Network configuration for a render farm

[noor-eldeen]

http://

my network consists of:
- Main PC (connected to the router)
- Switch Netgear ( "Netgear gs748t v4" 48 port - Gigabit - Managed)
http://support.netgear.com/product/GS748Tv4
- Router (Dlink 2750U)
http://www.dlink.co.in/products/?pid=452
- 5 render PCs (connected to the switch)

Info:
- I run windows 8.1 (no windows server)

I've installed additional network adapter to the main PC in order to make (Option C) from the tutorial above, http://vray.info/tutorials/vray_distributed_rendering_and_backburner/
but it keeps telling me (unidentified network & no internet access) for the second adapter even after I configured the first adapter which is on-board LAN "Realtek" to allow internet access sharing.

1- I've put a static IP for the Main PC (Realtek NIC) and for the second NIC I don't know the right configuration (DHCP or Static) if static what is the right numbers for the (IP - subnet mask - gateway)
2- I've put a static IP for the switch too.
3- I've disabled DHCP for the Router.
4- I keep reading about the different network idioms and how it works
(IP - Subnet - Gateway - DHCP - WOL - Port Forwarding - Dynamic and static IP .......
But I didn't get a full understanding (I'm not an IT expert)

The Truth is : I don't have IT or network experience to proceed

Any help please?

 

[McHenryB]

You would only use option C if you want to isolate the render PCs from the Internet (other than the one that is connected to the router. Otherwise just use Option B (or A, which is the same thing if you have enough free ports on the router). All the computers can be set to get DHCP addresses from the router.

If you really want to use Option C you should give all the NICs connected to the switch fixed IP addresses on a different network to the one the router is on. The second NIC in the computer connected to the router can get its IP settings by DHCP from the router.

 

[USAFRet]

With Option C, that first PC should be some sort of firewall appliance, not just Windows with ICS.
But of course it won't be part of the render farm...you'll just have the other two.

How much rendering are you doing that you need a 'farm'?

 

[bill001g]

I would follow the tutorial recommendation and use option B especially since you have not done a lot of network stuff. Even though you have a manged switch I would leave it as the default configuration since you do not need the extra features it has, if you want to assign it a IP assign a ip that is outside the range you defined for DHCP in the router.

Pretty much you should be able to let all you equipment run via DHCP and let the router assign the ip to the machines. It should pretty much just work without you having to know much about the details.

When you have the time to learn how to run multi nic machines and how to run multiple networks then you can consider option c....but you still likely would never need option c unless you have a clearly defined security risk.