Help Setting Up Home Network

rocdude

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Jun 4, 2011
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Please help me with setting up my home network.
GOAL:
1) Need to access home computers from the internet, especially a server that needs to added to the home network [there is no network currently other than through DHCP vid D link router]..
2) Need wireless connectivity inside the house,
3) Be able to connect a Server that was retired from office and be able to access the data ie move a server from the office to home.

AVAILABLE HARDWARE:
1) Fixed IP,
2) SonicWall TZ 205N,
3) D Link AC 3200 router,
4) Home is hardwired.
5) A retired Dell server T320 which was a domain controller and the role is still active on this machine.

Current Setup: ISP to D Link which is acting as DHCP, multiple home computers are connected.

Question:: What is the best way to use the Sonic wall and the D Link and be able to add the server which has its own fixed IP [it is a single server that used to be a domain controller and was just retired. I still want to be able to access the data from this server].

Do I add Sonic wall and make it the DHCP server and then assign the same network name of the domain controller server that needs to be included in the network and give this server the same old IP Address; and then remove DHCP from the D Link and make it just AP mode?

Or do I use the server as the domain controller as before and add all other components to this network like the SonicWALL and the DLink for wifi?

Or is there a better way to do this?
Thanks for your suggestions. [Key is I should be able to access this server both from with in and from outside of the network.
 
The best (read: most secure) way to access your server from outside of your home is to connect over VPN. Whether you will use SonicWall, or DLink as VPN server (if capable of), or your server, does not matter.

Answer for yourself the question: What you want to use that server for (apart from burning electricity)?

If you want to use AD capabilities of your server, you have to upgrade all your home computers to Pro version (including the comptuter you will use "outside"). I see no benefits of doing that. If you want just file access - I would delete AD role from it.