian Foundation’s approaches certainly seem to make more sense than rival OSes and the relatively tight grip they’re held in by the manufacturers. More details on the Symbian port for BeagleBoard here; the device itself is available here.

READ MORE - Symbian Foundation roadmap, NFC, social networking hooks discussed

Important Consideration in Designing of the Server Room

• Enough space for cabling and access to the side and back of server racks and other equipment, and you must have enough height to accommodate a raised floor as well as the extra air-conditioning and ventilation ducts requirements based on your existing needs and well as three to five years into the future..
• Should try to stay away from basement and ground floor levels, where you run the risk of flooding in the basement and roof leaks on the top floors & border outside Server room walls can make temperature and humidity control difficult, especially if they have windows.Avoid areas of the building with high traffic, for physical security reasons.
• Determine the maximum load ratings for every piece of hardware that will be in your data center.
• Estimate the number of outlets required and their approximate placement.
• Data centers with domain controllers, DNS servers, web servers and other mission critical systems will require backup generators as well as UPS units
• Data centers with domain controllers, DNS servers, web servers and other mission critical systems will require backup generators as well as UPS units

Tags:

READ MORE - Important Consideration in Designing of the Server Room

Important Consideration in Designing of the Server Room

• Enough space for cabling and access to the side and back of server racks and other equipment, and you must have enough height to accommodate a raised floor as well as the extra air-conditioning and ventilation ducts requirements based on your existing needs and well as three to five years into the future..
• Should try to stay away from basement and ground floor levels, where you run the risk of flooding in the basement and roof leaks on the top floors & border outside Server room walls can make temperature and humidity control difficult, especially if they have windows.Avoid areas of the building with high traffic, for physical security reasons.
• Determine the maximum load ratings for every piece of hardware that will be in your data center.
• Estimate the number of outlets required and their approximate placement.
• Data centers with domain controllers, DNS servers, web servers and other mission critical systems will require backup generators as well as UPS units
• Data centers with domain controllers, DNS servers, web servers and other mission critical systems will require backup generators as well as UPS units

READ MORE - Important Consideration in Designing of the Server Room

Important Consideration in Designing of the Server Room

• Enough space for cabling and access to the side and back of server racks and other equipment, and you must have enough height to accommodate a raised floor as well as the extra air-conditioning and ventilation ducts requirements based on your existing needs and well as three to five years into the future..
• Should try to stay away from basement and ground floor levels, where you run the risk of flooding in the basement and roof leaks on the top floors & border outside Server room walls can make temperature and humidity control difficult, especially if they have windows.Avoid areas of the building with high traffic, for physical security reasons.
• Determine the maximum load ratings for every piece of hardware that will be in your data center.
• Estimate the number of outlets required and their approximate placement.
• Data centers with domain controllers, DNS servers, web servers and other mission critical systems will require backup generators as well as UPS units
• Data centers with domain controllers, DNS servers, web servers and other mission critical systems will require backup generators as well as UPS units

READ MORE - Important Consideration in Designing of the Server Room

Wireless Home Networking: 20 Things Not to Do When Setting up Your Wireless Network

1. Do not name your SSID your last name or first name

2. Do not have your pass phrase your last name of first name

3. Don’t leave your wireless channel at six, change it to 2 or 11

4. Don’t leave your wireless network open enable some sort of encryption

5. Place your wireless router in the middle of your home not next to a wall

6. Don’t place your wireless router next to large heavy objects

7. Configure your laptop not to automatically connect to a wireless networks named “linksys“

8. Don’t leave your passphase the same and change it every couple months

9. Don’t use only WEP encryption, enable WPA2 and your wireless network will be a lot safer.

10. Don’t use AES wireless encryption for wireless gamming it does slow your network down.

11. Don’t start configuring your wireless network until you have upgraded your wireless router firmware

12. Don’t purchase anything but wireless MIMO routers for home networks, MIMO routers will give you better coverage.

13. Don’t leave your transmit power at the default transmission level. If you need a strong signal turn it up, if you don’t turn it down to the minimum

14. Don’t place your wireless router in the lowest spot in your house. Place it as high as possible to give you the best coverage.

15. Don’t have your wireless antennas pointed in the wrong direction. Meaning your signal does not emit from the points, they emit from the sides.

16. Don’t expect to achieve those 108 mbps speeds that are advertised with MIMO routers….those speeds only are achieved under super ideal circumstances.

17. Don’t upgrade your wireless routers firmware over a wireless connection

18. Don’t upgrade your wireless routers firmware until you have reset your options to the defaults

19. Don’t confuse an access point for a wireless router. Wireless routers act as a firewall, access points do not.

20. Enable some sort of security on your wireless router, if you don’t you will be sorry

If you have a question we have the answer. Come check out the most popular wireless technology database on the internet http://www.wirelessninja.com Simple and Secure wireless networking. Come See us today!!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eric_Meyer

READ MORE - Wireless Home Networking: 20 Things Not to Do When Setting up Your Wireless Network

Xbox 360 Wireless Networking

What is the Xbox 360 Wireless Network Adaptor?

The Xbox 360 Wireless Network Adapter is an accessory for the Xbox 360 video game console. It is used to connect the video game system to your wireless network. It simply plugs into the rear USB port of the console.

Created by Microsoft it is one of the most innovative and well designed accessories for the Xbox 360. It is small but has the range and speed of much bigger wireless bridges.

Why buy the Xbox 360 Wireless Network Adaptor?

The network adaptor is powered by the Xbox 360's USB port so there is no need for an external power supply. It is a dual band wireless bridge that does not interfere with the console's wireless controllers. It is 802.11a/b/g compatible so it will work with a wide variety of wireless routers.

This device is designed to be easy to setup. Simply plug it in and configure it from the console's system blade. Wireless security is also included.

This adaptor is a must for people who want to play on Xbox Live and stream videos or music from a computer without the clutter of network cables.

Some people might be afraid of experiencing lag while using a wireless network adapter but I have yet to experience any delays while playing games on Xbox Live. Videos also seem to stream well, there are no skipped frames that I can notice. Music isn't choppy or distorted while streaming either.

All in all this adaptor is well worth the purchase.

For more information about wireless networks, visit my site at http://www.wirelessnetworksetups.com

READ MORE - Xbox 360 Wireless Networking

How the Packet reach from One point to another on Internet

1. After the initial TCP/IP three way hand shake has been negotiated, your web browser will issue a request to the web server hosting your homepage asking for its homepage.
2. This HTTP GET request information now has to be sent to the web server.If you select the write operation it will cause the data that application wants to send to be copied from the applications memory space to the socket send buffer within kernel space.
3. Depending on what transport protocol the application uses, the socket layer will call either UDP or TCP. Some applications use TCP or UDP as a Transport Layer protocol. DNS uses both UDP and TCP, while other applications such as TFTP will only use UDP. Once the socket layer calls the proper transport protocol, the data will be copied over into a socket buffer.
4. TCP will fragment this data if required. What happens if the browser’s request exceeds the MTU.TCP itself will fragment the data in order to ensure that the size complies with the Ethernet MTU limit of 1500 bytes. A key point to remember here is that fragmentation will occur at the TCP layer if the application invoked uses TCP as it transport protocol. If application is using UDP then fragmentation will happen at the IP layer.
5. At Network layer IP header is built and the all important IP addresses are added.
6. After this, the data then drops down to the data link layer where both the logical link control and media access control layers do their parts. Finally the data is now ready to transmitted by the physical layer as embodied by your NIC card.
7. Now it reaches to Ethernet Switch
8. After the packet goes through the switch it makes its way to the router, and may very well go through a firewall prior to the router as well.
9. At router if required NAT is performed, if you have the Private Address not a public Address
10. Now the packet travel through the many routers and every router route the packet based on its own routing table information. Once the next router receives this same packet it will consult its own routing table, and send it on its way based on what it considers the best path. Before this happens, the router will change several fields in the IP header of the packet. One of the fields that will change is the TTL field or “time to live.” Now, as part of the IP header has changed, the router must compute a new checksum value for the packet.Finally it reaches to its destination.
11. The physical layer will issue an IRQ to the CPU indicating that there is data to be processed. Once that occurs, the data is passed up the data link layer where the webserver will recognize the MAC as indeed being its own, and will pass it up to the IP layer. The IP address is in turn recognized as belonging to it so that it then passes the data up to the transport layer where it is put into the TCP buffer. At this point the application notices that the data is for it and it processes the information. The end result of this is that the information requested for in the GET request issued by the client is then sent back.

READ MORE - How the Packet reach from One point to another on Internet