I need help with networking 4 computers and server running MS Server 2008

[scott46ac]

I need help. I'm volunteering at a Literacy Center and am the IT guy, which merely means I know a USB drive from a DVD drive. We have over 200 current students and two half-time paid staff. This is shoe-string at it's best. Last year they got a grant for a server running Windows Server 2008 and two new computers. Those and the two current computers were built locally and run W7. We use them for MS Office products and internet. We can not afford to have the local company come for every issue so I need to learn a little about small networks. Where can I go or what can I read to get us through the basics? For example, one of the older computers runs a little slow and one of the front USB ports does not work. How would I connect a replacement computer to the network? And would an I3 4gb Dell work as a replacement (Costco $399).

Any suggestions will be appreciated.....thanks.

 

[RealBeast]

An i3 4GB Dell should be fine for your stated uses.

I would recommend that you read through a number of the basic networking tutorials HERE.

Keep an eye on the networking forum here at Tom's and post any questions that you run into and cannot answer. I've found that there are quite a few very knowledgeable members here.

 

[scott46ac]

An i3 4GB Dell should be fine for your stated uses.

I would recommend that you read through a number of the basic networking tutorials HERE.

Keep an eye on the networking forum here at Tom's and post any questions that you run into and cannot answer. I've found that there are quite a few very knowledgeable members here.

Thanks for the link. A quick question. If I replace the slow computer with the i3, how do I connect and identify it on the network?

 

[RealBeast]

If your connected machines automatically obtain an IP address from a DHCP server (which is most likely the case), as soon as you attach it to the network and start it up it should obtain an address and connect.

If you find that you are using static addresses, I can walk you through setting that for a new machine.

Unless your slow machine is just totally ancient, you might want to keep it for parts and possibly do a clean reinstall of the OS as it may have some life left in it.

 

[scott46ac]

If your connected machines automatically obtain an IP address from a DHCP server (which is most likely the case), as soon as you attach it to the network and start it up it should obtain an address and connect.

If you find that you are using static addresses, I can walk you through setting that for a new machine.

Unless your slow machine is just totally ancient, you might want to keep it for parts and possibly do a clean reinstall of the OS as it may have some life left in it.

Thank you.
Oh, can we run the new Dell with W8 and the other 3 W7? Or worth converting all to W7 or 8