Remote Web Workplace setup

[velocityg4]

Since there are not any great categories to post my question into. It seemed most likely that those perusing the Mac OS X Server and Networking section would also have experience with Windows Small Business Server 2008.

Anyways, I am trying to setup remote web workplace so that it is accessible outside of my home network. If I type in the address remote.mydomain.com while connected to my internal network I can access the RWW fine. When I connect to the address from outside my network I get a server not found error.

What I have
1. registered domain (http://www.[I]mydomain[/I].com)
2. port forwarding enabled for port 443 to my server
3. dynamic ip address from isp
4. Web site hosted by GoDaddy if that makes a difference.

What I need to know.
1. How to direct remote.mydomain.com to my server, possibly through dyndns.org but how?
2. Do I also need to purchase the remote.mydomain.com in addition to my already owned http://www.[I]mydomain[/I].com or could I change remote web workplace for http://www.[I]mydomain[/I].com/remote?

Background
I am trying to learn Windows SBS 2008. Though the book I got is quite thorough "Windows Small Business Server 2008 Unleashed" by Eriq Oliver Neale. I never came across this information. Since I am just learning the SBS software and not trying to run a company off of it I am not looking to pay for an Exchange hosting service or static ip address.

 

[mbestel]

dynamic dns

Your setup is complicated slightly by the fact that you have a dynamic IP.

You need to have a dynamic DNS entry that is updated when your router's IP address changes.

This is where dyndns and other such services come in. As dyndns is what I use, I will refer to that service throughout.

If you want to manage DNS for your own domain, you will need to either run your own DNS, or get a "Custom DNS" plan from dyndns.

Custom DNS allows you to manage DNS for your own domain, instead of using one of dyndns's own domains.

You then set up a dynamic host record for remote.mydomain.com or whatever and get a dynamic dns client to update it.

Some routers have this capability built-in, otherwise there are software services for all platforms.

Once this is done, remote.mydomain.com will always point to your host and you should be able to access it.

Custom DNS plans are about USD30/year (I think).

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Mark

 

[velocityg4]

Thanks.

Unfortunately dyndns update client does not work with Server 2008. Though I was able to configure my router for dynamic dns.

I went with making a free domain with dyndns then used the Set Up Your Internet Address wizard in the SBS Console and used that new address. It seems to have worked as I can connect to RWW now from outside my network.

Though it would be useful to know how exactly (step by step) to route my original RWW address through the free one created at dyndns.org. As I just lucked out with the internet wizard and have no clue how one would route say remote.mydomain.com registered through GoDaddy or other registrar to a static ip address to a Windows SBS.

On another note. I noticed when I connect to RWW then click on the Internal Site with Safari or Firefox I just re-enter my user name and password. However, Internet Explorer also insists on a domain identifier as well. I know this isn't clear so I will try to explain more clearly

Internet Explorer asks
additional identifier/user name
password

I have tried
local domain name/user name
password

machine name/user name
password

domain controller name/user name
password

While Firefox/Safari et all is content with
user name
password