linux as server

[wezhira]

when i tell people i use linux i get this question alot how can they use linux as a server for windows machines i only have one pc so dont have any experience with routers networking etc could someone please tell me or point me too an easyguide on how to do it thanx

 

[chiskop]

http://doc.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/serverguide/C/

 

[NetSpike]

You can setup Windows shared folders on the Linux machine by installing Samba on the Linux server. Once Samba is installed and configured, you can access those shares from the Windows machine the same way you would as if the Linux machine was running Linux and from the Linux machine (if you are running a GUI like KDE or Gnome on it), you can access the Windows shares from the Linux machine by browsing to smb://COMPUTERNAME ..... however I personally think that Linux sucks and Windows is so much better.

To easily configure your Linux server, you could install 'n web-based configuration utility called Webmin on it.

Good luck

 

[MyWorld]

Home servers are over rated IMHO, you rarely use it to full potential and since dial-up is not longer the prefered manner to connect to the internet, the router side of things also is not really needed any more.

With the routers you get now you have a everything you need, secure it properly and make sure the Windows PC's have virus apps and you are set.

In the dial-up days it was a little miracle, those linux router/servers sitting in the corner an keeping your connection alive, with a cron setup you could easily dial up at 19:05 and log of at 06:55.
All you needed was the correct hardware (mobo, 256mb ram, modem, lan), install you ppp packages and wvdial, install samba to access network shares on windows, and Bob's not you uncle! If you wanted a firewall on a dial-up Linux box, the IP-tables as well. No monitor or keyboard needed (ssh), it just works.

how can they use linux as a server for windows machines

Just add samba!

 

[Amida]

Can Linux act as a domain controller like server 2003 does?

 

[The_Unbeliever]

Can Linux act as a domain controller like server 2003 does?

Not yet.

You can download SME Server from contribs.org, it will act as an NT4 domain controller - which should be good enough for a basic network for a small company who can't afford the hardware and price requirements of Server 2003.

Plus, it is free, have antivirus and antispam built-in, and does not need a monitor to run.

 

[Amida]

Not yet.

You can download SME Server from contribs.org, it will act as an NT4 domain controller - which should be good enough for a basic network for a small company who can't afford the hardware and price requirements of Server 2003.

Plus, it is free, have antivirus and antispam built-in, and does not need a monitor to run.

Ok cool will you be able to control say XP computers via the Linux box?

 

[The_Unbeliever]

Ok cool will you be able to control say XP computers via the Linux box?

Yes, you can set this box up to be a PPTP VPN server, you can dial in to this box (from outside via the Internet) and RDP/VNC in to your PC's once you're connected.

 

[wezhira]

thanx guys will look into it but was thinking more of internet cafe solution linux as the server in an internet cafe

 

[Murmaider]

Not yet.

You can download SME Server from contribs.org, it will act as an NT4 domain controller - which should be good enough for a basic network for a small company who can't afford the hardware and price requirements of Server 2003.

Plus, it is free, have antivirus and antispam built-in, and does not need a monitor to run.

What? Of course linux can act as a domain controller! Samba + LDAP = Domain Controller + Active Directory.

 

[Murmaider]

Yes, you can set this box up to be a PPTP VPN server, you can dial in to this box (from outside via the Internet) and RDP/VNC in to your PC's once you're connected.

Either this way, or you could let the box to natting into your local network so you can connect to the windows PC's directly.