Access Mac Mini Server (profile management) through reverse proxy

Hi,
Newbie in Mac's world and yet trying to make it more complicated as it is.
As we recently (last month) decided to equip our sales force with iPads, they were configured through Apple Configurator tool running on a dedicated Mac Mini Mountain Lion.
Now, I'd be keen in moving this configuration to the Profile Manager, part of the OSx Server plugin. So far so good.
Problem is the following : another web server is already on the LAN using both 80 and 443 ports. So all incoming traffic on those ports was routed to this other server. As Mac Mini Server default http/s ports may not be altered, I installed a reverse proxy server (Oracle VM - Ubuntu 12.04LTS - pound), configured to deal differently traffic on those ports according to the domain name (host) of the web request (header). Each 'local' server has been allocated a domain name. Just to be clear, traffic is now routed by the WAN/LAN router, for those ports, towards the reverse proxy, configured to reroute the traffic to the correct destination.
So far so good, it works like a charm, except... as soon as we enter https protocol on Mac Mini Server Profile Manager.
Access from an iDevice to the Mac Mini Server Profile Manager login page is fine, but as soon as password is confirmed, safari is pending and finally a message 'An internal serer error occured. Please try later again' appears.
Looking to both reverse proxy system log and Mac Mini profilemanager.log files to trace the problem, the following lines are produced at this particular moment :
reverse proxy system.log
Jan 15 14:44:03 reverseproxy pound: 91.... GET /devicemanagement/console/apple_theme_v2/en/da56af0a69e733b259dac3991419fa928b4 94a56/resources/images/sprites/me_controls.png HTTP/1.1 - HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Jan 15 14:44:03 reverseproxy pound: 91.... GET /auth?redirect=http://osxsrv.fiks.net/devicemanagement/api/authentication/callback HTTP/1.1 - HTTP/1.1 302 Moved Temporarily
Jan 15 14:44:04 reverseproxy pound: 91.... GET /devicemanagement/api/authentication/callback?auth_token=336952DE-BDDE-4390-82F 7-8475B79FB2D3 HTTP/1.1 - HTTP/1.1 302 Moved Temporarily
Jan 15 14:44:04 reverseproxy pound: (b7680b40) e500 can't read header
Jan 15 14:44:04 reverseproxy pound: (b7680b40) e500 response error read from 192.168....:443/GET /profilemanager/ HTTP/1.1: Success (0.007 secs)
Jan 15 14:44:08 reverseproxy pound: 91.... POST /devicemanagement/api/magic/get_updated HTTP/1.1 - HTTP/1.1 200 OK
OSx Server profilemanager.log
Jan 15 14:44:05 osxsrv ProfileManager[1748] <Info>: Processing MagicController#do_magic (for 91.... at 2013-01-15 14:44:05) [POST]Jan 15 14:44:05 osxsrv ProfileManager[1749] <Info>: Processing MagicController#do_magic (for 91.... at 2013-01-15 14:44:05) [POST]
Jan 15 14:44:06 osxsrv ProfileManager[1748] <Info>: Completed in 492ms (View: 0, DB: 6) | 200 OK [http://osxsrv.../magic/do_magic]
Jan 15 14:44:06 osxsrv ProfileManager[1749] <Info>: Completed in 687ms (View: 0, DB: 5) | 200 OK [http://osxsrv..../magic/do_magic]
Jan 15 14:44:07 osxsrv ProfileManager[1750] <Info>: auth_token doesn't exist
Jan 15 14:44:07 osxsrv ProfileManager[1750] <Info>: Filter chain halted as [:verify_auth_token] rendered_or_redirected.
Jan 15 14:44:07 osxsrv ProfileManager[1751] <Info>: Processing MagicController#do_magic (for 91.... at 2013-01-15 14:44:07) [POST]
Jan 15 14:44:07 osxsrv ProfileManager[1751] <Info>: auth_token doesn't exist
Jan 15 14:44:07 osxsrv ProfileManager[1751] <Info>: Filter chain halted as [:verify_auth_token] rendered_or_redirected.
Jan 15 14:44:07 osxsrv ProfileManager[1751] <Info>: Completed in 4ms (View: 1, DB: 14) | 403 Forbidden [http://osxsrv..../magic/do_magic]
Jan 15 14:44:07 osxsrv ProfileManager[1748] <Info>: Processing MagicController#do_magic (for 91.... at 2013-01-15 14:44:07) [POST]
Jan 15 14:44:07 osxsrv ProfileManager[1748] <Info>: auth_token doesn't exist
Jan 15 14:44:07 osxsrv ProfileManager[1748] <Info>: Filter chain halted as [:verify_auth_token] rendered_or_redirected.
Jan 15 14:44:07 osxsrv ProfileManager[1748] <Info>: Completed in 45ms (View: 1, DB: 43) | 403 Forbidden [http://osxsrv..../magic/do_magic]
Jan 15 14:44:07 osxsrv ProfileManager[1750] <Info>: Processing MagicController#do_magic (for 91.... at 2013-01-15 14:44:07) [POST]
Jan 15 14:44:07 osxsrv ProfileManager[1750] <Info>: auth_token doesn't exist
Jan 15 14:44:07 osxsrv ProfileManager[1750] <Info>: Filter chain halted as [:verify_auth_token] rendered_or_redirected.
Jan 15 14:44:07 osxsrv ProfileManager[1750] <Info>: Completed in 55ms (View: 0, DB: 1) | 403 Forbidden [http://osxsrv..../magic/do_magic]
Jan 15 14:44:08 osxsrv ProfileManager[1749] <Info>: Processing AuthenticationController#callback (for 91.... at 2013-01-15 14:44:08) [GET]
Jan 15 14:44:08 osxsrv ProfileManager[1749] <Info>: Redirected to https://osxsrv..../profilemanager/
Jan 15 14:44:08 osxsrv ProfileManager[1749] <Info>: Completed in 149ms (DB: 5) | 302 Found [http://osxsrv..../authentication/callback?auth_token=[FILTERED]]
I guess the '302 Found' is causing or explaining the problem.
I agree this might not be a Mac issue, so I still knock your doors hoping some of you could at least give a hint for what to search for !
If the pound configuration file is of interest, just ask, but this is pretty trivial, saying basically listen these protocols (http/https) on these ports (80/443) and according to Header content (check destination host) and reroute packet to LAN device (with given LAN IP address).
As the default port(s) of the Mac Mini Web Services may not be altered (so far I know), I guess I am stuck using 80 and 443 anyway.
Maybe should I invest time in changing my other apache server ports to some more exotic 8080 or 88 or whatever so Mac Mini Server Profile Manager default ports 80 and 443 are maintained and can be easily and directly rerouted to my Mac server without any reverse proxy along the way.
Thanks in advance for your help
Alx

HI All,
i'm also using reverse proxy technique to publish my server to the internet. The ip is used by twice domains. The problem is by using the profile manager
after login it redirects the url to the Local Area network addresse instead to the domain.
How to configure this on OS X Server and the Profile Manager Service?
Kind Regards
Oemer

Similar Messages

  • Setup VPN on Mac Mini Server running OSX through a BT Hub Router

    Hello everyone,
    I know this question has been posted several times and I have looked at the suggested solutions, trying each of them. I think this is really down to my lack of knowledge hence hoping someone out there could point me to the right direction for more resources / information, please.
    I am trying to setup a Mac Mini Server with VPN access. My server sits behind a BT Hub router. These are the steps that I have been through:
    1. I am using the server app and after registering a free account with no-ip, I got myself a host name <myname>.ddns.net.
    2. Then I setup the server using a domain name
    3. I configured the DNS by first setting up a primary zone - zone: ddns.net. Then added machine record host name: <myname> pointing to my server which I have configured my router to assign a static ip address to it at 192.168.x.x
    4. Then, I configured the VPN setting up for L2TP and PPTP, setup the shared secret, change the ip address range to match that of the DHCP range on my router. My router by default has a DHCP range between 64 - 253.
    5. Then, I also configured my router to port forward 500, 1701, 1723, and 4500 to my server at 192.168.x.x (I selected both TCP and UDP).
    6. Finally, setup a user account with account name test and password abcd12345
    7. Gone on my "client" machine which is basically my Samsung S4 handphone, selected VPN -> PPTP -> server address: <myname>.ddns.net -> entered account name test and password abcd12345.
    This didn't work.
    Then, I read some post about manually configure DHCP on the server app. Went on the server app, turned on DHCP and setup a network named TestDHCP. Assigned ip address range between that of the default DHCP range on my BT Hub router.
    This does not work either.
    Could someone please kindly help me with it? I am completely lost.
    Thank you in advance.

    To run a public VPN server behind an NAT gateway, you need to do the following:
    1. Give the gateway either a static external address or a dynamic DNS name. The latter must be a DNS record on a public DNS registrar, not on the server itself. Also in the latter case, you must run a background process to keep the DNS record up to date when your IP address changes.
    2. Give the VPN server a static address on the local network, and a hostname that is not in the top-level domain "local" (which is reserved for Bonjour.)
    3. Forward external UDP ports 500, 1701, and 4500 (for L2TP) and TCP port 1723 (for PPTP) to the corresponding ports on the VPN server.
    If your router is an Apple device, select the Network tab in AirPort Utility and click Network Options. In the sheet that opens, check the box marked
              Allow incoming IPSec authentication
    if it's not already checked, and save the change.
    With a third-party router, there may be a similar setting.
    4. Configure any firewall in use to pass this traffic.
    5. Each client must have an address on a netblock that doesn't overlap the one assigned by the VPN endpoint. For example, if the endpoint assigns addresses in the 10.0.0.0/24 range, and the client has an address on a local network in the 10.0.1.0/24 range, that's OK, but if the local network is 10.0.1.0/16, there will be a conflict. To lessen the chance of such conflicts, it's best to assign addresses in a random sub-block of 10.0.0.0./0 with a 24-bit netmask.
    6. "Back to My Mac" is incompatible with the VPN service. It must be disabled both on the server and on an AirPort router, if applicable.
    If the server is directly connected to the Internet, see this blog post.

  • How can i access mac mini server from iPad?

    how can i access my files in mac mini server using an ipad2? what apps do i need?

    Hi,
    I found an App called iTeleport. Have a look.

  • Mac Mini Server won't load Profile Manager

    My Mac Mini Server has stopped loading Profile Manager in a web browser, and gives me the following message:
    Caught exception "Connection to DB failed" [CSDatabaseError] executing route /auth/?redirect=https://stormforce.no-ip.biz/devicemanagement/api/authentication/callback:
    0 CoreFoundation 0x00007fff8f42d25c __exceptionPreprocess + 172
    1 libobjc.A.dylib 0x00007fff8f5b5e75 objc_exception_throw + 43
    2 CSService 0x0000000101f549bd -[CSConnectionPool openConnection] + 3309
    3 CSService 0x0000000101f5538a -[CSConnectionPool currentConnection] + 98
    4 CSService 0x0000000101fe313c -[CSAuthService _sessionForField:value:] + 96
    5 CSService 0x0000000101fd4bff +[CSHTTPRouteHelper setCurrentSessionForRequest:] + 150
    6 CSService 0x0000000101fdec09 __21-[CSAuthService init]_block_invoke + 367
    7 CSService 0x0000000101fd081a __53-[CSRoutingHTTPConnection httpResponseForMethod:URI:]_block_invoke + 95
    8 CSService 0x0000000101fd3d6c -[CSHTTPBackgroundResponse bounce:] + 286
    9 Foundation 0x00007fff8fa0e76b __NSThread__main__ + 1318
    10 libsystem_pthread.dylib 0x00007fff8d749899 _pthread_body + 138
    11 libsystem_pthread.dylib 0x00007fff8d74972a _pthread_struct_init + 0
    12 libsystem_pthread.dylib 0x00007fff8d74dfc9 thread_start + 13
    Anyone got any ideas how I fix this? My current plan is to try and re-install server.app, but I thought I'd post this to see if anyone had any ideas.

    I'm still trying to trace this fault - if anyone has any ideas they'd be much appreciated.

  • Is there a way to access my iTunes library that's stored on my Mac Mini Server at home over the internet while I'm away on business?

    Hello.
    I've done a bit of searching on Google and have come up empty so far and am looking for your help.
    Here's my situation:
    I have my iTunes media files stored on my NAS on my home network along with my Mac Mini Server with the iTunes library files stored in my Dropbox folder. While I'm at home I can access all of my files without any problems from either my Mac Mini Server or my Macbook Air; however, I recently moved to San Diego for work and would still like to access the media that's on my NAS at home remotely from my Macbook Air so I can sync my iPhone and watch movies.
    Is this even possible? If so, how would I go about setting this up?
    Thanks!

    The sessionstore.js file only exists while Firefox is closed. During shutdown, Firefox writes out that file based (I think) on recovery.js as of that point. When Firefox starts back up again, it reads sessionstore.js and deletes it. So if Firefox is running, it's normal not to see sessionstore.js. Anyway, sessionstore.js is going to be empty now.
    Shadow Explorer might already have done this for you, but just in case...
    You could try the previous versions feature. This is harder to get to on Windows 8 and 8.1, but I have read about a roundabout way. I can't test this myself, but here's what you do:
    Let's say you have a Windows Explorer window open to your current Firefox profile folder. This is something like (with your username and semi-random profile folder name):
    C:\Users\''username''\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\blahblah
    Click in the address bar and change the C: to
    \\localhost\c$
    to yield (with your username and semi-random profile folder name)
    \\localhost\c$\Users\''username''\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\blahblah
    Press Enter to reload the folder contents that way.
    Now when you right-click recovery.js, recovery.bak, backup.js or sessionstore.js and choose Properties, there should be a Previous Versions tab. Usually the most recent previous version dates back to the last time Windows created a restore point (e.g., system update or possibly scheduled on a more frequent basis).

  • I have a mac mini server which I want to set up for remote access from windows and mac pcs.  How do I do this.  I can access it form my home network OK

    I have a mac mini server which I want to set up for remote access from windows and mac pcs.  How do I do this.  I can access it form my home network OK

    Posted in error.

  • Mac mini server - Can't access Internet

    Hello. Using a Mac mini server as the media server for my house. Not really using any of the Snow Leopard Server services though. Wanted the larger hard drive and didn't need an optical drive so this was perfect for me. At any rate, recently noticed that the Mac mini can't access the Internet. It talks to the other Macs and Apple TVs in the house fine but it can't load a web page. I looked at the preferences and everything and can't see anything wrong. Plus, all my other computers get on the web fine. Any ideas? Is there a specific setting I should check? Thanks in advance.

    Can you describe your LAN and how it connects to the internet, as well as how the device that acts as your router is configured to interact with the computers on your LAN and how the individual computers are configured to connect to the routing device?
    Dah•veed

  • Remote email access on mac mini server

    I hope someone on here can provide a solution to our problem.
    Over theweekend we changed our server from an old Microsoft (circa 2003) one running Exchange 2003 to an Apple mac mini server running Lion OSX Server.
    Despite some inevitable issues we are now live. It is a small office with about 6 users. Theserver is mostly used to control access, act as a file server and an email /contacts / calendar server.
    We have converted from MS products to Apple mail, ical, address book.
    Users need to access mail on their iphones when out and about and also using laptops when out / at home.
    There’s the background – here’s the problem.
    Our domain,ourcompany.co.uk, is with 1&1. The website is hosted by 1&1.
    The MX records have been updated to deliver all mail to a spam filtering service. This spam filtering service then delivers the mail, using SMTP, to our external IP address 81.137.xxx.yyy
    We have set up our mac mini server with a host name of : macserver.ourcompany.co.uk (choosingthe “Host name for internet” option of the 3 available during initial setup).
    We can access mail fine – but only when in the office and logged on to the server
    The question is– how do we configure the mail / server so that we can access mail remotely?
    In the MS environment we pointed to the external IP (81.137.xxx.yyy) and supplied the domain name (ourcompany.local for an ipad / iphone or sbserver.ourcompany.localfor Outlook).
    Can anyone who has successfully implemented a Lion server environment please offer us any advice.
    Many thanks in anticipation.

    Thanks for the suggestions.
    I sort of have it working. The problem was I had incorrectly assumed that on the iphone / ipad I needed to use the MS Exchange type option to set up the email clients as I thought I would need to include the domain details.
    Whilst trying to find a workaround solution I set up an IMAP account on my iphone whilst at home and ping, ping . . . all my mail arrived in my inbox.
    I'm using my ISP's SMTP server for outgoing so major problems now solved - thanks for the help.
    Now though a few strange things.
    In an iphone we use the external IP address as the incoming mail server to receive email - this works fine in the office and when away unless . . . it's connected inside the office using wifi.
    Similarly, on my macbook when I'm away having the IP address for incomain mail server works fine. When I'm in the office though I need to set it to mail.macserver.ourcompany.co.uk
    Any ideas why when in the office an connected to the network it doesn't like the external IP as the incoming mail server but it works fine when away from the network?

  • How to access second TB HD on Mac Mini Server?

    I've loaded up the first TB of my 2TB Mac Mini Server HD but for some reason I can't access the second TB. I checked Disk Utility and it didn't seem as though it was a partition issue because isn't there two separate 1TB HD's? How do I access it? How do I begin saving to it? The new episodes of SUITS won't be able to fit into 4.46 GB's of space

    Your are correct SSR . . . I realized that after I made the post. Question is, how do I break the RAID. I've got it all backed up to the Time Machine if I need to wipe it, but I'm wondering if there is another option.

  • Mac Mini Server - Best Way to Enable Multiple Users to Connect via Remote Access Concurrently?

    Hi
    Is there a limit on the number of users that can connect simultaneously via remote access to a Mac Mini running Mac Mini Server?

    If you have the server application on your Mac mini there is an upper limit but it is so high that I wouldn't worry about it. Depending on how you will be using the server and what it will be supporting there is a practical limit based on performance not software. If you reach the limit of satisfactory performance, the solution is adding another Mac mini server.

  • I have just update my mac mini server to OX Yosemite, but now the iTunes is not working at all.

    I have just updated my Mac Mini Server (Mid 2011) to OS Yosemite ver 10.10, after the update, iTunes is not working, and i have tried to reinstall iTunes over and over again but it was not successful , please advise if you have a solution or share similar problems. Thank you.

    You have to upgrade to 10.6.8 to be able to download iTunes 10.7 or 11.  The 10.6 Snow Leopard DVD is in the Apple online store. You can get it for $19.99. You will need to be running 10.6.8 to access the App Store to order Lion or Mountain Lion. http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC573/mac-os-x-106-snow-leopard
    First we need to know which one of the 9 different models of MacBook you have. To see which model you have go to the Apple in the upper left corner and select About This Mac, then click on More Info. When System Profiler comes up check the Model Identifier and post it back here.
    The Early 2006 model 1,1 Core Duo can only run a maximum of 10.6 Snow Leopard.
    The models Late 2006 Core 2 Duos 2,1 through Early 2008 4,1 can only run a maximum of 10.7 Lion.
    The Late 2008 model 5,1 Aluminum Unibody through the Mid 2010 White Unibody model 7,1 can run 10.8 Mountain Lion.

  • Is the Snow Leopard Mac Mini Server the right solution for my office?

    I'm the de facto "sysadmin" for my small office, which usually just means I set up the wireless, configure network printing, troubleshoot little issues with Mail and MS Office products.
    Currently, we have 4 employees all on iMacs. We share files through a slapped-together setup, where there is a public folder on our owner's iMac and we all share files there. There are a few problems with this:
    - If the owner's computer is off, no-one can get to the shared files.
    - The owner's computer has had some strange "permissions" issues so sometimes files in the "Public" shared folder end up being read-only, or "read & write" for "nobody".
    - A 5th employee telecommutes on an iMac, and can't access the shared folder or files.
    So, we're considering getting a Mac Mini Server to do file storage and sharing, both locally and with telecommuting employees (of which there may be more in the future).
    - Is this the best solution to our needs - really just file sharing, no web hosting or anything like that?
    - What level of access control / authentication can we do on the Server? For example, could we have a password protected folder on the server to restrict access?
    - Would we need to upgrade our standard DSL service if we want to share files on the server with folks not on the local network?
    - Am I biting off more than I can chew here, given that my technical knowledge is slim but I am the most computer-literate of anyone in the office, so I will need to trouble-shoot any issues that come up with the server?

    For your stated goal, network-attached storage (NAS) or an always-on Mac client would be a simpler solution. Either preferably with RAID, and with provisions and storage for periodic archives.
    A Mac OS X Server box is overkill. The Mac client boxes have 10-client sharing.
    If you want single-signon and shared directory services and mail and web and various of the other pieces and services that are available within, then you can grow into a Mac OS X Server box.
    A server is rather more to manage, regardless of what you choose. You're getting DNS and networking and other core pieces, minimally, and you're also responsible for many of the configuration settings and services and details that a client box receives from a server box. And you're definitely dealing with protections and such across multiple boxes.
    For some other perspectives, there are various previous discussions of this posted around the forums. A search that includes NAS should kick over a few of these; this is a typical low-end alternative to running a server.

  • Mac mini Server 10.6  unable to search for files on the server from desktop.

    I'm running Mac mini Server 10.6 with 15 various Apple Mac desktops 10.4 / 10.6. The problem i'm having is that i'm unable to search for files on the server from any of the desktops. I have fixed permissions and rebooted. I can perfomr a search though command - F and spotlight from the server.
    Anyone have any ideas?

    I have a Mac mini server with Mac osx 10.6.8 installed --- I have a website {UNDER CONSTRUCTION} installed on it with a REGISTERED DOMAIN NAME belizeansworldwide.com -->[DNS service w/GoDaddy]  & DSL INTERNET service  w/VERIZON --- {My server is the ONLY DEVICE CONNECTED to my VERIZON DSL router/modem}
    When I enter my DOMAIN NAME or WAN IP # in my browser(s)--> Chrome OR Safari -- i get my Verizon modem
    set-up page-->{this incl the WAN IP# as I expected}----{NORMALLY I WOULD ACCESS MY Actiontec
    modem/router via 192.168.1.1} --- While in that webpage there's an option "shared files/folders"   & clicking on that option DISPLAYS MY WEBSITE --->  {"PORT FORWARDING DID NOT RESOLVE THAT"}
    My next attempt @ a solution was through my Server's SystemPreference>Sharing>Internet Sharing
    & this the Original Object of my post ===>  "MY SHARING PANEL DOES NOT INCLUDE THE OPTION
    FOR   'Internet Sharing' among the others like CD DVD, Remote Login,Remote Management, Bluetooth Sharing, etc.etc ---- Hope this additional info will help to clarify  &/or explain my problem
    Thanks, & best regards to you & yours

  • I'm using a mac mini server 10.6.8--no "internet sharing" option on my SystemsPreferences Sharing panel

    There  are options for DVD & CD Sharing, REmote Login, Remote Management, Bluetooth Sharing,etc
    BUT NO  "INTERNET SHARING"
    Can anyone help with this  I'm trying to resolve a problem to make a website on my server available
    on the internet & belive that this might lead to a solution or @ least point me in the right direction.
    Thanks for any help
    Rcpandy

    I have a Mac mini server with Mac osx 10.6.8 installed --- I have a website {UNDER CONSTRUCTION} installed on it with a REGISTERED DOMAIN NAME belizeansworldwide.com -->[DNS service w/GoDaddy]  & DSL INTERNET service  w/VERIZON --- {My server is the ONLY DEVICE CONNECTED to my VERIZON DSL router/modem}
    When I enter my DOMAIN NAME or WAN IP # in my browser(s)--> Chrome OR Safari -- i get my Verizon modem
    set-up page-->{this incl the WAN IP# as I expected}----{NORMALLY I WOULD ACCESS MY Actiontec
    modem/router via 192.168.1.1} --- While in that webpage there's an option "shared files/folders"   & clicking on that option DISPLAYS MY WEBSITE --->  {"PORT FORWARDING DID NOT RESOLVE THAT"}
    My next attempt @ a solution was through my Server's SystemPreference>Sharing>Internet Sharing
    & this the Original Object of my post ===>  "MY SHARING PANEL DOES NOT INCLUDE THE OPTION
    FOR   'Internet Sharing' among the others like CD DVD, Remote Login,Remote Management, Bluetooth Sharing, etc.etc ---- Hope this additional info will help to clarify  &/or explain my problem
    Thanks, & best regards to you & yours

  • Mac mini server networking and DNS setup help

    Thanks in advance to anyone who can help me with this. I'm working at a small business where I'm the only guy with any IT experience at all, but I'm new to Macs and OS X (<1 year) and being a server admin so please bear with me.
    We just bought a Mac mini server as we are expanding from a bunch of workstations and Google Docs. I've just gone through the installation process, but nothing else is on the server, no user data at all, so if the answer is to reinstall from scratch, I can do it.
    We'd like the mini to be a file server, print server as well as the gateway for the internet. I realize we could stick to our router and have the server as another node in the network, but we also got a Time Capsule for backing up the server and will locate it in another room to be another wireless access point there.
    When going through Server Assistant, I didn't really know what to name the machine so I used corp-Server.local for the Current Hostname and corpserver.private for the DNS Hostname (though i actually use a 3-letter company acronym instead of "corp").
    However, i realized after setup we'd want to access the server externally by name, so I changed the DNS hostname to server.companyname.com in the Zones tab of the DNS section of Server Admin (edited primary zone name, changed Nameservers entry for both primary and reverse zone).
    I don't know what else I need to do though because there are loads of instances where corpserver.private still shows up, like in the Open Directory section of Server Admin (which btw always hangs when I open it) and the Contact Info of users (eg. user email is [email protected]). I also had trouble earlier using Server Preferences and Server Admin either not connecting or not recognizing my login, but that seems to have abated.
    I guess my problem is, where else do I change the DNS hostname? Or do I have to change the DNS hostname back to corpserver.private (in Server Admin)? That way, I think at least everything will be consistent, but would I be able to still configure it somehow so that externally, we could access the server by the server.companyname.com URL?
    Also, can the mini be a wireless router for the office? As mentioned before, we want to cut the existing wireless router out and use the mini instead (and use the Time Capsule as a wireless bridge).

    So the ISP<->router connection can have a dynamic IP address, but the router<->server one should be static? I guess that means I have to set the IP address in the router. I hope I can get access to it. I don't suppose it matters which one I set first?
    An IP router does not assign addresses.
    A DHCP server does assign IP addresses upon receipt of a DHCP request from a client.
    Some routers (and many firewall routers) do include a DHCP server.
    A box with a static IP address does not need to send a DHCP request; it has a static address.
    You'll need to ensure that the IP address pool within the DHCP server does not overlap the addresses that are manually assigned to your local hosts; the static IP addresses on your LAN.
    [Here is an overview of the pieces involved here, and some of the typical terminology|http://labs.hoffmanlabs.com/node/275].
    I hate to belabour the point, but I just want to clarify: in my setup where ISP<->router<->server<->clients, where the server is the only machine connected to the router, which one should be the local DNS server? The server, right? So if the DNS server is turned on in the router, I should turn it off? Or do I need both (ie. router for its LAN (to server), and server for its LAN (to clients))?
    So to confirm, the configuration includes (probably) a modem, a router (firewall) and a router (Mac), and then the rest of the (local) show? That is not the simplest configuration, and it's Particularly given that Mac boxes make expensive and slow routers.
    The usual configuration is ISP>firewall>LAN and the LAN is usually built from WiFi, wired connections and switches. Within one subnet (which is typical) any host inside your firewall is connected on the LAN, and can communicate (directly) with any other LAN client. The firewall is configured as the gateway; that's the default route for outbound connections.
    One more thing that's bugging me: I still don't understand why I couldn't connect to the internet when I plugged in the Ethernet cable from server to router. Even if I was using DHCP to get a dynamically allocated IP, shouldn't it still have worked? I'm worried that I'm going to set up everything as it should be but the connection still won't work.
    That's likely because you're trying to use the Mac as a router, and that takes specific configuration steps. It's easier to have ISP>firewall>LAN, and have the Mac OS X Server box and the rest of the stuff as peers on your LAN. If you really want to use the Mac as an IP router, look around for setting up static routes on Mac; there are postings around for that.
    If your data is more valuable and your security preferences and requirements are higher, then you may want a firewall with a DMZ, and put your web-facing boxes over in the DMZ. If you're serving stuff to the web or a mail server or such, it's possible to get breached, and a breach means folks can potentially get further into your LAN. With a DMZ, they're somewhat more isolated from your LAN.

Maybe you are looking for