Problem with 2003 Server RRAS (or maybe DNS)

I've got a small local network that I'm supporting, which consists of eight
client computers all connected to a central linksys NAT-ing internet router,
which also acts as a DHCP server. Also on the same subnet, I have my local
networks Domain Controller/DNS/WINS server, and a file/FTP server which was
all functioning just fine. Recently I needed the ability for clients to log
into the network remotely from other locations (including myself for
administrative reasons) so I decided to install a new machine to act as a
VPN/RAS server as well as a local intranet mail server for clients to
exchange messages. I decided to keep all my machines attached to the linksys
router, and to have it act as a true router instaid of an internet gateway. I
setup the new system as both a NAT-ing router and a VPN/RAS server (and mail
server) and connected it into the WAN port on my linksys router (this
configuration seemed to make sense, as the double NAT-ing would increase
security, and having two routers would keep local network traffic off the
server, right?) Well this new system also needed to share the internet
connection with the rest of the network, which is where I'm having the
problem. I haven't even had the chance to test if everything is working as
far as clients being able to log into the network, since I can't get any of
the machines (including the server itself) to utilize the internet
connection. I've tried pinging the cable modem, which works, and I'm totally
lost as to why I can't utilize the network connection at all. Could anyone
help me with this issue, PLEASE?!? Thanks ahead of time...

shockwave121 wrote:
> I've got a small local network that I'm supporting, which consists of
> eight client computers all connected to a central linksys NAT-ing
> internet router, which also acts as a DHCP server. Also on the same
> subnet, I have my local networks Domain Controller/DNS/WINS server,
> and a file/FTP server which was all functioning just fine. Recently I
> needed the ability for clients to log into the network remotely from
> other locations (including myself for administrative reasons) so I
> decided to install a new machine to act as a VPN/RAS server as well
> as a local intranet mail server for clients to exchange messages. I
> decided to keep all my machines attached to the linksys router, and
> to have it act as a true router instaid of an internet gateway. I
> setup the new system as both a NAT-ing router and a VPN/RAS server
> (and mail server) and connected it into the WAN port on my linksys
> router (this configuration seemed to make sense, as the double
> NAT-ing would increase security, and having two routers would keep
> local network traffic off the server, right?) Well this new system
> also needed to share the internet connection with the rest of the
> network, which is where I'm having the problem. I haven't even had
> the chance to test if everything is working as far as clients being
> able to log into the network, since I can't get any of the machines
> (including the server itself) to utilize the internet connection.
> I've tried pinging the cable modem, which works, and I'm totally lost
> as to why I can't utilize the network connection at all. Could anyone
> help me with this issue, PLEASE?!? Thanks ahead of time...

I can't say that this is a great idea. Doing the double-NAT setup would
probably work. But a setup as you describe won't just work by default. The
link between the RRAS router and the Linksys needs to be in a different IP
subnet from the LAN. (Routing only works between IP subnets). Because of
this, you will need extra routing to get the LAN traffic from the RRAS
router to the Linksys.

Have you considered just tossing the Linksys away and using the RRAS
server instead? Seems simpler to me. Just make the RRAS server the default
gateway for the LAN doing NAT. If you just give it the IP address the
Linksys used you don't even need to change the default gateway setting.