Portable network question - Can this be done?

[mucous]

Hello,

We're a win2k office with 7 laptops and a bunch of desktops on a domain. Once a year, we have our annual convention and I'd like to set up a prtable network with our laptop users while we're there. All the laptops are wireless and can also be connected via wired if need be.

My question is, Is it possible to set up a makeshift network with the laptops while at the convention? I was thinking I could install Win2K server, join our office domain on one of them and then everyone could log into it. I'd like to do this so I can set up the server laptop as a print server and share printers without having too much of an issue. Would this be possible using ad-hoc wireless or would they all need to be on an infrastructure mode wireless set up? This is kind of a new thing for me and I've never done it, so any ideas/suggestions would be valuable. We'd also have an internet connection. Not sure if it's only going to be dial up or broadband at this time. We are also running VPN, but conncecting over dial up would probably be painful over dial up. Just wondering what possible options I would have in this scenario.

Thanks for your help!

 

[frkb]

I'm not clear on what you meant by this sentence, "I was thinking I could install Win2K server, join our office domain on one of them and then everyone could log into it."

In any case, I don't see any reason why you couldn't create a second domain controller to be used at your convention. Your laptops will authenticate to it at the convention because it will be a domain controller for the domain they are a part of. Of course, you'll probably want to make it a DHCP server too (only at the convention).

Your underlying network connectivity can be wired or wireless. This has nothing directly to do with your domain. Performance, security and reliability are really your only concerns there. If you do choose wireless I would definitely use an access point or access point/router - in other words infrastructure mode.

If you intend to have simultaneous connectivity to your office network (via the VPN you mentioned), you'll need to assign a different IP range to your convention network. Do yourself a favor and assign an IP address from both ranges to your convention server before you pull the convention server from your office network.

Hope some of this makes sense.

 

[mucous]

I'm sorry if I wasn't exactly clear. Yes, I am planning on installing Win2K server on my laptop and joining it to the domain before taking it to the convention. DHCP is also part of the plan. I guess it would be wise to set up the DHCP server at the show so it wouldn't interfere with the office network. Actually, couldn't I simply use the DHCP server built into the router and use my laptop only as the domain controller? My laptop would have to have a static IP, but everyone else could go with DHCP. As far as the VPN goes...I beleive there is wireless connectivity throughout the complex we'll be staying at. It would be nice to have both the portable network AND Internet from the complex, however I don't see how that could be done easily or without heavy cost. I will be bringing a wireless router, but it probably won't be an easy task connecting to the hotel complex. It would simply be for connecting my users together and sharing printing. They should have Internet access in their hotel rooms before and after the show every day if they need it.
The laptops also have onboard NICS but it may be more trouble than it's worth to try for Internet connectivity along with having our little portable wireless network. Thanks for your thoughts and suggestions. I think this will work out ok.

Have a good one!

 

[mucous]

I DO have one possibly dumb question. Would the laptop set up as a server absolutely need to have a static IP address? I'm thinking that aside from this convention, it would be nice to be able to connect via DHCP to other networks, ie: when travelling etc...

Could I be overlooking any simpler ways to get this accomplished without the need to set up the machine as a server?

Thanks again

 

[Nomadson]

Before you decide to bring your own DHCP to the hotel or a convention center . find out what type of set up that is available. Usually the convention centers and hotel have their own DHCP. (having another DHCP onsite creates havoc for the network people which is not looked upon favorably)

A NAT router (wireless also) which usually has a built in DHCP should work for a small group of 15 or less. just make sure that you're not broadcasting your SSID.(depending on the Access Point, you disable it in the set up menu).

I'd say it a fairly easy set up...

good luck

 

[mucous]

Our hotel/convention center does offer broadband access in the hotel rooms and meeting rooms, however I'm not certain it's offered at the actual convention center. I called them and they weren't too clear. I am bringing a linksys wireless router with me and was thinking I would disable the wan side and only use the lan side for our laptop network. I've already set up my laptop as a server and am just going through the configs now, but for such a small setup, I'm thinking I'll set it up with Dynamic IP also and let the router handle DHCP for us all. The only thing I'm not sure of is if I can do that or not and still be a domain controller for handling authentication. It was also suggested to me that I could set my laptop up on win2kpro and simply add the other users accounts to it. Supposedly, this would allow them to access my shared printer from their laptops without me having to be a domain controller. I'm not sure if this is true or not though.

 

[Nomadson]

If your users can log on locally on their laptops, a domain controller is not needed. All they need is an IP address and subnet to be able connect to eachother, providing, set permissions. I'm not impressed with Linksys routers, in my experience, they have a tendency to drop data signal with extended use. they're great for the home user with less than 5 systems... but anymore, impedes traffic to crawl.

You may look at other routers that have a built in print server, freeing up your laptop for better use.

 

[mucous]

I have one more question.... I've gone into Active directory users and computers/local policies/user rights and assignments and allowed all of our staff to log on locally. As I understand it, this should allow any staff member to log into the laptop when off of the domain, however when any allowed user attempts to log on to the laptop they are still denied. Am I doing something wrong with this? Is there some other setting I need to enable on the laptops that will allow specified staff members access to the laptops?

 

[mucous]

I was searching microsoft's knowledge base on this also and I found that if running mixed mode, that members of a domain local group are not granted rights. Could this be why my staff cannot logon locally to the laptops although I have given them access in the domain level group security policy?

Microsoft Knowledge Base Article - 260534

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;260534&Product=win2000

We are running one NT server on our Win2K network and I am unable to convert over to native mode just for this one reason. Might there be any other way to allow my staff to log onto these laptops locallyif this is the problem?

 

[mucous]

Looks like I fixed the local logon issue. Created a new OU and specified the laptops, then set the local logon policy for that group. It apopears to be doing the job.