First, you need to decide what you want to do with your server. If you want to host a webpage and/or an FTP site, you need to install IIS (make sure to enable FTP capability if you want an FTP server, it's disabled by default). If you want to provide name resolution you can install DNS and WINS. If you want to use the server as a router for your network, you need to install RRAS (routing and remote access) and you *should* install DCHP, DNS and WINS.
I'll explain my server setup at home for an example.
My server at home does the following functions:
Hosts a webpage and ftp site (IIS)
provides IP, Subnet mask, Gateway, DNS and WINS information to all the computers on the network (DHCP)
provides internet name resolution (DNS)
provides intranet name resolution (WINS)
If you're fuzzy about what all this stuff does go to this link
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windows2000serv/default.asp
and also goto
www.microsoft.com/technet and search for what you need help on, there's a lot of good info there about how to setup all this stuff and explanations of what it does.
www.google.com is also a good resource.
As a quick note, probably the easiest thing to do is setup a webserver (IIS). It's pretty straight forward and rewarding when you get it to work because you can see the results instantly. You'll have to do some research to get it to work because it's not all foolproof, but it's an awesome feeling to see that webpage come up and work properly on you're server.
Drop me a line if you get hung up and you need some help.
[email protected] just make sure to put something about this thread in the subject.
-D9K