I'm working on a new comany (Medium buisness) as Computer tecnician. After some weeks of work i've decided along with my superiors to set a DataServer ( Store Data ) and a Internet server. Well my first step was to buy a Pentium 4 Dual Core 3.0 with 2Gb Ram and a SATADRIVE with 250 GB. Now i'm "stuck", because i dont know witch is the best way to set a internet server. I mean the main objective is a full control of websites access, using a proxy and a repository for Antivirus, software and other stuff. Well, maybe you with your all experience on this kind of things maybe can help me to solve this minor issue. I've aproximitlly 30 PC's connect to my network and all this pc's have direct access to internet throw router. Well i want to "hijack" them signals and force them to pass throw the intertnet server. If anyone has some experience to make this kind of thinks happen give me a hint, plus , also give me an hit for software witch the server might need . I hope that i get some usefull help in here . ..... OF COUSE I WILL cheers m8's

I am no expert, but here is how I see it. If it's an internet server, you will have a lot of people accessing it from all over the globe (let's just say they will). For that, you need a high speed internet link and a static IP address. After you get that, you need to install the server itself. IMO, the best server is Apache run on Linux/Unix, because of the safety. After that, it's all child's play - GoogleIt!

If I was wrong in any way, please correct me, so I don't make the same mistake again.

Thks Pyost, but i think you didn't undestand what i was asking. The internet server is a server for internal company use, witch allows or not access to internet for company employees. I want all connects to outsite network ( internet ) passes for the Internet Server. I know there exists the possibility of use proxy, but i'm asking if you know any other way to set a Server like this one using another way.

Oh well, I hope someone will find my answer useful

Oh so that's the problem here... You're talking about your local area network to internet gateway server... Well you may use Internet connection sharing in windows xp, if you using them... and other way to do this is far more advanced way, there is a software desinged for windows, that enables you to maintain internet server, with connection gateway to internet, and it's called WinGate.

I would say use linux/unix because imo they are the most stable operating systems for servers.
The external ip address won't matter so it is the configuration of the router/hub that the server is connected to.

Apache is a pretty powerful and expandable web server for this type of server. You will only need to set it up for internal LAN use so it is impossible for people outside the LAN to access the server.

You might also want to install php and mysql on the server, also some kind of client login system or management system as well as a news sysetm. (Really depends on the exact purpose of the intranet).

Hope this helps
-HellFire

i think you aren't understanding what i'm asking. I dont want an http server, what i really want is a way to set a specific PC to be "Internet Server".

Why do i need that?

Well it may be for lots of things (include http server), but like i said its not that the primary objective.

Imagine an Medium Company , now imagine +/- 30 Pc's all with directly connect to router, witch link them INTERNET. Now i dont want them access direclty to internet, because i dont have control to disable them access porn, illegal sites, Virus Sites and others. What i'm trying to do is all 30 pcs connect internet throw a "INTERNET SERVER" with a proxy software to monitor access to Ethernal Network.

But i dont know witch is the best option, and what i have to do to set this right, So i'm asking a little help to you.

So basically you want a proxy/router/gateway PC. Well considering this, I'm thinking Coyote Linux would be the best option as it's a router PC plus Firewall, so you'll have an added avantage using it to control access of who's allowed out and not, you can also configure bandwidth usage for each individual user, etc.

You would place this computer between the router, and the switch of the network, that way it is not possible for direct connections to the internet without going through this computer, so it acts like a kind of proxy/gateway.

Of course Windows can also do this too, which means setting it up as a gateway, but I'm not sure about how easily configurable it is.


Cheers,


MC

Well, you are need setup your server as Gateway to the Internet?
Throught server, because you are need block some content? Like porno, warez and etc?
You can easily do it using WinGate on Windows. And I think you should setup DHCP server, because setup every PC settings manually very trivial. Wingate have such option.
If you installed Linux on your server, I couldn't help you.
I can say that Linux is more secure by the way, but you'll have some problems like file acces and internet access.
I've server in my home network working on MS Windows 2003 Server + WinGate + ServU FTP server. All works fine =)

I would say.... well I am no expert but...
For blocking sites use the router.... and alll but a main computer...

I think your thinking of a school for egsample and then all the students login to the main computer.... which is in the office.. where they block sites so I'ld say plug your lan into your computer and your router set up a link between the two and whalla