TCP/IP Redirecting Based on Network Connectivity?

I have a multiple-computer setup in a small-business-type peer-to-peer environment. One of my computers runs a couple different servers (HTTP, FTP, VNC, etc) and are accessible from inside and outside the network. I can type the requests as http://192.168.xxx.xxx:xxxx and have intranet-based access (with all the speed expected) or I can use http://my.server.name:xxxx and connect from the laptops on the go.





My question is this: Is there any way to set up Windows to automatically choose which way it should connect? Using HOSTS, I can redirect all local addresses to use the outside address or vice-versa, but I don't know how, if I even can, make Windows detect if there's a functioning local connection then fall back to the outside connection if that fails. Is this possible with or without the help of external programs?





As a note, I would like something that is compatible with multiple versions of Windows and preferably with Linux as well. Our setup includes systems with Windows XP Home and Pro as well as Vista Home. I believe one of our systems even has 2000 Pro on it.





Thanks to everyone in advance!TCP/IP Redirecting Based on Network Connectivity?
For multiple operating systems, your best bet is to install a Linux-based firewall, with rules determining what IP address can do what (or pool of addresses). Many of these firewalls have built-in proxies, that can also shape the way your network traffic behaves.


By using an external firewall, you remove the issues of configuring each machine differently (if it can even be done), but the down side is someone has to learn how to configure the firewall.


There are a lot of free firewalls out there, you can experiment to see if any will do the job you wantTCP/IP Redirecting Based on Network Connectivity?
I am not quite sure what you are asking. If the server is internal and unavailable, it probably won't be available.





Ill say what I think you are asking - do you want someone to use the internal address when inside the netwok, but the outside address when outside? If so, that's easy (ish).





You need to set up your own DNS server internally. The DNS server will need access to the internet so that it can resolve outside names. Set that as the DNS server in DHCP. You set the a (answer) records on your DNS server to be the internal addresses.





You also need the DNS setting up conventionally on the internet.





That way if connected to the internal network, the internal address is supplied, if connected to the internet, the outside address is supplied.





The other way is to set the sewrvers up in a DMZ, and use the real internet address on the DMZ. That way you use the same address regardless. That could also be done using private addresses in the DMZ, and nating internally to the internet address as well.