NetBEUI

[GaryK]

I am trying to make my development server at work be as close to my SB server as possible in terms of what services I use, how things are configured, directory structure and so on.

The thing is we really need to use file sharing at work so I've installed the NetBEUI protocol and unbound it from TCP/IP.

There are no shares on the server itself apart from the default ones. It's just easier to map a drive to a folder on the server from inside the LAN than having to use RDP every time we need to do something on the server.

Here's my question:

With NetBEUI unbound from TCP/IP how much of a risk to my LAN is there in having this development server accessible via the Internet?

Thanks,
~gary.

[Tino Didriksen]

First of all, Windows file sharing doesn't use the NetBEUI protocol any longer, so why you need that I don't know...

Secondly, if you want to share folders from the SB server you will need to use a VPN (either Windows built-in, or something like http://openvpn.sourceforge.net/), since SB have the required ports blocked on the edge routers.

So it's very secure, if you do it right. VPN ports are not blocked, so if you configure that to allow anyone to log in, it'd be the same as if file sharing wasn't blocked. But using a properly configured VPN is always the best way to access shares over the 'net.

[GaryK]

Thanks for your reply. Perhaps I didn't do a good job of explaining myself.

I do not want to share any folders on my SB server. I do want to share folders on my LAN but part of that LAN includes a server that's connected to the Internet.

I'm using NetBEUI for file sharing because I wanted a protocol that can't be routed over the WAN. My hope was to keep any successful hackers (there haven't been any at all) out of the other machines on the LAN.

~gary.

[Tino Didriksen]

Oh, I see...

Well, there's no security risk in using TCP/IP on your LAN either, if you just firewall the computer that's on the 'net. Or you can do what SB does by blocking all traffic to/from WAN on the file sharing ports in the router.

[GaryK]

blocking all traffic to/from WAN on the file sharing ports in the router.Thank you. I had forgotten I have the ability to do that with my Linksys router/switch.