static ip addresses for server won't allow internet connection through router

When setting up static IP addresses on client work stations to connect to our file server I could not get a new router to allow internet connections. How should the router be configured to allow internet connections if all the work stations have static IP addresses in order to connect to the file server. I believe the old router (which died) was the DHCP server assigning the IP addresses. Once it was out of service I had to set up static IP addresses on all work stations so they could access their files on the file server (running on Windows Server 2003). Now they can no longer connect to the internet.