Topic: ADSL on SME Server 6.0

[innovate]

Hello,

We have been running SME Server v6.0 for over a year without any problems. Previously the we connected to the Internet via an IDSN line with an internal ISDN PCI card (Eicon Diva).

Last week BT converted our ISDN line to Broadband - fantastic in theory, but now we're having problems connecting to the Internet!

Here's a brief summary:

There is one server (192.168.0.99) in server and gateway mode. DHCP is turned off and each of the 10 or so clients (all Windows based machines) has an IP address - 192.168.0.1 to 192.168.0.10.

To set-up ADSL I have put a new PCI Ethernet card into the server. This was autodetected by the SME config page and I have said that this is to be the external NIC, whereas the card already in the server should deal with the internal network. From the second NIC is a cat5 cable - this plugs into a BT Voyager ASDL modem.

So, here's the problem ...

If I now forget about the server for a minute and plug the modem into my laptop via the cat5 cable I can access the Internet. This laptop is independent of the office network. Everything works fine. If I then unplug the cat5 cable and plug it into the second NIC on the server the connection works on all clients for around 3 minutes. I can send and receive emails, browse sites and access MSN messenger. However, after this time the connection appears to die and the connection test page on server tells me that the internet connection test failed.

If I then unplug the cat5 cable from the server and put it into the network card on my laptop then the internet works! So, the internet connection doesn't die, it must be the connection between the server and the modem. My problem is that I can't see why Internet connection works fine for a few minutes but then stops!

I don't think that I have explained this very well, but I hope I have put across enough of the problem. I've been sat in front of the machine for days now and am convinced that the problem is something simple - the issue now is identifying what it is!

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Confused Chris

[stiperstones]

Could you please tells me the model number of the voyager.

And the subnet is it on ie 192.168.1.1.

Does it have it's own firewall.

How have you set up your ethernet card dhcp or static.

I believe you live in the uk if you are close i might be able to assist you onsite. mail me privately.

[byte]

Hi Chris,

Are you using NAT or NON-NAT?

[innovate]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the replies.

I believe the modem is set to NAT.

>> Could you please tells me the model number of the voyager.

It's a BT Voyager 200

>> And the subnet is it on ie 192.168.1.1.

The Voyager is 192.168.1.1 with 255.255.255.0

The clients and server run from 192.168.0.1 to 192.168.0.10 (or so) with 255.255.255.0

> Does it have it's own firewall.

I don't believe so, but I haven't delved too deeply into the workings of the actual modem.

>> How have you set up your ethernet card dhcp or static.

I'm not too sure here - all I did was put the new ethernet card into the machine, boot up, go to configuration and tell SME that this card was to be used for the external Internet connection.

I hope this helps!

Chris

[byte]

My thought off top me head would be as BT box is 192.168.1.1 and sub 255.255.255.0 - I would then set the external nic to be "static" and choose say 192.168.1.20 and 255.255.255.0

Have you tried that?

[innovate]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply.

Yes, I have tried changing the IP address of the router from 192.168.1.1 to others, but for some reason I can only get any sort of connection (albeit only for a couple of minutes) with it set to 192.168.1.1 - changing it to 192.168.0.20 (so it's in line with the other IP addresses on the network) means I can't get any sort of connection.

Confused? I am!

Chris

[dennisp]

In the states...I have my router set at 192.168.1.0
and server at 192.168.33.1/255.255.255.0
I am and have been using ADSL for over 3 years...

May help...may not

[byte]

Take a look at this thread...

http://forums.contribs.org/index.php?topic=17065.msg66197#msg66197

Sounds like what you are experincing with the droping out...

[MSmith]

Back to the basics ... can you switch the NICs in the admin configuration screens and try with LAN & WAN reversed?  Maybe it's a dud NIC.

[stiperstones]

Hi Chris
Can you see what firmware you are running it should tell you after you on login.
Currently it is running at 5.1.0.22 this is the latest

If it is 4.x.x.x

you need to http://www.voyager.bt.com/200/downloads.htm
and download 4.x.x.x to 5.1.0.14 first and install, then download 5.x.x.x to 5.1.0.22

Personally i would disconect from your SME and plug directly onto your windows machine has these router/modems are a bit tempremental.

Start here first and i will try step by step to break the problem down. I could do with the user manual but bt have taken it offline.

[stiperstones]

Ps Chris

Is this a AOL account