[VerB]

Good day Gurus.

I am very frustrated with my network. I have 4 DSL connections. Currently, each DSL has 12 machines on it. This gives us 48 machines over 4 DSL connection (routers). The problem is that it is getting a bit frustrating not being able tyo share files with machines on the other network. I recently added one machine and added NICs on it. This machine currently is running an ftp server and is connected to all four routers. Thus, all machines can communicate with this "central" ftp server. However, since most of the files need to be edited by multiple users, it is easy to overwrite the work of others. So, the ftp solution just is not the right way to go. Now i am thinking of using windows XP bridging, but I am unsure if it will work...

What I want is to have a networked environment so that everyone can share files or possibly log into a domain. However, machines should not use 1 internet connection only. Some machines need to use one router and others must use another router and so on. What can I do?

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got a question...WHY do you HAVE to have the 4 seperate dsl connections?

[dsenette]

got a question...WHY do you HAVE to have the 4 seperate dsl connections?

[VerB]

Because DSLs are much cheper than an E1 connection here in the Philippines. But ofcourse, DSL has limits. It usually slows down to 56kbps each machine when 12 computers are on it. So, purchasing more DSL makes more sense for us (small business). Also, it sometimes helps being one different public IPs.

[dsenette]

okiedokie...

what make and model routers do you have?

do these routers have multiple interfaces or just single interfaces?

internally...are all machines conncted via etherenet and switches/hubs?

[VerB]

My routers are Linksys BEFSr41 routers. Machines are connected by cat5 cables and are linked using switches.

[dsenette]

so all of the machines are PHYSICALLY connected to each other....but each subnet has a different ip range correct?

[VerB]

Well... let me explain further. For the 1st DSL, 12 machines are connected, for the second one, another 12... and so on. So, each network have different IP ranges but even if they do, they arent actually connected to to each other physically. Its set up in such a way that all 4 Networks are on their own. But, one exception... I have a michine with 4 NICs that runs an ftp server. these 4 NICs are connected to the routers.

[dsenette]

ok....and that machine with the 4 nics can talk to EVERYONE correct?

[dsenette]

http://www.comptechd..._ugrouting.html

check that out it's how to make a linux box a router...

what you would basically do is add a static route on the linux box for each interface that would look like

destination gateway netmask
0.0.0.0 <ip of router1> 0.0.0.0
<subnet1> eth0 <subnet mask of ip 1>
0.0.0.0 <ip of router2> 0.0.0.0
<subnet2> eth01 <subnet mask of ip 2>
0.0.0.0 <ip of router3> 0.0.0.0
<subnet3> eth02 <subnet mask of ip 3>
0.0.0.0 <ip of router4> 0.0.0.0
<subnet4> eth03 <subnet mask of ip 4>

what this will do is any trafic that that interface sees that id DOESN't recognize (internet requests)..would get shot out to the dsl router everything else SHOULD get routed accordingly...
you would have to change the default gateways on all your machines to point to the corresponding interface on this linux router

[VerB]

So technically, i would end up having one router (linux box) and all machines uses a different internet connection through this box? Thus, i can assign them to belong to one domain and just use different gateways corresponding to the diff eth?

[dsenette]

THEORETICALLY...i'd LOVE to test it and see if it worked...but i don't see why it wouldn't...all you're needing is a router to route between the subnets...which is what this would do...( i actually asked linksys live chat to see about a setting on their routers...and they didn't understand what the heck i was talking about....goobers)

in theory it would also be possible to do this with each router....but..i can't assure that.. i have on the other hand set up a linux router...MUCH less complex than this....but it worked

[VerB]

I like your idea of having a linux router with four interface connected to a switch. I tried once to connect the routers to a switch, but the connection dies/ become unstable when I did that. I know basic networking, but I am unsure when i comes to configurations like this. Now, the linux router (with 4 interfaces) will be broadcasting internet packets over the network. Will this have collision problems or broadcast storms? I read in an article once regarding broadcast storms...

[dsenette]

they actually shouldn't be broadcasting internet packets ALL over the network...as the internet traffic (0.0.0.0) has a specific destination (the dsl router)....now...as far as the switch jazs..

IF i'm correct..your routers also have a built in 4 port switch....all you would be doing is plugging from a port on each router...to the corresponding NIC on the llinux box...

[VerB]

Wait wait wait. I just got confused and excited all at once.
Are you saying that I should set up a linux router and connect all four interface on the same switch? Or should I maintain my current network and just add the router as a bridge and set each machine with IP in such a way that everything follows >> 192.168.5.0 Network?

My current configuraation is:
192.168.1.0
192.168.2.0
192.168.3.0
192.168.4.0

these are the four networks that my ftp server connects to. My ftp server just uses 1 of them as the gateway as it brings down the network when I try to set up each interface to have a gateway. So what you are suggesting is that I set my ftp server's iptables so that each internet request get blocked and only allow samba/netbios/vpn to pass through? Please clarify... sorry.

[dsenette]

well...no..i was saying on the linux router you should connect each interface to one of the ports on each of the routers (the router that corresponds to that intefcace)

so something like cable from nic1 to router1, nic2 to router2, nic3 to router3, nic4 to router4 because each router has a built in switch (according to linksys)...and each network is already connected to each router


you could probably leave the ftp server set up the way it is as far as the gateway is concerned...as the routing won't need a default gateway on the interface..as it's going to be it's own gateway...

so with the proper linux setup you'd have this logical setup

info from network 1 is trying to get to network 3...it enters the linux router (which is connected to the same switch as the network) on interface1 (the one that corresponds to network1) the router says...[bleep]..i don't know what to do with this..let's see if someone does...interface3 on the linux box says "i know where that goes let me have it" and pushes the data back out interface3 to the switch and onto network3..