Please help me setup a basic network

[Toxa]

Hi,

- I have no experience on servers (except creating users on Windows SBS 2003);
- In case somebody from Brazil can give some specific details, my ISP is GVT;
- I have a DSL connection with fixed / static IP;
- I want to setup a mail server for "mydomain.com", however the website will be hosted elsewhere;
- Domain is currently hosted at Network Solutions.

I have no idea of the settings on Network Solutions, router, Time Capsule, Snow Leopard Server...

See attachment. Somebody with good heart and lots of patience PLEASE help me setup this thing!!!!!!!

All best,

Toxa

 

[Les Kern]

Start by going to Network Solutions, logging on to you account, and set up your domain by pointing it to your routers static IP and mask it. On your router, assign internal services to your various server/s. (Make sure your various machines have DHCP with manual IP's) Connect your switch to your router not through the Time Capsule and connect things to that, or even hook the server to the router directly.
It BEGINS on that router.
From there it's rather simple.

 

[Toxa]

Start by going to Network Solutions, logging on to you account, and set up your domain by pointing it to your routers static IP and mask it.

Thank you!

1) So let's go step by step. See attachment, what information should I fill where? (consider server will handle my domain mail, but the website will be hosted at Network Solutions).

2) How do I mask an IP?

 

[satcomer]

Well make in the Time Capsule into "Bridged Mode" if it sitting behind an already router dishing out NAT (DHCP or Static). This way only the device connected to the ISP modem is doing NAT and you avoid the dreaded Double NAT collision errors.

 

[dmmcintyre3]

You need to set a MX record to your house's IP. Your domain registrar or web host should have an option to set MX records.

Then you need to map the ports to your mail server.

 

[milk242]

and to add...

hopefully the static ip in your network diagram meant static public ip. If not, you could always sign up for one of those free dns services or sometimes the registrar you are with (Network Solutions) help with dynamic ips

 

[Toxa]

People, thank you VERY much for all input so far, but I'm still stuck on my questions on post #3 about Network Solutions settings.

I really need this thing step by step, and I'm sure once we go through all process here, it will be a great tutorial / resource and benefit a lot of people that like me have limited skills.

So, questions on post #3 anyone, please?


Later on we discuss router setup, then Time Capsule, and so on...

 

[whickey]

ok here goes nothing.

first, it would be advisable that you try to get a second IP. this could help make things easier and help distinguish things..its a personal preference of mine, but what ever works.

here is how I would go about this...

1. Log on to your Thomson TG508 router and forward port 25 to the internal IP address of your snow leopard server.

2. Make sure you time capsule is not doing nat, that would be a big problem if it did.

3. Next, go to network solutions. Create an A record host and name it something like ext-gw.yourdomain.com (again the first part can be whatever, just using what i use)..use your static IP as what it points to

4. After you create the A record, then create an MX record which points to the A record you just created above. Make sure to delete the one that network solutions created for you.

5. Sit out and chill for a bit because it will take a while to take effect etc.

6. After that, on a connection outside of your network do a telnet (your static ip here) to port 25..hopefully you should be able to connect. With that, you should be good to receive email.

a couple of caveats:

1. Your mail server/gateway will most likely not have a correct Reverse DNS entry. Some network admins who are hardasses against spam will reject your email because of this..or even possibly if there is a reverse DNS entry, it is something generic which some mail servers to check for. You can sort this properly a couple of ways...

a. Call your ISP and ask them to update the Reverse DNS for that IP to match the A record you created earlier.

b. Call your ISP and ask if you can forward your outbound email to one of their mail servers..called a relay server.

2. You should also make an SPF record for your domain. Read more here: http://www.openspf.org/

3. Also make sure you have generic aliases created.. like postmaster@yourdomain.com and hostmaster@yourdomain.com .. have them point to a live person (i.e. you) This is a generic handle that people would email in case there is a problem etc.

 

[Toxa]

Thank you very much !!!!!

So far:
- A Record something.mydomain.com pointing to my fixed IP;
- MX Record pointing to something.mydomain.com;
- Thomson TG508 router forwarding port 25 to 192.168.1.64;
- Snow Leopard Server with fixed IP 192.168.1.64;
- Airport in bridge mode with fixed IP 192.168.1.65;
- Right now re-installing Snow Leopard Server, because I think it will be easier to setup the mail service using the initial wizard.

Questions:

1) Les Kern suggested installing a Switch between Router and Airport, but my current setup is TG508 Router <-> Airport <-> Server. Can I leave it this way, at least while testing?

2) As per your instructions, the TG508 Router is distributing IPs and Airport acts as a bridge. Is it the safest method? Why Airport is not distributing IPs instead?

3) In a maybe related question, TG508 Router now forwards port 25 directly to Server. Wouldn't be safer to forward to Airport, and then Airport to Server?

4) I am based in Brazil, and my ISP provides reverse DNS only to ".com.br" domains, but my domain is ".com". Any alternatives?

5) What is / how do I mask an IP, mentioned on the 2nd post of this thread?