Home Network Ideas

[Question]

Greets, I am in the beginning stages of Linux. I am reading Running Linux, and Linux Network Administrator (o'reilly). My plans for Linux are to network my RH7 box with my Win2k and Win98box. I have a 3com Dsl Modem. I would like to use the linux box to firewall my local lan, have all machines on the net etc. Any tips,hints,webpages, suggested topology would be great for this newbie. i will be setting up samba and apache because i want to share files and also try my hand at webpage hosting. i own a few domain names, is there any reason i couldn't host these form my own network, as opposed to paying a firm? I am a regular on Linuxdoc.org etc but also like getting direct human feedback. (over the computer, weird huh?)thanks.

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I am determined to learn this OS. You have the power to help me accomplish that goal.

[FoBoT]

Originally posted by Question:
My plans for Linux are to network my RH7 box with my Win2k and Win98box.

so you will use the RH box for firewall/gateway/web server/file server etc?
you already have RH7 installed? that will work, be persistent and don't give up http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/smile.gif

i own a few domain names, is there any reason i couldn't host these form my own network, as opposed to paying a firm?

reliability is the only drawback, your dsl line has no service level guarantee, and can go out unexpectedly, so if you are doing sites for fun/learning/home etc, it is a great idea, if you are doing a site for business then it might make you look bad if your site goes out randomly. the dsl company will just say sorry

[sycofly]

Im in the same boat... what is the best HOWTO for RH 7.0 & networking .. some of the stuff ive been reading is leaving me rather http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/confused.gif

[anti_seen]

I like the "Use Redhat 6.x as a gateway" how-to it should get you started easy enough. It is all for Redhat 6 but most of it will be the same in 7. Its available at http://www.linux.com/howto/mini/Home-Network-mini-HOWTO.html


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Radio Shack, You've got questions...
We've got blank stares.

[Strike]

Originally posted by Question:
i will be setting up samba and apache because i want to share files and also try my hand at webpage hosting. i own a few domain names, is there any reason i couldn't host these form my own network, as opposed to paying a firm?
Perhaps. Check the Terms of Service (TOS) agreement you should have gotten when you signed up for the connection. Some places don't like handling all your traffic (though with DSL it's less common than cable that they complain, I think).

[FoBoT]

Originally posted by Strike:
Check the Terms of Service (TOS) agreement you should have gotten when you signed up

excellent point, although i have only heard/seen this with cable service, there might be some dsl services that restrict servers as well

[FoBoT]

you want to know the really easy/newbie way to do this?

put e-smith ( www.e-smith.org (http://www.e-smith.org) ) on your linux box
it is a pre-configured/newbieized RH 6.2 distro that is super easy to setup even on dsl (but if your dsl is PPPoE, the super easy part is in beta testing)

if you have enough hardware/cash/space, put e-smith (the hardware requirements are quite low) on to a pentium/486 box as your gateway/firewall/server etc to get you started
put RH or debian (would be my choice {atp-get http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/smile.gif } ) or your favorite regular flavor distro onto a bigger/stronger pc and set it up behind your e-smith box to "learn" how to setup a server, while having the luxury of getting your web site/email/etc up quickly with e-smith

have a nice day http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/smile.gif

[Hamarin]

GO for it! I can't offer any help, but I will give you an alternative. At my house I have setup Windows 98SE, Windows2000, Suse 7.0 and Redhat 7.0. All of these connect to the internet through my internal LAN. I have a cable modem connection to the internet. I am using the Linksys BEFSR411 router serving private addresses internally via DHCP. This has been working fine for me and it alleviates the neccesity of managing my own personal firewall at home.


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T. Brian Granier - CCNA, MCSE, MCP+I, A+
Telecommunications Specialist
Zebec Data Systems, Inc.

[Sweede]

Ok, well there is NO SUCH THING AS A DSL MODEM. sorry thats my rant for the day, they are routers/gateways.

1) Do you have ADSL or SDSL. ?
ADSL has no QoS guarentee's because its basicly a beefed up ISDN line.
SDSL, if you provider offers it, is what you want to do any type of hosting with it. no SDSL?, dont even bother unless you have a written QoS from your provider and a static IP, and are NOT using PPPoE with ADSL.

2) Do you want to host DNS for the domains on your server/SDSL ? to host a DNS name server, you need at least 2 unique IP's.
ns.domain.com <-unique
ns2.domain.com <-unique
domain.com <- name based from here on out, can be the same as either of the above IP's
domain2.com
domain3.com

you can host DNS elsewhere and point domains to your IP (which is what i'll be doing shortly with my SDSL line).


The e-smith distro is nothing fancy, just a stripped down really easy to install redhat and a fancy HTML user interface.

FreeBSD as a router/firewall for security, then if you can afford it, a redhat box for the apache/ftp/email/ssh BEHIND the firewall (DONT PROXY the server, this is kind of pointless i think).


[PSTN]->[dsl gateway]--\
|
[FreeBSD firewall/router]
|
[hub/switch]
|____[redhat server]
|
\____[rest of network]


If you want to learn how things work, use FreeBSD or Redhat 6.x for the firewall and use a good firewall ruleset. compile things from source, dont cheat and be a baby with apt-get.

if you really want to know whats going on, do a LFS system for your router http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/smile.gif

but thats probably not a newbie thing http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/smile.gif

set your Firewall box as a DHCP server, that way all you have to do is just plug a box into the hub/switch and away you go.

[ArmyAnt]

Great Question Question. I'm in the same boat and this post has answered a lot of my questions. I'm currently using RH7 as well but I'm curious to know why everyone says to use RH6.x for the firewall? I would assume that RH7 is either the same or better.

- ArmyAnt

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Watch One, Do One, Teach One

[FoBoT]

Originally posted by ArmyAnt:
I'm curious to know why everyone says to use RH6.x for the firewall? I would assume that RH7 is either the same or better.


i believe it is because it is a "proven" release, sys admins tend to shy from new stuff because it means new problems, they already know what problems to expect with 6.x

but i could be wrong

[Stackrat]

Having done the same myself, the best advice I can give you is...

Just do it!!!

Pick a weekend and just do it. My wife and kids left Friday night for my sister-in-law's for a weekend and first thing Saturday morning I was fdisk-ing the hard drive on my home server. By Sunday night, I had the firewall, Apache and Samba up and running.

If you feel you need a crutch, sign up for Juno or something ahead of time and use a Windoze box to get to LDP and LNO in case you have problems.