To connect a small office or home office (SOHO) network to the Internet, you can use one of two methods:www.tartoos.com

1.  Routed connection

For a routed connection, the computer running Windows 2000 Server acts as an IP router that forwards packets between SOHO hosts and Internet hosts. While conceptually simple, a routed connection requires knowledge of IP address and routing configuration for SOHO hosts and the Windows 2000 router. However, routed connections allow all IP traffic between SOHO hosts and Internet hosts.

2.  Translated connection

For a translated connection, the computer running Windows 2000 Server acts as an network address translator; an IP router that translates addresses for packets being forwarded between SOHO hosts and Internet hosts. Translated connections that use computers running Windows 2000 Server require less knowledge of IP addressing and routing and provide a simplified configuration for SOHO hosts and the Windows 2000 router. However, translated connections may not allow all IP traffic between SOHO hosts and Internet hosts.www.tartoos.com

In Windows 2000 Server, you can configure a translated connection to the Internet by using either the Internet connection sharing feature of Network and Dial-up Connections or the Network Address Translation (NAT) routing protocol provided with the Routing and Remote Access service. Both Internet connection sharing and network address translation provide translation, addressing, and name resolution services to SOHO hosts.www.tartoos.com

Internet connection sharing is designed to provide a single step of configuration (a single check box) on the computer running Windows 2000 to provide a translated connection to Internet for all of the hosts on the SOHO network. However, once enabled, Internet connection sharing does not allow further configuration beyond the configuration of applications and services on the SOHO network. For example, Internet connection sharing is designed for a single IP address obtained from an Internet service provider (ISP) and does not allow you to change the range of IP addresses allocated to SOHO hosts. www.tartoos.com

The Network Address Translation (NAT) routing protocol is designed to provide maximum flexibility in the configuration of the computer running Windows 2000 Server to provide a translated connection to Internet. Network address translation requires more configuration steps; however, each step of the configuration is customizable. The NAT protocol allows for ranges of IP addresses from ISP and the configuration of the range of IP addresses allocated to SOHO hosts.

The following table summarizes the features and capabilities of Internet connection sharing and network address translation.

 Notewww.tartoos.com

• Internet connection sharing and network address translation are features of Windows 2000 Server that are designed to connect SOHO networks to the Internet. Internet connection sharing and network address translation are not designed to:
  • Directly connect separate SOHO networks together.
  • Connect networks within an intranet.
  • Directly connect branch office networks to a corporate network.
  • Connect branch office networks to a corporate network over the Internet.