How to Install a Software Router on Windows Server 2012 Part 1

This post will discuss how to setup a software based router in Windows Server 2012.

Software routers are great solutions for a lab environment where flexibility and quick configuration in your network is desired.  I have this router setup in my lab environment to route traffic without having to configure the hardware router any time a new network is created.

Note: Software routers are not recommended for Enterprise solutions and should only be used in labs or low budget environments.  The router system should not be domain joined and should be running the local firewall.  No other services should be installed on this Windows Server 2012 system.

In this lab we will be routing three inside networks through our software router.

The Windows Server 2012 system is setup with 4 NICs as follows:

• Outside:
• Name: Outside
• IP: 10.100.205.12
• SNM: 255.255.255.0
• GW: 10.100.205.1
• Inside 1:
• Name: AZ VLAN
• IP: 10.100.200.1
• SNM: 255.255.255.0
• GW: N/A
• Inside 2:
• Name: TX VLAN
• IP: 10.100.201.1
• SNM: 255.255.255.0
• GW: N/A
• Inside 3:
• Name: FL VLAN
• IP: 10.100.202.1
• SNM: 255.255.255.0
• GW: N/A

Two things to note with a software router

1. The outside interface will aggregate all traffic outside of the router and will have a gateway of the next hop in the network.  This can be your public IP or the IP of another router on your network.
2. All inside interfaces are the gateway for the subnets being configured and therefore should not have a gateway set.  We will configure static routes so the software router in Windows Server 2012 knows how to get to each network.

How to Install the Software Router in Windows Server 2012

Once the network cards are named and set with IP addresses, we can go ahead and install the software router.

• Launch Server Manager and click on Add Roles and Features
• Before you begin: Click Next
• Select installation type: Select Role-based or feature-based installation and Click Next

• Select destination server: Choose Select a server from the server pool and be sure the local server is highlighted in the Server Pool list box, then Click Next

• Select server roles: Check the Remote Access check box. This will launch the Add features that are required for Remote Access? dialog box.  Click Add Features then Click Next
• Select Features: Click Next
• Remote Access: Click Next

• Select role services:  Check the Routing check box.  
• Note: You must leave DirectAccess and VPN (RAS) selected
• Web Server Role (IIS): Click Next
• Select role services:u Click Next
• Confirm installation selections: Click Install
• Installation progress: After the installation completes, Click Close

This completes the installation. You will notice a message icon in the Notification Bar after the installation completes.  Click on the flag icon, then the Open the Getting Started Wizard to begin configuring your router.

Configure the router >>