connect and access files remotely to a samba server over the internet
 

Hi everyone

guys I'm hoping someone can enlighten me on this one, I have a server at home running as a file server and DHCP connected to a switch with a wireless AP in there as-well. with this setup I can access the files and do some configurations via SSH on the actual server anytime I'm able to get the wireless signal, now lately I felt the need to be able to do the same but this time over the internet. I've read somewhere already that I'm gonna need a router with port forwarding and NAT, then know the IP address of the server but my problem is once you start talking about routers then you need broadband connection which is something I don't have. Getting a router is not much of a problem but without ADSL like connection I guess its useless, what do I need to do?

Thanks

I'm afraid your post isn't really clear. Maybe you can share some more details? From what I understand, you were using
SSH on your local network (LAN) to connect to the server and work on it (ie from your desktop or laptop). The server acts as DHCP server -
handing out IPs for the local net to connected devices. The local net is wireless.
How is the local network connected to the internet (wired, wireless,...)?
The type of internet connection shouldn't really matter; we can see if it can work with what you
do have (if you post that info).

well look at it this way, the server in not connected full time to the internet, I have a 3G card which I normally use on my laptop and was hoping to use that on the server and use the laptop from work to connect to it. You saying on your reply that the type of connection doesn't really matter, what about speed and the fact that the IP is dynamic and chances everytime you connect? will those two factors not affect me in any way?

The server is connected to the ISP and the ISP uses DHCP to issue an IP to your server when it connects. This IP will indeed change each time
the server connects (or even more often). Usually, fixed IPs are used for externally accessible systems. The ISP may however support dynamic DNS,
which means the servername may still translate to the right IP. Key there is that DNS will need to work dynamically, you'll need to use the hostname (not the IP) to connect to the server and the server needs to be connected through 3G.
The latter sounds expensive to me if you want to access the server at any time (24/7).

ok I get your point, whats the simplest and cheapest way then to get to the server from the internet since my current setup is rather expensive. one other thing is I could create a server from work using their line which will then give me access from outside at anytime (ie. from my laptop when i'm home) but obviously this is a security risk for them, right? I mean i'm sure the ports are not opened by default and since we're connecting via an ISP, we need to ask them for permission, right?

Most likely, both the company you work for as well as their ISP will have some security measures in places (like closed ports).
Another option would be to rent some web space from a web hosting company. Maybe your ISP even allows you to set up a web space of your own.

Depends on what you want to use the connection for, what you want to accomplish (a simple web site,...).
In your initial post, you talked about connecting to your home server remotely, i.e. to be able to work on the server when not at home.

look at it this way, I just need a way of accessing that server from remote locations, it doesn't really matter if its at home or work, just as long as I can access it remotely using my laptop.

OK, but access it for what purpose? To view a web site? To run some scripts? ...