I currently have server 5.5 hosting about 14 files. i would like to set up the ability to access these files from both a web browser (i.e. php) and FMP client machines. I understand from previous posts that server "hates" multiple IP addresses so are there any suggestions for possibly using multiple machines? Hopefully this post is clear enough.

You'll need a second computer that is running either FMP or FMP Unlimited. FMPU opens the hosted files as a guest and shares them through Web Companion.

The IP number (or domain name) of the FMPU box will be the web site address, so it will need a static IP address.

The Web Server Connector program (comes with FMPU) is used to create an array of boxes running FMPU for load sharing. WSC runs on a third box running Apache or IIS I believe.

Vaughn is correct - you will need a second computer running either FileMaker Pro or Filemaker Pro Unlimited to serve the database-driven data from the FileMaker server in web format. Most likely you will want Unlimited because FileMaker Pro limits the number of web connections (something like 10 IP addresses in a 24 hour period but see the documentation for specifics).

You can serve the pages using the built in "webserver" in FileMaker Pro or Unlimited so you don't necessarly need IIS or Apache. But if you want to use SSL, server side includes, PHP etc. you need IIS or Apache and FM Unlimited because it includes the Web Server Connector which allows FileMaker to communicate with IIS/Apache.

Thanks for the response. I am working on the two machine setup at this very moment.