I am owning a small company and we have purchased a server to setup few server applications on it as well as other software.
We would like to setup our network in following way
Internet<->WindowsServer2003 as router<->Switch<->Office Computers
Server has two nic interfaces and we have 24ports 1GB network switch connected to one nic and internet connection to another nic. Our ISP is Frontier and we have Fios 25/25. We get network cable out of ONT box directly connected to our server. There are no modems/routers.
Setting up DHCP on windows 2003 is easy job but we would like to have the ability to port forward some ports from office computers.
I have some knowledge in networking but not as much. How could I setup FHCP server on win2k3 with the ability to port forward some ports to office computers?
Thank you for your time
If you must use your Windows Server as the business's router instead of using something like a Sonicwall appliance as Rex has suggested, I would first harden the server by turning off all non-essential services, closing all ports, and installing all of the updates. Only open the minimum amount of ports necessary to operate the business.
I would suggest you set up a DNS service on it as well and then allow dynamic updates to the DNS so when the DHCP'd address changes on one of the client computers, it is tracked in the DNS or you could just reserve those IP addresses in DHCP for those client computers which need to have specific ports open to the Internet connection which is probably the better of the two solutions without setting static address on the machines themselves. You will do your port forwarding in the firewall software (Windows firewall or a third-party firewall).