does any one else run a network at home with servers?

[_Bat_]

I have a network, but its not client/server as such, more peer to peer.

 

I have a "server" which is a custom built box with an AMD processor and 1GB RAM. I call this a server because it acts as a file server, printer server and internet gateway/firewall. It runs Ubuntu and has no monitor, keyboard or mouse connected as all administration on it is done via VNC, SSH and XDMCP. This is on 24/7 and is actually located downstairs hidden in the corner of my grans desk.

 

As user machines I have my own custom PC, my brothers laptop, my mums laptop, my grans laptop and the xbox 360. All of these machines run windows XP aside from my brothers laptop which runs Ubuntu (and not forgetting the xbox, dunno what that runs).

 

Our internet connection is 4mbp/s from Blueyonder, though it appears to be running like a dog for the last month or so, even my gran has noticed a speed decrease.

[russdev]

Network here 3 pc's, one mac and one laptop no server.

 

But have got an old machine laying here and just applied to test Microsoft Home Server. If get accepted onto that i am going to install it on to that machine and see what that looks like.

 

Russell

[Joedetic]

Well at the moment I'm in the university's halls of residence and servers arent allowed. So i've just got my PC which dual boots XP Pro and Debian.

 

Next year i'm moving into a rented house with three mates. My webserver will be moving in with us (Ubuntu Linux) and the house will be cabled (in true heath robinson style) using a standard Wifi cable router, a 24-port switch VLANed so that one VLAN is linked up to the router and the other VLAN is for PS2's when we want to play GT4 over LAN (as it requires that you dont have DHCP running) and an extra WiFi AP on the landing for better roaming on wifi devices.

 

The server will no doubt get music shoved on a SAMBA share and some kind of intranet type thing that links to shares on everyone's PC to access films / music that's not on the server. Something like that.

 

It should be obvious that it's a house full of geeks. One network engineer, one games programmer, one games designer and one applied ICT student.

 

[webman]

Joedetic: 'An array of geeks'

 

That just sounds like an excuse for a 24/7 LAN party

[Joedetic]

webman, it would be if i enjoyed gaming lol...

 

I'm the guy you find sat up the corner at the lan parties who crept in to inspect the cables and switches etc...... I'm so cool.

[webman]

Ahhh, a man after my own heart..

[Joedetic]

LOL. Yeah, I chose my room based on the fact that it would be where the cable for broadband came in and i wanted to be able to see the router from my desk seeing as I'll be the one who owns all the network equipment and will be funding /that/ little project.

 

It's more an exercise of fun for me than getting internet for the others

 

/me hopes he has enough Cat5e left in the box to do the house.

[webman]

Sounds like a fun project - you could always get the other to chip in for another box of cable

[Joedetic]

Could do, words such as blood and stone are coming to mind

 

Have you ever tried to extract money from a student...we're fiercely protective of it

[webman]

Yes, you're right... pot noodles are far more important

[Joedetic]

Pot noodles! That's far too expensive. Asda's 8p noodles are nicer anyway

 

I'll need a job next year though, so anyone in Stafford looking for a part timer that's doing Network Engineering (currently doing CCNA 1 aswell) let me know

 

 

(worth a try eh!)

[john]

I must admit I may own many games but I am useless at them, but lan events and drewling over switching and servers is good

 

mmmmmm switches

[maniac]

It's more an exercise of fun for me than getting internet for the others

 

That's more what it was in this house, seeing as I'm the one who pays for telewest, I didn't have to share it with the others!

 

Looked at the router statistics the other day, in a little over a month, we've downloaded over 60gbs worth of stuff 8O think we better calm down a bit!!

 

@_Bat_

I'm only on 2mb telewest, and I've noticed a destint lack of performance from it recently as well. (and that's when nobody's downloading anything)

 

Mike.

[Joedetic]

Telewest are unmetered so it wouldnt matter if you've downloaded 60GBs of stuff....enjoy it...that's what the internet's there for

 

We're going to be sharing the cost of the broadband line...in stafford it's got to be NTL for cable apparently. But it's all owned by Virgin now anyway lol

[_Bat_]

@_Bat_

I'm only on 2mb telewest, and I've noticed a destint lack of performance from it recently as well. (and that's when nobody's downloading anything)

 

Mike.

 

I dunno what is causing it... maybe it is the merger or whatever happened with virgin?

 

I am a member of http://www.by-users.co.uk (i.e. blueyonder users) and there have been a number of complains there about speed recently. No-one appears to be aware of what the problem is and support teams from blueyonder/virgin will always deny it is them.

 

I thought it was my brothers bittorrent at first, but nope.

[eean]

Our Telewest has been getting a bit rubbish too recently and the on demand TV is very slow and rarely works now that Virgin have taken over. Not sure why, all they've changed it the colour scheme!

[Norphy]

But have got an old machine laying here and just applied to test Microsoft Home Server. If get accepted onto that i am going to install it on to that machine and see what that looks like.

 

I've just got an invite for that. Jolly interesting it is too. I'll put up some of my thoughts on it so far if you like.

[russdev]

Same here just downloaded going to install it later once burned the dvd..

 

Russ

[webman]

Looks like MS is getting worried about open source offerings of home server stuff. Will be interesting to see if WHS supports *nix, or whether it will just be a 'network hard disk' that runs Windows (and in turn automatically uses up 50% of system resources when idle).

[Gatt]

My parents home has a linux server (web, file server) and a win2k3 RRAS box with a Dynamic DNS client running.

Am planning to migrate them down here at some point as its in severe need of updating but being over 300 miles away is a bit of aproblem at times when updates can't get done remotely or access is lost

[contink]

1 Win2k3 SP1 server

2 laptops (winxp, win2k)

2 workstations (winXP)

 

.. and I'm soon to add a media XP version to take over from our Sky+ borked box as well as add in a test Vista machine so I can learn how it works/or doesn't.

 

Been invaluable in building up my learning and experience..

[chrbb]

Where do you buy your server software?

[SpuffMonkey]

Gaming / Image editing box.

T23 laptop

Mythtv recording & encoding box

ITX-based test server.

House server - providing 3TB after raid, video storage for mythtv, music through Ampache and mpd, dhcp, dns, apache and home automation.

 

Hi - I'm thinking of doing a MythTV server/frontend set up - how do you find it? Is it doable without in depth Linux skills? I was looking at the KnoppMyth stuff which looked good.

 

Cheers

[Irazmus]

I used to have a 2K3 DC mirroring the school setup with an SuSE webserver, but I've scrapped them both and now run the following:

 

Linux file/media/web/DNS/VM server (1.2TB after RAID and filling rapidly)

Mini-ITX based Linux box for music streaming

XBox for video streaming

Linux webkiosk (running Damn Small Linux)

Athlon XP 3000+ gaming rig (just retired)

New C2D E6600/GF 8800 gaming rig (currently being tested with Supreme Commander ^^ )

[tarquel]

Much as I'd like to have a decent server at home etc. [cant as I live in a flat with my partner], I only have:

 

- A desktop PC that used to be good in its day - MSI KT6 Delta FISR, Kingston [HyperX] 512GB DDR 400, Hercules A-I-W 9800SE 128MB [can be soft modded to a pro heh], Creative Audigy 2 Platinum Pro ZS, Antec Super Lan Boy case with a Antec SmartPower 430W PSU. It can run Vista but comes in at about 2.9 [Vista RC2 private beta] on the performance. XP Pro on their for now.

- A laptop - Acer TravelMate 8104WLMi - which is pretty nippy and can run vista too. Dual booting XP Pro & Vista RC2 private beta.

- Did have the Netgear SC101 NAS drive setup but was so rubbish on the performance, along with the problem that you had to have the drivers installed to see it and the drives, that I've just got it used as a external storage holder for a HDD with a USB > IDE connector attached to it instead

- Got an assortment of other stuff - more Amiga's than you can shake a stick at [along with the games], couple of old desktops & the other usual bits and bobs, etc..

 

The only server I do have is that I'm renting a dedicated server located in a data center [blue Square, UK] which is a AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+ 1GB RAM, 160G HDD, 100M connectivity, 1000G b/w p/month and I have CentOS 4.4 running on it. Its costing me a fortune but hopefully will be able to get some private work to help make it pay for itself etc hehe

 

I do love CentOS

 

I want to create a new Desktop in the future with Vista Hme Prem on it...

 

[just built one that gets a rating of 5.3 - its the CPU & RAM alledgedly bringing it down as the rest get the highest score 5.9 - but its no slouch.... Core 2 Duo E6600, Asus P5W DH Deluxe, Sapphire X1950 XTX 512MB GDDR4, HyperX 2x1GB PC2-6400 [altho the system thinks its 5300 for some reason], WD Raptor 74GB 10k rpm HDD, Antec P160B case & TruePower Trio 550W PSU. Its simply amazing! And I want to keep it hehe cost just over a grand]

 

...and have it double up as a PVR machine - but not sure on things there [thats another story tho].

 

If i kick the missus out, I'll have the room [and electric] for a server then hehe

 

oooops over

 

Cheers

Nath