Can Apple OSX server replace my Cisco router?

I run a small business. I have 5 computers (windows) & a network printer. I have a Cisco router routing internet access to all of these computers. The router is connected to a T-1. The T-1 is to the ISP.
What I want to do is use and apple computer with OSX server to route the internet to these computer. I also want to only allow certain websites to be accessed through the server. I may also set up a VPN. May also host a website.
Can I do all this with OSX server? How difficult is it?
Thanks
Ray

So based on what you are telling me...
- "limited knowledge when it comes to servers and cisco routers...."
- "the cisco has been up and running for a looong time without any problems"
I would not recommend you change to OS X Server as your NAT router.
To fully manage NAT on OS X Server, you need to do command-line editing for port mapping. Even with experience, I would prefer to leave that function to the router.
I've had good luck with linksys when it comes to basic routing requirements. I'm not sure what trouble you had in the past, but for me they've been very stable and great bang for the buck.
If you would like to block specific sites, for < $100 this router will provide NAT and a pretty decent set of firewall features:
<a class="jive-link-external-small" href="http://">http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satellite?childpagename=US%2FLayo ut&packedargs=c%3DLProductC2%26cid%3D1130276636538&pagename=Linksys%2FCommon%2FVisitorWrapper
If that link doesn't work, it's model# BEFSX41
Jeff

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Hi all, the school where i work has just taken delivery of 11 brand new macs. 8 iMacs, 2 MBP's and a mini. What i'm interested to know and if anybody is just prepared to bullet point, is how we can really benefit from this software.
Clearly it's going to be tricky administering 11 macs individually, so maybe sacrifice the mini to become the server. Heres some basic questions and if anybody has any other comments they can add from experience i can approach the school with my findings?
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First, how tricky it will be to administer 11 macs individually truly depends on your users. I've setup offices where the employees were intelligent people who weren't interested in hacking around on their machines, they just did their work. All their user accounts had admin privileges (along with an admin account on each machine that only the appropriate people knew the password for) so they could easily change preferences and do updates, etc. I barely had a problem with them. If you have a group who are all into surfing naughty bits and bittorrenting and other things, then you'll need to lock them down. If you are going to lock them down, you can still do it without the aid of a server by having an admin account on each machine, but you will have to touch each machine periodically to install updates and such. If you do go with server, then you can manage a lot more centrally. By the nature of you having 11 machines and the limit of OS X client of only 10 file sharing connections at a time, you're almost forced into OS X Server and the Unlimited version at that.
1) Yes you can initiate software installations simultaneously, but it will require you to capture and package those installations, and use something along the lines of FileWave, radmind, Apple Remote Desktop, etc. to perform the push. For the number of users you're dealing with, it's probably much easier to host the installer on the network, and screen control each system and run the install (along with entering the serial numbers for each one). Any future updates could be easily performed with a terminal script and access to the updater files.
2) You can store your files anywhere you want, locally or on the server (or even on a NAS). Obviously it makes sense to host them on the server (or other central location) if they are collaborative files (ie., everyone works on them or needs to see them). Your question about the windows profiles doesn't make sense with the storage part, but you can choose how to run your server/client model. You can have roaming profiles where the users' home directories are stored on the server and they can login from any machine. Or you can have individual machines and the server only authenticates the user for access to mail/file/whatever services.
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Message was edited by: blackbit

blackbit, Welcome to the discussion area!
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Dear Sir ,
I am doing Remote Access VPN through Cisco Router. Before the real deployment, I want to simulate it with GNS3.Need you help to complete the job .Please see the attachment for Scenario, Configuration and Ping status.
I am getting IP address when i connect through VPN client .But I can not ping to the internal lan -192.168.1.0.Need your help to sole the issue.
Below is the IP address of the device.
Local PC connect with Router -2 (Through MS Loopback) Router -2 Router-1 PC -01
IP Address :10.10.10.2 Mask : 255.255.255.0 F0/01
IP address:10.10.10.1
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IP address :20.20.20.2
Mask :255.255.255.0
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Through Cisco remote vpn client, I can get connected with the VPN Router R1 (Please see the VPN Client pic.)But cannot ping the network 192.168.1.0
Need your help to fix the problem.
Router R2 Configuration :!
version 12.4
service timestamps debug datetime msec
service timestamps log datetime msec
no service password-encryption
hostname R2
boot-start-marker
boot-end-marker
no aaa new-model
memory-size iomem 5
no ip icmp rate-limit unreachable
ip cef
no ip domain lookup
ip auth-proxy max-nodata-conns 3
ip admission max-nodata-conns 3
ip tcp synwait-time 5
interface FastEthernet0/0
ip address 20.20.20.2 255.255.255.0
duplex auto
speed auto
interface FastEthernet0/1
ip address 10.10.10.1 255.255.255.0
duplex auto
speed auto
ip forward-protocol nd
no ip http server
no ip http secure-server
control-plane
line con 0
exec-timeout 0 0
privilege level 15
logging synchronous
line aux 0
exec-timeout 0 0
privilege level 15
logging synchronous
line vty 0 4
login
end
Router R1 Configuration :
version 12.4
service timestamps debug datetime msec
service timestamps log datetime msec
no service password-encryption
hostname R1
boot-start-marker
boot-end-marker
aaa new-model
aaa authentication login USERAUTH local
aaa authorization network NETAUTHORIZE local
aaa session-id common
memory-size iomem 5
no ip icmp rate-limit unreachable
ip cef
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ip admission max-nodata-conns 3
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ip tcp synwait-time 5
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crypto isakmp policy 10
encr 3des
hash md5
authentication pre-share
group 2
crypto isakmp client configuration group remotevpn
key cisco123
dns 192.168.1.2
wins 192.168.1.2
domain mycompany.com
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acl VPN-ACL
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description remote access vpn clients
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isakmp authorization list NETAUTHORIZE
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crypto ipsec transform-set TRSET esp-3des esp-md5-hmac
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speed auto
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duplex auto
speed auto
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no ip http server
no ip http secure-server
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logging synchronous
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Dear All,
I am doing Remote Access VPN through Cisco Router. Before the real deployment, I want to simulate it with GNS3.Need you help to complete the job .
Please see the attachment for Scenario, Configuration and Ping status. I am getting IP address when i connect through VPN client .But I can not ping to the internal lan -192.168.1.0.Need your help to sole the issue.
Waiting for your responce .
--Milon

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Answers:
#1 Yes, if set up correctly the server can be available to everyone with Internet access.
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Hi everyone,
I'm stuck for a while now with a very annoying problem.
I can't establish a VPN connection on a windows client to a OSX Server. It worked fine while we had OSX server 10.6.
We recently updated to 10.8 and got this problem.
I know some of u are now thinking, the solution is: Just don't use windows... But the director of the company i am doing this for
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Also, this problem maybe be related to windows but i hope someone here can help me.
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Hi There,
We bought OSX server thinking it would be easier than MS Small Business Server 2003 to setup, administer and maintain, as well as be more compatible with our mac studio.
The simple setup we would like is:
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If you need to just setup a FileServer then you do not need OpenDirectory or DNS. You just need AFP and Windows File Sharing turned on.
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It sounds like you could do with some more help on how best to use the server. I rekon you would be better off not having a simple fileserver (though it would work!) and make use of the extra functions availiable in the server software. On OS 10.4 server you can create a Windows Domain Controller that would allow all your PC home directories to be stored on the server, this will ensure that the Desktop, My Documents and anything elese the user stores in their profile will be safe and backed up on the server. You can also do this for the the Macs, in fact you can set it up so you can loggon to any PC in the office and your user information, desktop wallpaper and other settings follow you, if you were to then logon to a Mac you would have your documents follow you around the office. This works great for people hot-desking and using different types of computer.
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Good luck,
David

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Can Apple OSX server replace my Cisco router?

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