Network considerations

When installing WinGate to a network, there are numerous factors to consider in order to ensure effective placement of the WinGate server.

What type of IP addressing is already in place ?

If there is a DHCP Server already providing addressing on the LAN, then we recommend not to install the DHCP service, as it is not required. We do recommend that WinGate be provided with a static IP address on the LAN (as is common with most network servers).

Note

Does WinGate need to provide addressing for clients to access the Internet using its DHCP service ?

With an optional DHCP Service to provide IP addressing for the LAN, WinGate can automate the process of providing clients with the correct details they need in order to connect to the Internet. If you configure a static address on the LAN interface of the WinGate server, the WinGate DHCP service can automatically create a pool of addresses (based around the LAN IP it has) to lease to clients. The DHCP Service allows you to create your own scopes of addresses manually as required, including address reservations, and address options that can be issued to DHCP.

Is there an Internet capable DNS server located on the LAN that clients can refer to for Internet DNS lookups when required ?

When accessing the Internet through WinGate, clients need a suitable DNS Server they can use to resolve domain names to IP addresses. If they do not have one, you can install the optional WinGate DNS service to provide this lookup capability.

When using the WinGate DNS service, NAT and WGIC (WinGate Internet Client) clients can simply set their DNS setting in their LAN network connection to the IP address of the WinGate server once the DNS service has been installed.

DNS for WinGate operations

WinGate will probe any DNS Servers it has configured in its network connections (including Internet connections) to see if what type of lookups they are capable of performing. WinGate requires a suitable DNS Server to be accessible and (available) so it can use it to service operational DNS lookups it has to perform for components (including the DNS Service if it is installed).

The DNS Client in WinGate will probe any DNS servers that it has configured on its network connections, to see if they are capable of performing Internet DNS requests.

In the case of an Active Directory environment, WinGate will probe the Active Directory DNS server to see if it is capable resolving Internet DNS lookups. If it can only perform DNS for the Active Directory, then WinGate will mark the DNS server appropriately and not query it for Internet DNS requests. In this case, WinGate will need another suitable DNS server to resolve Internet DNS lookups. This will usually a DNS server on the Internet, that has been configured in the properties of Internet connection WinGate will use.

When WinGate is installed to an Active Directory where the Active Directory DNS server is capable of performing Internet DNS lookups, then we recommend that you do not install the WinGate DNS service as it will not be required. WinGate clients, as members of the Active Directory, will have been configured to use this Active Directory DNS server automatically.

What type of user database should you choose to manage users as they access the Internet through WinGate ?

WinGate provides numerous user database options for selection after installation. The WinGate user database and the new Windows Users and Groups connector can be used for WinGate when it is on a small workgroup/ network scenario. The Active Directory connector has been especially designed to allow WinGate to utilize the Active Directory user database when located on a Windows Active Directory domain.

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Physical network structure

The topography of the network in which WinGate is located often determines where the optimal placing of the WinGate Server should be. Since WinGate has been designed as an Internet gateway management solution, ideally it should be installed on a machine with an Internet connection. As an alternative it can be installed on to a machine that has direct access through a gateway device (e.g. a router or another computer) to the Internet.

WinGate can utilize any hardware or software network connection it finds on the machine where it is installed.

When discovering each network interface it has, WinGate will attempt to classify what type of network each connection is joined to, based on the IP address details that have been configured for the interface. This usage classification will determine which interface WinGate will see as being connected to the Internet and which is connected to the LAN.

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WinGate can act as a router between dissimilar subnets if it has more then one network connection. So it is capable of being installed on a multi-homed machine if required.

Active Directory

• DNS

  In Active Directory environments (where there is always DNS Server on the LAN) clients can utilize the Active Directory DNS server to provide domain name resolution. The WinGate server in the Active Directory will also be configured to use this DNS server. With the new DNS Client, WinGate will probe this server for what types of lookups it is capable of performing.

  Sometimes the Active Directory DNS server is not connected to the Internet and so will not be able to perform Internet name lookups. Since Active Directory client computers must use the Active Directory DNS Server, they will not be able to use it for Internet lookups.

  In these circumstances you can install the optional WinGate DNS Service, and configure the Active Directory DNS server to use the WinGate DNS Service as a DNS forwarder for these requests. Usually these Active Directory DNS servers will have a Forwarder tab, where you can enter the LAN IP address of the WinGate server as the Forwarder it will use.

• User Database

  WinGate allows you to utilize the users and groups in a Active Directory for the purpose of controlling access to the Internet and other WinGate operations. It does this by using its Active Directory connector module to make user and group queries to the user database for the Active Directory, so it can use the structure (users and group memberships) to control its services, and user access to the Internet.