hi guys,
i will make a small gigabit ethernet intra-network (6 pc) for streaming video and of-course i want to install linux. I need some advises in order to buy the right hardware:

1- do you recommend to install fc6 or fc7 ?
2- may you tell me a good combination of processor, memory, motherboard, video acelerator card, and gigabit ethernet card ?... i mean, references that works fine with fedora (and easy to install) :-(
3- a good gigabit ethernet switch (economic, 8 ports)
4- an ip camera for streaming jpg images (800x400 pixels), with some kind of compressing ... tested also with linux :-(

i appreciate your help .. thanks in advance ...

hector

Fc6 is beyond EOL (End Of Life). There will not be any more official updates of any kind. Fedora 7 (core dropped after FC6) will hit EOL in a few months (whenever F9 comes out), so I would suggest F8. The only problem I have with Fedora is that any one version only has support for about a year. You may want to consider Centos5.1. It "feels" like FC6. Centos5.1 is RHEL5.1 with the logos removed. It will run RHEL binaries and has a support life of 5 years. Any book on RH is a book on Centos.

Linux compatibility is generally very good. You would be better off figuring out what you like and then checking back to make sure there is not some known issue. For video cards you will find that life is far easier if you stick with nvidia based cards. They have a long history of supporting linux. ATI is working at getting better but they still have a long way to go. I would look at newegg for your hardware. Even if you do not buy from them, they have an excellent review section. One must read the reviews to get an accurate picture. Some of the reviewers lack common sense, they will buy a agp vidoe card and blame the card that it will not work on their PCI-e motherboard (things of this caliber).

I like the metal (not plastic) cased Netgears such as GS108 for 8 port switches. However if I buy anymore I will stick with multiple GS105s(5 port) becuase they dissipate heat better and they allow for greater flexibility. Netgear did have a run of bad wall worts (power supplies) but replacements are readily available(radio shack, etc) at a reasonable cost.

No idea on the camera.

thanks lazlow for answer ...

i wonder if i have to run a special configuracion process in order to get the gigabit ethernet card working. May you tell me where to find a "howto" related document or link ?

and ... where to find the "centos" binaries ?
are they free?

cheers,
hector

The only big thing about GigE is that everything has to be GigE. Nics (both ends), cable (cat5e or cat6 preferable), switch/router, all have to be GigE in order to run at GigE speed (otherwise it will fall back to 100).


www.centos.org

Free to download (or yum).