Can a router act as a server?

[Rawan AbuSalman]

Hey...
Can a router act as a server? If I want to share the internet connection with several people and don't want my computer to be on all the time (be a server), can the router act as one? Then, I do not have to leave my computer on all the time, right? And all the computers with whom I have the connection shared will be connected, with no problems...?

Thanx

[m3trj]

It depends what router it is, and what server you are talking about. Most routers are DHCP servers, but not webservers, for example.

[caseyc]

What a home router (D-Link, Linksys, etc.) generally does is take one connection from your internet service provider and split it into a new network with more than enough IP addresses for a home network. If you're just trying to hook up 3 or 4 PCs and they all have network cards, just plug them all into the router and set them all to use DHCP to get their IP addresses.

It wouldn't let me post this image as an image, so if you click this link it'll show you a picture of what I'm trying to say:

http://www.steve.org.uk/docs/mynetwork/mynetwork.png

[Rawan AbuSalman]

thank you for your replies...

The thing I am trying to work out is if I can use the router to route 2 connections...i.e, 1 broadband and 1 via satellite (since via sat needs an upload source to work...) Is it possible?

[Law]

Recurring and Lappy have the same IP address, their gonna be pretty angry at each other.

[Rawan AbuSalman]

sorry Law...didnt get that...

[caseyc]

I think it's possible, but rather difficult... I think this MIGHT work, but after looking around on the internet a bit it seems like it won't.

Ok, this is my idea.

Have both the satellite as well as broadband connections plugged into a switch (not a router/switch, a plain switch). Have this switch plugged into a regular router into the uplink port. The router must be configured to use the broadband connection as its gateway, so wait to plug the satellite connection into the switch until after the router gets an IP. Have both PCs plugged into the router as you normally would.

The way this would work is that when you go to a website, it'll send the request out of the router and into the broadband connection... I'm not 100% sure how satellite works, but the broadband connection should be tied into the satellite connection so that it knows what you're doing on the internet. The satellite connection will then return any of the information you requested through the switch and into the router. You'd have to open absolutely everything for the satellite's IP address on the router.

The only concern I have is that the broadband connection may give the satellite ISP the wrong IP address to send information back, because it's probably just going to send it back to the original IP address (your current one) not your private IP address as set by the router. You could give it a shot... I don't have visio installed right now but I can draw a diagram of what I'm talking about if you'd like.

It's very messy but it's the only solution I can think of.. I've never teamed internet connections into a router before.

[Rawan AbuSalman]

thank you very much for your reply...
I dont have either connection right now (to try it) but was wondering if it works or not, and if it does, I might give it a shot...
Anyway, the broadband companies are installing new antenas to cover my area...itll take a week or so..till then, Ill try researching on the internet and see if it works...

thanx again

[The_Urge]

You would need a load balancing router to do this. It would have at least a dual WAN and it will kick your wallet in the nuts.

I believe that there are software solutions if you want to turn your computer into the router and install a couple of NICs, but then you would need to leave this system on all of the time in order to keep your connection.

What's up with the two ISP connections? I need a better description of what you want to accomplish. You said that you want to share your internet connection, why is the router not enough? Are you trying to secure your stuff from the others that will share the connection?

[caseyc]

Two ISP connections are required for one-way satellite internet. The broadband is his upload connection and the satellite is download-only (hence one-way).