File Server Advice
 

First and foremost I did use search.

Secondly I want the advice of the Linux crowd.

I want to setup a small home network using old computers (300mhz-800mhz).

What I have in mind is something like this:

Internet
|
Firewall
|
File server/FTP Access/Perhaps printers/Music streams
|
Clients

For internet I have DSL 768down/160up.

For Firewall I am thinking IPCop?

For File Server I am still trying to find the right one. I do not want to mess with the samba.conf file and other configuration files. What I am looking for is something that runs off a install CD/floppy and has a GUI or at least pretty simple way of setting it up. Along the lines of IPCop setup/Smoothwall install. Must be linux and windows compatiable without hours of setting each one up.

I am willing to have seperate boxes for each task only that they can be all accessed from online and from my local network.

Clients are all Windows XP machines. I will eventually move back to Ubuntu or Fedora perhaps BSD but for now I am sticking linux only as server. Besides my other family members dont use linux on their laptops so that is also an issue.

Whats you advice on distros that work good and have a easy guide to them or have an installation pretty simple?

Remember that each machine can and probably will have seperate functions.

Lastly I would like to be able to upload items to the file server from any platform (windows or linux)

I really don't think you are going to find a LiveCD that just pops up with Samba and a web based configuration application (beyond Swat, which doesn't sound like what you want exactly).

If you want to set it up well, and have it reliable, you have to do the work and configure it yourself. But it really isn't hard, Samba's configuration is pretty simple, and you can find hundreds of example configurations online you can use. Depending on the distribution, it is likely to have a pretty complete example file included by default.

Of course, that is just Samba. If you want to support Linux machines, you should really use NFS too. While you can certainly use only Samba (and I did myself on my own file server), it is much easier to use NFS. It took more playing around with Samba on the Linux client end than on the server for me to get it to work properly (mount with proper permissions, large file support, secure handling of passwords, etc).

I heard there is drop in floppy disk distros that pretty much can cover the job. Anyone follow me here?

Lastly I am thinking about getting a Asus 5000g Premium (I believe thats the model). I am going to maybe perhaps use OpenWRT. Anyone have any ideas on this thoughtprocess/idea?

I have never even heard of floppy based distribution that contains Samba, let alone one designed for file serving. The Samba suit alone is something like 30 MB.

Hmm... Perhaps I am NFS suite? OR similar?? I remember for sure (100%) a site that had three same (different packages) FLOPPY base distros that had file sharing capabilities. Also they had one "product" which was a CD with all of those functions. for 29.95.

This distro or whatever was touted as an easy way to use a old computer (200mhz) and plop 4 large drives (200gbs) and use it just as a easy network storage. Anyone follow me here?

Also what do you think of the Asus 500g Premium router box? I am acutally contemplating a Asus WL-500W router because its MIMO and Draft-N complaint and b/g also. Any ideas??

Bingo. NASLite.

http://www.serverelements.com/naslite.php

I must have good memory. I saw this exactly 105 days ago. Thats a long time.

Anyways I am open to ideas. What do you guys think of NASlite and its counterparts?

What would you suggest?

There exists a distro called LormaLinux that does exactly what you want: Samba Server beta 2

The only downside is, that its development seems to have halted in 2005. Of course, that doesn't mean this won't work for you!

Good luck!