Greetings List-folk--

I'm what you might call a 'networking newbie.'  I have a certain amount
of administrative and hardware knowledge, but nowhere near what I
sometimes appear to need.  I have become the support department for a
small office LAN consisting of a Windows NT 4.0 server (IIS NOT
installed) with 10 client access licenses and 10 Win98SE computers
using them, a network printer (HP 4050TN), and a Lanier copier
with network scanning and printing capabilities.  Five of these computers
have modems, which has become a problem on a few occasions
(viruses, worms, spread by unwary users).

I've just heard that cable internet access is being considered.  This goes
way beyond my experience and comfort level, so I need the group's wisdom
to help educate me on such an installation.  (I have a simple peer-to-peer,
ICS setup with XP Pro in my home, but that is far more elementary.)

First, I am not sure of the 'order of attachment' of the cable modem, router,
firewall computer (Is it a client or just a big electronic "filter"?), hub, and server.
I could use some enlightenment on this as a beginning.  Is the order cable ->
cable modem -> firewall computer -> router -> hub? How would the firewall
computer be configured in such a setup (what O/S, hardware, software, settings
would be used--I've never set such a thing up.)  Also, what kind of changes
might be necessary in the DHCP area?  Would the 192.168.0.2 through 192.168.0.13
range/scope need to be "redone", or would that be hidden behind whatever
IP address the cable folks see/assign at the router? firewall?  Obviously, I'm
very unclear on a number of these issues. . . .

Second, can certain routers also serve as firewalls?  If so, are they sufficiently
secure?  This could become an issue, as, to this point, the LAN and its server
have been 'cloistered', or in-house only.  This network is used by the administration
of a rather large Property Owners Association, and the property management
software, as well as certain confidential documents, resides on its server.  Protection
of data on the server is a MUST.

Any suggestions and assistance will be deeply appreciated, and my apologies
for the length of this post.

Paul A. Shippert


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