I now have everything working -- "server" is a T61P, client 1 is T60 WinXP and client 2 is X200T Win7Pro. Thanks for all the suggestions.
I turned off the firewall and used a different router -- maybe something with DNS in the router? Anyway, it's working. I still don't understand the "server" -- do the IP addresses come from the router or the server? Of course, this is a test system, I can work on the firewall issues.
I discovered that going from the domain back to the workgroup, then back again to the domain is a mistake -- possible, but clumsy. I don't need the X200 at the office -- I use it at home and on the road, and I can still remote desktop to the office computers with it on the domain, so it doesn't matter. But I guess there is no easy way to use the same machine in my test domain, and then take it to the office to do work (except remote desktop, in a pinch).
Oddly enough, this setup is objectively slower than my office system with a 32 bit, dual core, 2GB server and a strung together network of way too many switches and wireless access points. I would expect it to be faster. I'll have to work on that some more.
I still haven't figured out remote access -- but I have done enough for now.
The Raid stuff is interesting-- seems like anything more than RAID 1 is overkill. This is a single doctor office -- not a program trading shop!
Anyway, this whole exercise has been very instructive. As Sandeep points out, you can't use Microsoft manuals to figure anything out -- mostly it's just hands on and trial and error. I don't quite understand why it has to be that way. It's what drives my wife (and all my non-tech nerd friends) crazy about computers. And the principal reason why only one of the two of us is ever going to use an EMR.
I will say, the Server/Client system seems intuitively cleaner, and with the wizards, it doesn't seem to be difficult to set up. I can't imagine why I would ever go with the more complex server setups, though.
As for Exchange -- I never use email with patients. It would set me up to be inundated with trivial and annoying questions, and create the expectation of an immediate reply -- for free! I may eventually get around to using the UpDox portal to report out lab results, and the like -- but they will be calling anyway, wanting more explanation, or further tests they read about on the Internet.... so it seems sort of pointless. Life is too short. All communication with patients outside the exam room goes through my nurse.
