Linux Home Networking Suggestions
 

As the tag implies->

1. [1]Hardware Available

   • Desktop with amd x2 4300 integrated nvidia video/ HD Audio
   • Desktop with 1.7ghz p4 nvidea 5200
   • Laptop i5 4gbram etc, etc..
   • Desktop 555 mhz p3 512 ram

   [2]Wanted Services

   • Be able to have one machine retrieve all email from all accounts and scan then distribute to local clients.
   • A family web site for photos, info, etc., that will be avaiable to the web.
   • remote access for family members living in other areas.
   • recording tv, dvd's audio, etc., with streaming or file hosting from a single unit.
   • answering machine
   • roaming profiles
   • local chat / loggin messages
   • TV/Radio/DVD remote control
   • Central Print Pick Site
   • machines get updates from a central local machine

   [3]Ease of Use

   • Machine sitting at TV's need passwordless log in.
   • A way for users to be "ID" when entering a room if they have a remote.

I know big list. If anyone else has set up a rather "all inclusive" list, please respond. I was just day dreaming. If anyone has done this ( focus on roaming profile which could be loaded with remote that is picked up as it enters the room) please let me know.

... some thoughts
 

I urge you to break up your wish list into more managable and approachable pieces. My thinking sees at least two "servers".
Take an olde tower PC and load your favorite server distro. Get your in-house interconnections working solid so that you don't fight that as you add new server features. Make it work in-house for file sharing and printer sharing and backup and such. Add an in-house web server -- the XAMPP suite does most things well without your need to track down a lot of parts. Do something in-house with your web server content. I'd consider one of the suites like Joomla or WordPress.
Fetchmail will grab email from a list of accounts and bring it all to the local server. You'll need some local mail transfer suite like Postfix and then SpamAssassin with ClamAV for scumware defense.

For example, one can find several articles about setting up a home-network "media server", so pull your media service wishes out of the long list. There are even entire distro's devoted to that like Mythbuntu http://www.mythbuntu.org/.

You mentioned that you wanted "remote access for family members in other areas". If you want your in-home server available on the public internet say http://www.myHomeServer.com then there are all sorts of issues about security and networking involved. On the other hand if you simply want someone "out there" to be able to fetch a file or two from time to time, that is another whole barrel of snakes. Both have well understood solutions, but with some learning curve and tinkering on your part.

i know the list is chock full o stuff. liux general. just looking for ideas from folks tha have already done something similar.