Re: VoIP over same LAN but different IAP

Charles wrote:
Paul, thanks a lot I am (slowly) beginning to understand
This setup would be good for us too, especially as we have a Sonicwall box too. Provides backup internet access as a bonus.

Now, let me ask a few question which will probably sound dumb to you experts, but the one bit I don't understand is how your IP Phones are connected to the LAN, which is related to how many NICs the SBS has. If your SBS has 1 NIC, it must be plugged to your switch or anywhere into the LAN. In that case, so are the IP Phones. My question then is: no problem with the SBS being the domain controller? are the IP Phones somehow off the domain? How do you configure SBS to allow that?

You don't do anything. Only certain versions of Windows, for the most part, can participate in a Microsoft domain, all other equipment doesn't. TCP/IP networking has been around rather longer than Microsoft domains. Networked printers, routers, firewalls and other types of hardware are part of the network but not members of the domain. Other equipment can make use of the SBS as DHCP and DNS server if it needs to, those are standard protocols and are not Microsoft-specific.

What you need to ensure is that no two network machines can have the same IP address, so if you have something with a fixed IP address, that must be set outside the DHCP range, or the DHCP server must be configured with an exception for the fixed address. That's not something specific to Microsoft domains, it's a general TCP/IP requirement.

There's no actual problem with two or more completely different IP address ranges sharing one set of network cabling, other than congestion and the fact that each group is completely isolated from the others unless a router is used. It's something you might do temporarily, perhaps for a migration, but it's not a great idea for permanent use.

If the SBS has 2 NICs, then all traffic, WAN + VoIP must fo through the SBS, and again the same question: how do you configure SBS to allow that?

You look up the protocol and port requirements of the VOIP system, and open holes in the firewall to allow it in. Usually, quite a lot of ports are used. For this and other reasons, many people prefer to keep their VOIP system completely separate from their business network, as the cost of running additional cabling is not a major consideration compared to the fairly severe disturbance to, and reduction in security of, the main network in order to accommodate VOIP. As you will have separate Internet access, you're much of the way there already.

A further point is that many VOIP installation people appear to be telephone technicians without much understanding of Microsoft servers. Many of them need careful watching if they're plumbing new VOIP equipment into a formerly working network.
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Relevant Pages

  • Re: VoIP over same LAN but different IAP
    ... SBS has 1 NIC, it must be plugged to your switch or anywhere into the LAN. ... TCP/IP networking has been around rather longer than Microsoft ... What you need to ensure is that no two network machines can have the ... VOIP system completely separate from their business network, ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.sbs)
  • Re: Point to Point
    ... I do have lots of networking experience but never VOIP. ... My job will be to provide a router on 1 side. ... They are hoping to keep SBS functioning and add the users from the ... to the existence network. ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.sbs)
  • Re: Statis Ip addresses and SBS 2003 DNS
    ... You were talking to your network? ... and 1 server). ... Since I use my SBS server for DHCP for my entire network, ... VOIP are each their own DNS servers. ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.sbs)
  • Re: VoIP over same LAN but different IAP
    ... If you're considering the tradeoffs between 1-NIC or 2-NIC SBS, you could consider switching to a single-NIC SBS. ... Microsoft says SBS 2008 will only be a single-NIC solution, so you can expect to make that change anyway when/if you want to upgrade. ... What you need to ensure is that no two network machines can have the same IP address, so if you have something with a fixed IP address, that must be set outside the DHCP range, or the DHCP server must be configured with an exception for the fixed address. ... That's not something specific to Microsoft domains, ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.sbs)
  • Re: List of Business types Using SBS! - telephony discussion
    ... Thanks for both of your responses, I am curious to see how readily VOIP is ... going to be accepted in the SBS community (not that high by the sounds of it ... their clients and if so what type). ... the IP Phones network jack. ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.sbs)