HOWTO Setup WAN for Cable Modem Connection

 This document identifies how to setup the Network Concierge server to use a Cable modem connection for shared Internet connectivity.  The typical procedure is to configure the Network Concierge box as a dual-NIC, DHCP/DNS    gateway server.  In this scenario, the first NIC (or Internal/External HUB) card provides the LAN (Intranet) client connectivity.  The second NIC card provides WAN/Internet Cable modem connectivity.

 The preferred/default mode of operation of the NC server is to configure it in “Small Business”, “automatic” mode where it is the DHCP/DNS network server. The Windows/other client machines should be configured to “Obtain an IP address from a DHCP server”.   With this setup, the DHCP NC server must be up and running before powering up the Windows client systems.  Given this configuration, the NC server will automatically distribute the IP network addresses for all the TCP/IP enabled DHCP client machines.  

 Using the following client-server network topology diagram consisting of a 2 printer, 5 Windows client systems and 1 NC server, the 5 windows client machines are attached to an Intranet HUB and the cable modem (not shown) is attached to the Internet NIC card.  The WAN NIC card is then configured to point to the cable modem and use it as a gateway.

Once configured all the Windows client machines will be able to share the cable modem Internet connection.  Also, in automatic mode, the Network Concierge gateway server is the only box directly accessible from the outside world since network address translation (NAT) is used.  The LAN clients are assigned 192.168.0.x IP addresses, which are non-routable addresses.   Should you need to operate using static IP address(es) you can use alternative Intranet mode settings.   Now, for the rest of this document, the basic requirements and process for setting up the NC server WAN cable modem connection are described.

Network Concierge Server WAN Connection Setup

The following information is required from your ISP:

·         Modem IP Address: The IP address of the cable modem (probably preconfigured by the ISP)

·         Server IP Address: An IP address (on the same network as the modem) for the Concierge's INTERNET interface

·         Netmask: The network mask of the above network

·         DNS address(es)

From the Network Concierge Control Panel Web Interface below:

·         Internet->Ethernet->Basics

Select "Configure ethernet manually"

·         Enter the Server IP Address in the IP Address box.

·         Enter the Netmask in the Network mask box.

  ·         Enter the Modem IP Address in the Default gateway box.

·         Click the DNS tab.

·         Check the "Use the following name servers" box.

·         Click New and enter the DNS address(es).   The DNS address entered is for sample purposes only. You MUST enter one or more valid DNS addresses usually provided by your ISP.

·         Click OK.

On the client machines:

·         If the client is setup to "Obtain an IP address automatically" then nothing needs to be done.

·         If the client has its IP address manually configured, then under TCP/IP Properties for the network adapter select the Gateway tab and add a new gateway whose value is the INTRANET address of the Concierge. Be sure to remove any other gateway entries, if they exist.  For example on a Windows NT WS client machine the setting could be:

·         In addition, for static IP client machines make sure you setup the DNS entry information correctly.  It can either point to the Network Concierge’s IP address or a real DNS on your network that knows about the Network Concierge. For example on a Windows NT WS client machine you would add the DNS entry as shown: