Need help in Automating & Building a Home Network

[m-JeRi]

Hi...

 

I need help in automating my download from 2-8AM

 

I am using BSNL 500 C connection on a UT starcom WA3002GA Type4 modem. one with WLAN and 4 Ethernet ports. Its in PPPOE mode i think. I just turn the modem on and it gets online.

 

I have 2 PC's and a PS3. One PC is a atom which will be loaded with Windows home server 2003 with uTorrent and will be run without Mon/KBB/Mouse. It be acting as a Download Rig/ File server.

 

Going to use Remote Desktop from my main PC for accessing its desktop.

 

The other PC could have Win XP / Vista / 7. Does this affect in any way.

 

 

Here's all I need from you guys.

 

1. Do i need some extra hardware like ethernet cable or router?

2. Turn my modem from PPPOE mode to bridge mode

3. I need to automate the download from 2 to 8 am.

a. I will turn the PC on before i go to bed like 10pm. coz i suppose the PC cannot turn itself ON.

b. The PC should automatically shut down.

c. Turn the modem OFF if possible.

4. I need to have Internet connection available to both the PC's and PS3 for PSN.

5. I need to have a Lan connection between both the PC's for file transfer.

6. And yeas. I may sometimes have 1 or 2 Laptops or Wifi mobile at home. So is there anyway to access the WLAN for internet. And Anyway to allow them to access tot he file server.

 

I am a NETWORKING NOOBIE...so please help out.

 

Jerin

[rahul]

Dude, link the original pic.. cant even make out your rough connection plans..

 

Anyways, there's a software called auto power on and shutdown which can turn your pc on, reboot, shutdown etc and run programs at the desired time. But it cant dial internet connections.

If you want a program that can control your router, then i saw something on indiabroadband forums. Can search for it if you want.

 

And coming to sharing your connections, that's pretty straight forward..your router will take care of it as long as you have PPPoE enabled.

 

And afaik, you cant automate PPPoE to bridge switch over.

 

Edit : If you prefer switching on you PC every night, you can use the built in scheduler in uTorrent. Just dont force start any, cuz then that torrent will ignore the scheduler.

[m-JeRi]

^^

 

thnx for the auto power up and down, but its a paid s/w

 

rest i didnt understand well...

 

[rahul]

Ok, layman mode : ON

 

You cannot automatically switch from PPPoE (a.k.a auto dialing) to Bridge mode (dialing the connection). But you can dial the bridge mode automatically using a script. But since you dont want to get too technical. I'd suggest you stick on with PPPoE.

 

You will need LAN cables for every physical connection you make, and you dont need another router, you already have the router (am having the same). And dude, if your Atom and main PC are in the same network, why that green line?

You cannot have 2connections (black and green line) unless you have another router just for connecting your Main and Atom PC's.

 

If you go to uTorrent preferences, you can see a scheduler option. You can tell uTorrent when it can use the internet connection. Use that if you prefer switching on the computer yourself everynight. It wont download anything till the timings you have opted for, unless you force start torrents.

[m-JeRi]

Well...few updates...

 

I successfully changed from PPPOE to Bridge mode. now my modem connects only when i click the connect shortcut i created.

 

Qn 1 ----> How can i use the net connection from my PS3 now. before it was just turn the modem On and voila.

 

Qn 2 ----> Now i need the necessary scripts to reboot the modem and connect at specified time and Dis-Connect at specified time. its a UT stracom ADSL modem/router. so any help will be appreciated.

 

I am using the idea that i will turn my server on before i go to sleep. so that it will come out of hibernate and do the download.

 

Qn 3 ----> I have a problem here. to use scheduled task, I need to set Password for my user accnt.

a. Is there any way to avoid that? coz i prefer not using a password.

a. If i set a user accnt password is there any way to auto login in XP/Server ?

 

I speculated of using Linux as the OS in the server. but using Windows products for long time and used to MSTSC or remote desktop feature in windows,

i thght of windows home server. Will try that way first. if its a dead end for me then ill go the Linux way.

 

So i now need help with Home server OS. so any help will be appreciated.

[m-JeRi]

I saw the following scripts. will this be enough. From TE

 

Suggestion by ..:: Free Radical ::.. for people who use there modem in Bridged mode.

 

You can simply use rasdial if you are in Bridge mode

 

copy this into a text file and save it has a .CMD batch file

 

CONNECT.CMD

Code:

 

@ECHO OFF

 

:CONNECT

rasdial <Connection Name> <Phone Number> <Password>

if NOT %ERRORLEVEL% ==0 GOTO FAILED

EXIT

 

:FAILED

GOTO CONNECT

 

DISCONNECT.CMD

Code:

 

rasdial <Connection Name> /DISCONNECT

 

Where <Connection Name> = Name of the bridge Mode WAN Miniport PPPoE dialer connection in your Network connections folder.

And use task scheduler to run each whenever you desire.

Better than using a browser.

 

----------------------------

 

In this Connection name will be BSNl, for me

password is my password.

what is the phone no?.. i tght it will be the user name i use to log in??

[Cherry]

I saw the following scripts. will this be enough. From TE

 

Suggestion by ..:: Free Radical ::.. for people who use there modem in Bridged mode.

 

You can simply use rasdial if you are in Bridge mode

 

copy this into a text file and save it has a .CMD batch file

 

CONNECT.CMD

Code:

 

@ECHO OFF

 

:CONNECT

rasdial <Connection Name> <Phone Number> <Password>

if NOT %ERRORLEVEL% ==0 GOTO FAILED

EXIT

 

:FAILED

GOTO CONNECT

 

DISCONNECT.CMD

Code:

 

rasdial <Connection Name> /DISCONNECT

 

Where <Connection Name> = Name of the bridge Mode WAN Miniport PPPoE dialer connection in your Network connections folder.

And use task scheduler to run each whenever you desire.

Better than using a browser.

 

----------------------------

 

In this Connection name will be BSNl, for me

password is my password.

what is the phone no?.. i tght it will be the user name i use to log in??

 

use rasdial command and create a bat file then u can use atuo scheduler or windows scheduler so that it runs automatically during 2 am if ustill dont understand i will help u understand

 

t_T

[m-JeRi]

^^

 

I know that.

 

The lines after the line is my qn.

 

TBE : "In this Connection name will be BSNl, for me

password is my password.

what is the phone no?.. i tght it will be the user name i use to log in??"

[m-JeRi]

Hi all... other set of updates...

 

So i installed Windows home server on my Atom. the Xfile edition.

 

No i need help on the networking part from you guys. not the internet connecting and reconnecting. JUST THE networking.

 

We will talk about the net thing later.

 

And No UL connection for me for sometime. coz Airtel has no service in my area. fools.

 

 

 

p.s. A little headup, i am testing Imran's Broadband Utility in my main PC. lets see how it goes.

[udayrulz]

What's left ?

 

Did you get uTorrent to work ?

[m-JeRi]

1. JUST THE networking.

2. Imrans utility seems to be working...

3. Install utorrent in WHS

[m-JeRi]

I am testing Imrans Utility for 2 days...seems good..will test 5 more days...

today i actually slept through out from 2 to 8...

 

One doubt..This is what my PC does now..

 

I leave the PC and Modem ON. Using the Imrans utility i have disabled Network, NIC, for other than 2 to 8 on my main PC.

I enable NIC & reboot at 2.01 and start the download. Then Disable NIC & shutdown my PC at 7.45. but dont reboot the modem again.

 

Is there any issues in this?

[Shantz]

I am testing Imrans Utility for 2 days...seems good..will test 5 more days...

today i actually slept through out from 2 to 8...

 

One doubt..This is what my PC does now..

 

I leave the PC and Modem ON. Using the Imrans utility i have disabled Network, NIC, for other than 2 to 8 on my main PC.

I enable NIC & reboot at 2.01 and start the download. Then Disable NIC & shutdown my PC at 7.45. but dont reboot the modem again.

 

Is there any issues in this?

I think you need to reboot the modem otherwise your usage will count towards non-free one..

[m-JeRi]

Hmm.... well something weird.

 

Two nights ago, even though my NIC was off there was a dowload of 280 MB. I have no idea what it is. it happened between 12 AM to 2 AM.

 

and tonight, the PC got restarted twice. . dunno wether it was power issue or something else.

[m-JeRi]

:Updates:

 

So my Windows Home server is going fine *touchwood*, testing will go on for 30 days.

And the Imrans Broadband utility is taking care of the downloads and all...

And i have the network up and running. Folder shares, Remote Desktop the works, The server is running WHS so i suppose it can run headless too..

 

I have some issues.

 

My PC's IP is XXXX.XXXX.XXXX.2

My Server's is XXXX.XXXX.XXXX.4 and my PS3 got XXXX.XXXX.XXXX.3.

 

I tried to do Port forward for my server. I used the SAME port no from my main PC for the server too. did the exact same steps.

But when i test it the server's port is not open.

 

should i give both different port or something???

 

Any ideas??

[Shantz]

^^ You can't forward the same port to two different IPs

[m-JeRi]

u sure??

 

thats the issue?? so different port and it will be fine right??

 

Will do it and post back.

[Shantz]

^^ Yes, static port forwarding works only for 1 destination IP at a time..Which one out of the two lines in your setting takes effect depends on your router's firmware...

If you want to utilize the same port on 2 different machines, look for UPnP. Otherwise best is to change the port configuration in one of the machines (if the application allows it. I guess you need it for some P2P app, and most of them allow you to change the ports)

[m-JeRi]

How to enable the UPnP?

 

and yea its for utorrent.... and soon the utorrent will be in just the server...single machine..so i think it be good..

[Shantz]

There should be an option in your modem/router for UPnP..BTW, if you plan to move to a single machine, or can you two diff ports that would be best as compared to UPnP as it is known to be exploitable and it'd be even more risk for you as you plan to keep your system on for most times...