Using DSL as network server

Forum: Networking
Topic: Using DSL as network server
started by: Oostertoaster

Posted by Oostertoaster on May 17 2005,16:28

Hi, I'm a linux n00b, so I apologize in advance if this question is stupid, etc.

I recently tried out the liveCD of DSL and was impressed. I'm considering trying it on a really old box in the basement (83 MHz Pentium classic, 64 megs of RAM) and turning that box into a network server of sorts, just some place I can back up my other boxes to, and maybe free up some HD space on my other computers. What do I need to do in order to get DSL to do this? The other computers are all windows based (2 XP, one Win98SE). Will they be able to share folders to the windows machines? Any and all insights would be appreciated. Thanks

Posted by flatcat on May 17 2005,17:59

Yup, you can. It's what I am messing about with at the moment and got working, just about.

You need to use samba from myDSL extension as a first step.

A word of warning though, it is far easier to look at windows stuff from linux than the other way around but you can run samba as a server and windows can access your linux bits as if it were windows which is probbably what you want.

I would be happy to help you further if you give me more details.

Posted by Oostertoaster on May 17 2005,20:14

Well, I haven't actually attempted to implement my plan yet, but here is what I am thinking:
The DSL box will be hooked up to the network, along with the two XP boxes and one Win98SE box. The DSL box would serve primarily as a place to store backups of the other computers, and possibly allow each user (namely my wife and I) to have our own directory in which to dump whatever files we want. Ideally, the directories would be visible to all three windows boxes, mapped to a particular drive letter or something (I'm pretty sure I can handle that part.) I don't envision the DSL box being used as gaming server or anything, just a file repository for system backups and my old digital pictures, etc. The box has a 15 gig hard drive, which I can upgrade if the need ever arises. I decided on DSL linux because
1) The box has win95 installed on it right now, which is possibly the worst networking OS ever (that I've worked with, anyway)
2)Given the box's limited resources (only 64 megs of RAM) Other distros of linux don't work (I've tried Knoppix and the SuSE LiveCD, both of which refused to boot because of insufficent RAM.)

Again, I haven't attempted to implement this yet, but if I had to pose specific questions, they would be:
1) what issues, if any, are involved with installing Samba on DSL?
2) How do I get the windows boxes to be able to read/write to the DSL box?

I hope these details help.

I'll get back to you when I actually have time to try and set this all up.

Posted by flatcat on May 17 2005,21:13

Your set-up is pretty similar to mine. I have a family computer, my own etc. and I want my DSL box primarily for backing up so I wanted it to be as visible as possible under windows. I also considered windows 98 or somesuch but I know its reliability and security are appalling so onto linux.

You will need to set up a samba server. This involves :
1.) setting up a windows partition on your DSL machine;
2.) installing samba extension;
3.) writing a smb.conf configuration file to fit your needs;
4.) a few scripts to start up samba, set your network card etc. Not hard at all. I could give you some examples.
5.) set things up from the windows end, e.g. map your network drive.

I have all of this working and each windows user gets to see their own area on the DSL machine.

I am looking into my smb.conf a bit more because I am slightly worried that I might have some security holes and I was thinking about maybe having quotas for each user. Other than that - job done.

Posted by Buggs on May 21 2005,04:04

Hi I am tring to do the same thing i just need a place to store files... I get the whole smb.conf editing but i can not change the permissions of the file even as Root..... I tried to ftp and then CHMOD to 777 but the ftp program dont support the command can someone help me out please...

EDIT: Was a dumb Question I figured it out Just chmod from shell..

Posted by beagan on May 31 2005,20:42

Quote (Buggs @ May 21 2005,00:04)

Buggs, I haven't looked into the smb.conf file format yet. Is it quite obvious?

Posted by sindhugshankar on Aug. 05 2005,04:54

hi
can we support Citrix ICT Client in DSL?!!! if yes....does anyone has any idea about it?!! plz lemme know

Posted by cbagger01 on Aug. 05 2005,05:17

Other people have used the Citrix Client with DSL.

Search the forums for more details.

Posted by Your Fuzzy God on Aug. 08 2005,18:19

If you are doing a hard drive install, try this...

-link no longer valid-

-Cody
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