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NAT vs. ICS

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by dercp94

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Hi. I need advice. I just installed Windows Server 2K3 and was about to configure NAT when our senior consultant told me to use ICS instead. Should I follow him or go with my original plan, which is NAT? If I do NAT, would need a 2nd LAN card? The consultant said a single LAN card would do but I think adding a 2nd one is the best way to go. Am I right? I'm not an expert in networks (our expert just quit) so I would appreciate help from you.

5 replies

by matherg

I would most definitely go with the NAT instead of the ICS; also I would use only one NIC, unless it's a heavily used file or application server, then use two.

by cg it

With NAT, go mutihomed so that you have an external interface and an internal interface on W2003 server. What your doing when you use ICS and/or NAT is making the W2003 server a router to route traffic to the Internet and have network address translation running so that LAN computers can share the single public IP address. Its easier to setup and keep track of connections using 2 NICs.

by budthegrey

Unless you have a big network, I would recommend investing $50 in a broadband router from linksys, D-Link, or USRobotics. Easier in the long run.

Or, for more flexibility (and fun), visit http://www.smoothwall.org, and convert a retired PC into a firewall / proxy. Easy to do, good performance, etc.

If you must use the server, install two NICs, and investigate the IP filtering in TCP/IP properties.

by hakoracle

first plz verify why u need is there any connection of intenet and related in your pc and users want to share this connection ....

2nd ICS is builtin feature like u r running xp/2k3/2k opearting system u dont want to use proxy software like microsoft proxy server/ microsoft isa server / wingate proxy / winproxy etc... AND via this you can easily share you internet or related connection for particular LAN connection

3rd NAT is is used in above mentioned proxy softwares and NAT has its own benifits like ....
1)- multiple user sharing one inernet and related connection
2)- NAT give security you hiding users and local network (local ips ) from remote connection
3)- by the help of NAT set which computer(S) by the help of ip address/username can acccess internet and related
4)- NAT give builtin security like your pc make a simple firewall for outgoing yours from this NAT connection
5)- and so many advantages kindly serarch NAT on same site

by drsysadmin

The answers above are fairly accurate - but let me add my 2cents. Use NAT - with 2 NICs. The reasons are simple. NAT provides the same user-side benefits (multiple users on one connection) with more security and options. NAT is easier to work with when using multiple NIC's. In addition, should you later decide to add either a router/firewall/brick/security device, all you have to do is insert it between you server and the external data connection. This beats having to add another card (and configuring it) later along with your security device. Using 2 NIC's also allows your 2k3 server to be a DHCP server for the clients, and NAT will interface with no problem. If you use ICS, you will need to set up static IP's for the clients, in essence you will have to "tell" ICS what IP's are accessible. NAT is just as easy to set up as ICS as well.
Luck.

Dr. Sys

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