Using Windows server as an internet gateway

Hi,

We are a small office with 10 clients & a server running SBS 2003
which also functions as our Exchange server.
Currently we are using a simple Linksys router with a DSL connection
as our internet gateway. Recently we are interested in "upgrading" our
gateway so that users can connect remotely and also make sure a
firewall is running.
One of the options was purchasing a VPN/firewall enabled router, but
those are very expensive.
An option I had in mind was to use the SBS 2003 server as the internet
gateway (with 2 NIC interfaces - one to connect to the DSL modem &
another to the LAN). This is of course based on my assumption that SBS
2003 can do NAT.
As far as I understood, I can use RAS to allow VPN connections to the
network and 3rd party gateway firewall application to protect the
connection (such as Interscan VirusWall SMB by TrendMicro).
This sounds like a nice setup to me, but I'm kind of concerned if this
is a "classic" solution considering the fact that the server is also
running Exchange & being used as our file server. Also I'm not sure if
it is safe to connect our main server directly to the internet.

If anyone can advise on this solution or any other solutions, please
let me know.


-Danny

My personal preference is not to use a DC (especially your first/only DC)
as a router. This can be a problem, and it has plenty to do already
(especially if it runs Exchange). That said, lots of places run SBS as their
Internet router. Have you looked at the ISA option? Perhaps you could post
in the SBS newsgroup (public.windows.server.sbs)


"Danny L" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) m...
> Hi,
>
> We are a small office with 10 clients & a server running SBS 2003
> which also functions as our Exchange server.
> Currently we are using a simple Linksys router with a DSL connection
> as our internet gateway. Recently we are interested in "upgrading" our
> gateway so that users can connect remotely and also make sure a
> firewall is running.
> One of the options was purchasing a VPN/firewall enabled router, but
> those are very expensive.
> An option I had in mind was to use the SBS 2003 server as the internet
> gateway (with 2 NIC interfaces - one to connect to the DSL modem &
> another to the LAN). This is of course based on my assumption that SBS
> 2003 can do NAT.
> As far as I understood, I can use RAS to allow VPN connections to the
> network and 3rd party gateway firewall application to protect the
> connection (such as Interscan VirusWall SMB by TrendMicro).
> This sounds like a nice setup to me, but I'm kind of concerned if this
> is a "classic" solution considering the fact that the server is also
> running Exchange & being used as our file server. Also I'm not sure if
> it is safe to connect our main server directly to the internet.
>
> If anyone can advise on this solution or any other solutions, please
> let me know.
>
>
> -Danny

Danny L wrote:
> Hi,
>
> We are a small office with 10 clients & a server running SBS 2003
> which also functions as our Exchange server.
> Currently we are using a simple Linksys router with a DSL connection
> as our internet gateway. Recently we are interested in "upgrading" our
> gateway so that users can connect remotely and also make sure a
> firewall is running.
> One of the options was purchasing a VPN/firewall enabled router, but
> those are very expensive.
> An option I had in mind was to use the SBS 2003 server as the internet
> gateway (with 2 NIC interfaces - one to connect to the DSL modem &
> another to the LAN). This is of course based on my assumption that SBS
> 2003 can do NAT.
> As far as I understood, I can use RAS to allow VPN connections to the
> network and 3rd party gateway firewall application to protect the
> connection (such as Interscan VirusWall SMB by TrendMicro).
> This sounds like a nice setup to me, but I'm kind of concerned if this
> is a "classic" solution considering the fact that the server is also
> running Exchange & being used as our file server. Also I'm not sure if
> it is safe to connect our main server directly to the internet.
>
> If anyone can advise on this solution or any other solutions, please
> let me know.

I don't recommend turning a Windows box into a router. A tiny baby Sonicwall
with VPN capabilities isn't much - or there are other options out there.
>
>
> -Danny