Connecting to the Internet

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The first action item on the To Do List is Connect To The Internet. Click Start next to Connect To The Internet to launch the Configure E-Mail and Internet Connection Wizard. On the first page, click the link for Required Information For Connecting To The Internet. This link connects to a help file (Figure 6-2) that tells you what you need for your network.

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Figure 6-2: The help file that determines what information you’ll need for your connection to the Internet.

Tip 

Determining the information you need to connect to the Internet can be one of the more complicated tasks required by Windows Small Business Server, so you might want to print this help file. To print this help file, right-click inside the help window and select Print.

Determine what details you need and note the answers on the printed form. And don’t hesitate to press your Internet Service Provider (ISP) for all the assistance you can get.

The information you collect depends on your Internet connection type. Windows Small Business Server supports four Internet connection types:

  • Broadband connection with a local router

  • Direct broadband connection

  • Broadband connection with user authentication (PPPoE)

  • Dial-up connection

To complete the Configure E-Mail and Internet Connection Wizard, select one of these Internet connection types. The following sections describe setting up each connection type.

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Real World

Internet Connection Choices

Many options are available for connecting to the Internet. Not all of them will be available in every location, but wherever you are, balancing budget restrictions with performance needs will be the thorniest issue. Before making a decision, do your research. Contact the local telephone company, cable company, and ISPs to determine the availability of different connections and the costs and hardware requirements associated with each. Some of the usual types of connections are described here.

Dial-Up

A dial-up connection uses a standard analog modem over regular telephone lines. Dial-up connections are easy to configure, though data transmission speed depends on the quality of the line. Most dial-up connections provide bandwidth of 56 kilobits per second (Kbps) or less. Dial-up connections are the slowest and (usually) least expensive way to connect to the Internet.

Integrated Services Digital Network

Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) is a telephone company technology that provides digital service typically in increments of 64 Kbps. An ISDN line is similar to an analog telephone line except that it connects faster and transmits data much faster. Basic Rate ISDN can be more than twice as fast as an ordinary dial-up connection, with two 64-Kbps channels and a total bandwidth of 128 Kbps. Primary Rate ISDN, with 23 B-channels and one D-channel (U.S.) or 30 B-channels and one D-channel (Europe) can rival the 1.544 megabits per second (Mbps) speed of a T1 line.

In the United States, ISDN calls are frequently charged by the minute, even for local calls. This varies from state to state, but if your ISDN provider uses this method, charging by the minute will make a very large difference in the cost of your connection.

ISDN has been largely eclipsed by other broadband technologies, but it’s a viable option in areas where DSL or other fast connections aren’t available.

Digital Subscriber Line

A Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) is similar to ISDN inasmuch as both operate over existing copper telephone lines and both require short runs to a central telephone office (usually fewer than 20,000 feet). However, DSL speeds start at about 128 Kbps and go up to 1.5 Mbps, and some connections can go as fast as 50 Mbps depending on the equipment used, distance to the telephone office, cabling quality, and other factors.

DSL is available only in some areas and is often available in one part of a city but not in others. (Nevertheless, the availability of DSL is spreading rapidly.) DSL is an always-on connection and as such is fast and convenient to use.

Cable Modem

A cable modem connection is a fast connection in which your cable company is your ISP. Cable modems are primarily used by home customers, but many cable companies offer businesses transmission speeds up to 10 Mbps, though speeds up to 3.5 Mbps download and 384 Kbps upload are more typical. Cable connections to the Internet can be a viable alternative for a small business but are sometimes expensive depending on the locality.

T1

A full T1 (E1 is the European near equivalent) line supports up to 1.544 Mbps of total bandwidth. T1/E1 cabling requirements are more rigorous than those for DSL and the setup costs are correspondingly high. T1 is a more expensive option than DSL or cable modems but the service level for T1 lines is typically superior.

Fractional T1

The T1 bandwidth of 1.544 Mbps actually consists of 24 separate 64-Kbps channels. A fractional T1 line lets you purchase as many of these channels as you need. For example, if you need 512 Kbps of total bandwidth, you can make a cost comparison between eight channels of a fractional T1 and a 512-Kbps DSL line.

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Setting Up a Broadband Connection with a Local Router

A broadband connection using a local router can be set up with either one or two network adapters in the server. Figure 6-3 shows the arrangement when you have two network adapters. In this setup, your server is the default gateway and default firewall.

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Figure 6-3: How the network is connected using two network adapters on your Windows Small Business Server.

Tip 

Using one network adapter, the router becomes the default gateway and the Windows Small Business Server firewall can’t be configured. If you don’t have an existing firewall device, install a second network adapter. It’s much cheaper than having your network invaded.

To set up a broadband connection to the Internet using a local router, complete the following steps:

  1. On the To Do List, click Start next to Connect To The Internet.

  2. On the Connection Type page, select Broadband and click Next.

  3. On the Broadband Connection page, select A Local Router Device With An IP Address from the drop-down list and click Next.

  4. On the Router Connection page, type the DNS server addresses and the IP address for the router. Clear the check box for using a single network connection and click Next.

    Note 

    If you are already running Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration Server (ISA), the wizard will automatically configure ISA to work with Windows Small Business Server.

  5. If the adapter obtains an IP address using DHCP, select that option on the Network Connection page. Otherwise, select Use The Following ISP Address and provide the addresses. When you click Next, the ISP network configuration is completed.

  6. On the second Network Connection page, verify that the ISP network connection and the server local connection are correct and click Next.

  7. Follow the steps in the “Configuring the Firewall” section (appearing later in this chapter) to complete the Configure E-Mail and Internet Connection Wizard.

Setting Up a Direct Broadband Connection

A connection to the Internet made through a DSL modem or cable modem is a direct broadband connection. Figure 6-4 shows the arrangement for a direct broadband connection.

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Figure 6-4: Hardware arranged for a direct broadband connection.

To set up a direct broadband connection, complete the following steps:

  1. On the To Do List, click Start next to Connect To The Internet. Click the link for Required Information For Connecting To The Internet. When you’re ready to proceed, click Next.

  2. On the Connection Type page, select Broadband and click Next.

  3. On the Broadband Connection page, select A Direct Broadband Connection from the drop-down list and click Next.

  4. On the Network Connection page, verify that the ISP network connection and the local network connection are correct and click Next.

  5. On the Direct Broadband Connection page, supply the IP addresses for the default gateway and DNS servers. (Your ISP provides these addresses.) Click Next.

  6. Follow the steps in the “Configuring the Firewall” section (appearing later in this chapter) to complete the Configure E-Mail and Internet Connection Wizard.

Setting Up a Broadband Connection with User Authentication (PPPoE)

If your broadband connection requires user authentication and uses a device such as a DSL or cable modem, you need two network adapters in the Windows Small Business Server, and the firewall is configured on the server. To set up a Point to Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE) connection, complete the following steps:

  1. Click Start next to Connect To The Internet on the To Do List. Click the link for Required Information For Connecting To The Internet. When you’re ready to proceed, click Next.

  2. On the Connection Type page, select Broadband and click Next.

  3. On the Broadband Connection page, select A Connection That Requires A User Name And Password (PPPoE) from the drop-down list and click Next.

  4. On the PPPoE Connection page, select the PPPoE connection from the drop-down list. (If the connection isn’t listed, click the New button and type the name for the connection and the service name.)

  5. Type the ISP user name and password (that is, the user name and password that the ISP associates with your connection). If your ISP has assigned a static IP address to the connection, select that check box and supply that IP address and the IP addresses for the DNS servers for name resolution. Click Next.

  6. On the Local Network Connection page, select the local connection and verify the IP address and click Next.

  7. Follow the steps in the “Configuring the Firewall” section (appearing later in this chapter) to complete the Configure E-Mail and Internet Connection Wizard.

Setting Up a Dial-Up Connection

To set up a connection to the Internet using a modem or an ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) adapter, complete the following steps:

  1. On the To Do List, click Start next to Connect To The Internet. Click the link for Required Information for Connecting to the Internet. When you’re ready to proceed, click Next.

  2. On the Connection Type page, select Dial-up and click Next.

  3. On the Dial-Up Connection page, select the dial-up connection. If the connection hasn’t been configured, click New and provide a name for the connection and the telephone number for connecting to your ISP.

  4. Type the ISP user name and password (that is, the user name and password that the ISP associates with your connection), as shown in Figure 6-5. If your ISP has assigned a static IP address to the connection, select that check box and supply the IP address and the IP addresses for the DNS servers on the Internet for name resolution. Click Next.

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    Figure 6-5: Providing the logon information for your dial-up connection.

  5. On the Local Network Connection page, select the local connection and verify the IP address and click Next.

  6. Follow the steps in the “Configuring the Firewall” section to complete the Configure E-Mail and Internet Connection Wizard.

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Under the Hood

E-Mail Delivery and Retrieval

When you have a choice, always use DNS for delivering your e-mail. When you use DNS, you are responsible for deciding where e-mail goes. The e-mail headers are correct and you’re actually being a good Internet citizen. When you forward e-mail to what’s called a “smart host,” the headers will show that the e-mail was forwarded or relayed, and in today’s world when people are being swamped with spam, that alone is enough to get your e-mail blocked from many servers.

E-mail is retrieved either directly from POP3 (Post Office Protocol 3) mailboxes and then routed to Exchange, or the e-mail is delivered directly to Exchange. POP3 mailboxes are the easiest to manage. They will have addresses such as user@YourISP.com. Many ISPs include 5 or 10 free POP3 e-mail accounts with their service.

How your ISP handles incoming e-mail determines the configuration of e-mail delivered directly to Exchange. Either it’s delivered to Exchange as soon as received, or it’s held until your server sends a signal to the ISP.

Two types of signal are in use:

  • ETRN, which requires that you use a static IP address supplied by the ISP.

  • TURN After Authentication, which allows the ISP to deliver to a dynamic IP address. If you choose this option, the TURN Authentication Information page of the wizard will prompt for the user name and password used to authenticate your server to the ISP.

Your ISP will tell you which signal to use.

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Configuring the Firewall

Unless you have another firewall (hardware or ISA), you must use the Windows Small Business Server firewall or your network will be completely vulnerable to attack from the Internet. When running the Configure E-Mail and Internet Connection Wizard, you are prompted to enable the firewall and then configure the services. Complete the following steps:

  1. On the Firewall page, click Enable Firewall and then click Next.

  2. On the Services Configuration page (Figure 6-6), select the services that you’ll need and then click Next.

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    Figure 6-6: Selecting the services to pass through the firewall.

    Tip 

    If you select Virtual Private Networking (VPN), the system will warn that your server isn’t configured for remote access. Click OK. Remote access is enabled in the next To Do List item.

  3. On the Web Services Configuration page (Figure 6-7), select the Web services you want available to users connecting from the Internet.

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    Figure 6-7: Selecting the Web services to pass through the firewall.

    If you don’t allow any access, you’ll have maximum security but you won’t be able to use some of the best features of Windows Small Business Server, including Remote Web Workplace and Outlook Mobile Access. On the other hand, allowing access to the entire Web site will allow users to access all the Web site directories. So it’s advisable to pick and choose specific services:

    • Outlook Web Access is a component of the Web-based messaging client in Microsoft Exchange Server that gives users secure access to their e-mail, a personal calendar, and group scheduling from any browser.

    • Remote Web Workplace allows authorized users to connect through an Internet address to Outlook Web Access, your SharePoint Services intranet site, and their own desktop. If you select this option, you must also select Outlook Web Access, SharePoint Services, and Server Performance And Usage Reports if you want users to be able to use these services.

    • Server Performance And Usage Reports allows authorized users to receive scheduled performance and usage statistics and to receive immediate alerts when an issue arises on the server.

    • Outlook Mobile Access allows users to read and send e-mail from a mobile device.

    • Outlook Via The Internet allows a user with an Outlook profile on the server to access e-mail from a computer on the Internet without creating a Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection. The client computer must be running Microsoft Windows XP Professional with the latest Service Pack and Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 or later.

    • Windows SharePoint Services Intranet Site allows users to make use of the intranet site from the Internet.

    • Business Web Site permits user to access your Internet Web site from the Internet.

  4. Click Next.

    Tip 

    If your network adapter for the Internet has a dynamically assigned IP address via DHCP, a warning message will appear. If your server is assigned a new IP address, your Internet domain name might not be resolved properly causing your Web services to be inaccessible from the Internet. If your IP address is dynamically assigned, ensure your ISP supports dynamic DNS or consider getting a static IP address.

  5. If you choose to allow access to some or all of your Web site, the Web Server Certificate page appears prompting you to specify a Web certificate, which is necessary to configure Secure Sockets Layer (SSL).

    Security Alert 

    A Web certificate is a security tool for ensuring safe communications on the Web. A site certificate ensures that the server is the one it claims to be, not an imposter, and that data sent to the server will not be intercepted.

    A self-signed certificate will work perfectly well, but customers and visitors accessing your Internet site—if their browser security settings are what they should be—are notified that the site certificate is not signed by a third-party Certification Authority.

    A commercial certificate can cost from $200 to $900 per year but is a good investment in security for your customers and visitors. VeriSign (http://www.verisign.com), Thawte (http://www.thawte.com), and GeoTrust (http://www.geotrust.com) are the best known of the commercial providers. Although some providers sell 40-bit as well as 128-bit encryption, 40 bits is too weak to offer adequate protection.

    For information about the SSL Certificate technology and the Certification Authorities who issue 128-bit SSL Certificates, see the SSLreview (http://www.sslreview.com).

  6. On the Internet E-Mail page, select Enable Internet E-Mail to use Exchange for Internet e-mail and click Next.

  7. On the E-Mail Delivery Method page, select how to deliver your Internet e-mail and click Next.

  8. On the E-Mail Retrieval Method page, specify how e-mail is retrieved from the Internet. Select Use The Microsoft Connector For POP3 Mailboxes if your organization’s e-mail accounts are at your ISP. If you are using Exchange, select Use Exchange and specify how the e-mail is delivered to Exchange and click Next. For more information about e-mail delivery and retrieval, see the Under the Hood sidebar, “E-Mail Delivery and Retrieval,” earlier in this chapter.

  9. On the E-Mail Domain Name page, enter your e-mail domain name. This must be a registered Internet domain. Click Next.

  10. If you selected to retrieve e-mail using POP3, the POP3 Mailbox Accounts page appears where you can configure your POP3 mailbox accounts and how e-mail is routed to your Exchange server. Since you probably haven’t created user accounts yet, you won’t be able to specify Exchange accounts where the e-mail should be routed to. E-mail configuration is discussed in Chapter 14, “Using Exchange Server,” so you can leave this till later.

  11. If you selected to retrieve e-mail using POP3, the Mail Schedule page appears. Select a frequency for how often to send and receive e-mail.

  12. On the Remove E-Mail Attachments page, you can specify the e-mail attachments you want Exchange to remove automatically (Figure 6-8). If you want, you can save attachments in a folder—preferably one available to administrators only. Click Next.

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    Figure 6-8: Configuring the automatic removal of e-mail attachments.

    Note 

    Attachments sent with internal e-mail on the local network aren’t affected by these settings.

  13. The final page of the Configure E-Mail and Internet Connection Wizard summarizes all that has gone before, beginning with the type of connection selected and ending with the settings for e-mail attachments. Click the link at the bottom of the page for detailed information. Save, print, or e-mail the details for your records (Figure 6-9).

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Figure 6-9: Save the details of your e-mail and Internet configuration.

After the wizard has completed, you’re prompted to enable password policies. You can do this now or later. You will also be connected to the Windows Update Web site to obtain any critical updates. Keeping Windows Small Business Server up to date is discussed in the “Updating Windows Small Business Server” section.

More Info 

See Chapter 9, “Users, Groups, and Security,” for details about establishing strong passwords.



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Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003 Administrator's Companion
Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003 Administrators Companion (Pro-Administrators Companion)
ISBN: 0735620202
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2004
Pages: 224

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