Tutorials/Guidance on setting up a Linux file Server (on a Windows network)
 

Hi all. I've been playing with Linux off and on for a couple years and have finally decided to make a serious effort at switching some of my computers to Linux.

The first task I've decided to undertake is to replace my Windows 2003 server with a Linux server. The primary purpose of this server will be as a file server for the other 4 computers in my home. Later on, I may use it as a staging server for some web development projects, but that is a ways down the road.


Before I get into the details of my question, here is a quick overview of my home network:
5 Computers: 4 running Windows XP and 1 running Fedora Core 4.
1 Linksys BEFSR81 Cable/DSL Router providing NAT Firewall and DHCP


So far, I've gotten Fedora Core installed and running and can browse the Internet from it.

Unfortunately, that is as far as I've gotten. So I'm looking for some guidance or pointers to documentation/tutorials that can help me get this setup.

Here are my specific problems:
1. Cannot determine what the IP address is of the Linux server
As I indicated above, I can browse the Internet from it. However the Linksys Router doesn't list it in the DHCP Clients table and Fedora doesn't appear to have the ifconfig tool installed (which a Google search identified as the Linux equivalent to Windows ipconfig).

2. Windows computers cannot see (or ping) the Linux box
This is more than likely due to #1 above. I do have Samba installed, but haven't done any configuration on it yet.

3. The Linux server cannot ping or otherwise communicate with the other computers on my network via their machine names (but can ping via their IP Address)
I do not have an internal DNS Server up on my network at the present time (I did have the Win2K3 box doing this for a while when I was playing with Active Directory).


So really, it seem like the first thing I need to do is make sure that the networking is fully functional on the Linux box before worrying about getting Samba setup. I just need a little push in the right direction.

Thanks,
Smiles.

Re: Tutorials/Guidance on setting up a Linux file Server (on a Windows network)
 

1. For your FC box, run the command:

ifconfig -a

This will give you the network interface information, including your IP. However, unless you have to constantly add new machines to your network, I would recommend turning off the DHCP server at the router and simply assign your own ip addresses. This will simplify many things later on.

2. FC may install with a firewall turned on that is blocking ICMP (ping). This could be why you cannot ping it, and why the router doesn't 'see' it. If so, you don't need to turn the firewall (on FC machine) off necessarily. You can work on that later if you want to.

3. Your windows machines are advertising machine names using net-bios. Im not sure how Linux would handle that....

Anyway, setting up samba to be your file server is easy, just find some howtos. If you want to set it up as a Primary Domain Controller, then it get's tricky. I set up a samba server, with access to 4 windows machines very easily.

Cheers,
Danimal

Thanks danimalz,

I'll try turning off DHCP and assigning fixed IPs tomorrow.

I also just tried your suggestion of running ifconfig -a in a terminal window but got the message back "bash: ifconfig: command not found". I tried both as a normal user and root (just in case this was a permissions issue). I also did a "find ifconfig" which returned no matches.


Thanks again,
Smiles.

I wonder...
 

While you could set things up at your house in the way that was described, if you have already PURCHASED all of this software, I cannot help but help to wonder what is making you want to do this. I think that if you really look into the true capabilities of the software that you have already purchased, you will see that it is in fact, probably more capable than your new config is going to be, depending of course on what specifically you are going to be doing, how often, and how much of it, etc. I would definitely be interested in seeing the results of a side by side comparison

Re: I wonder...
 

I have purchased all of the MS Software through a MSDN Subscription (which has since expired).

My reasons for doing this have a lot to do with curiosity and increasing my knowledge of other platforms. Being a professional software developer, I'm more and more frequently seeing customers that are either considering Linux in some fashion or have already implemented it to some degree (though these folks are still vastly in the minority at the moment).

This is also something of a futile jesture opposing things like Product Activation, CD Key verification, and DRM. :-)


Thanks for your comments.

Smiles.