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Pick an Installation Type & Prepare your Network

ThisIt's essential to know how your network is configured prior to starting a high-levelDrawBridge overview/checklistinstallation. ofWe essential tasksrecommend that need performed to install the DrawBridge on your network.you:

  1. Decide on Installation Type
    • GatewayPerform (recommended)
    • a
    • Alternatenetwork Gateway
    • scan
    • Proxy
    • of
    your
  2. existing
  3. setup. CollectA good tool for this is the free Advanced IP Scanner, available here. Run the scan and take note of the IP addresses of your devices. Save or print the scan output for your reference. In some situations, it is important that specific computers (such as servers) and credentialsprinters maintain the same IP address across network infrastructure changes to ensure the most seamless migration.
  4. Locate the web configuration panels for your existing network infrastructure equipment (modems, routers, managed switches,modem, wireless routers/access points, firewalls, managed switches, etc) and servers)ensure you have the correct login credentials available.
  5. Determine what device is the existing gateway
  6. Determine what device is the existing DNS and DHCP server. Generally, on most Small Office/Home Office networks, these services are handled by the same unit as applicable.
  7. the
  8. gateway. ReconfigureYou can check this by opening Network Connections (Windows) -- ncpa.cpl in the Start Menu search box -- and right-clicking the network toadapter accomodatein youruse installation type (For example, if Gateway, replace primary router withat the DrawBridgemoment, inclicking gatewayStatus, situations;and disablethen DHCPDetails. onNote wirelessthe routerIP ifaddress continuingshown for the gateway, and compare it to use as wireless access point)
  9. Enable remote-device access (where applicable) by configuring Port Forwarding or DMZ on your modem (if not Bridged) or Firewall.
  10. Ensure DNS is properly configured:
    • Gateway setups: In most situations the DrawBridgeIP isaddresses also thefor DHCP and DNSDNS. serverAgain, foron most small networks, these will all be the network, so no additional configuration is required.
    • Alternate Gateway/Proxy setups: ensure https://draw.bridge and the system DNS names are configured on your local DNS server to resolve to the local networksame IP of the DrawBridge. See #5, below.address.
  11. Install SSL Certificates on all devices: visit http://draw.bridge/sslcerts/dashboard/ on your LAN post-install and follow the correct steps for your platform. Alternatively, if the local DrawBridge is not reachable yet, visit the Certificates panel on one of our cloud servers: http://whitespire.compassfoundation.io/sslcerts/dashboard/
  12. "Harden"/Secure configuration: (make bypassing filtering difficult; optional)
    • Gateway setups: disable WiFi and DHCP on the (upstream) modem
    • Alternate Gateway/Proxy setups: block 80/443 TCP and UDP in your gateway firewall to enforce proxy settings on clients