How can I configure RH9 as a domain controller in a home network.
 

I am running a peer-to-peer network between 2 desktops and a laptop.

Machine 1: RH9 operating on an AMD 1.09GHz w/512MB
Machine 2: XP pro SP2 on a P4 2.8 w/512
Laptop: XP pro SP2 on a Toshiba Satellite 2.4 w/512

Broadband connection through a Linksys wireless-b/10/100

I have static IP set up on all machines. All machines can reach the internet and ping each other. I am having some difficulties with the XP machines and sharing/mapping so I thought I should set up my Linux machine as a domain controller. For some reason I thought that would help. Understand I am basically the military equivalent of an apprentice Information Systems Tech. So I have basic understanding of networking, some technical understanding, but I have no idea where to even begin with this linux machine. Oh, sorry, brand new to linux :). If anyone can point me to the correct documentation to get started and/or be willing to shoot me some information regarding how to set this network up would be great. I am reading the documentation of of the redhat home, but it isn't helping me with the domain controller setup. Many thanks!

-IT2 (SW)

IMHO configuring a domain controller will not make things easier. For documentation see www.samba.org

samba is the interface on the linux side that allows linux OS and windows to share files and printers. It can also act as as PDC

Hi,

I believe that winXP SP2 disables the network neighborhood sharing and enables a firewall (or what Microsoft considers as a firewall ;) )...

You should have a look to "control panel", "Administrative tools", "services"... (sorry I'm using win at work)

If I were you, I wouldn't bother right now with a domain controller... classical sharing is really straight forward with samba, you should try simple things first, and then go ahead with a dc.

Good luck

MAN dhcpd

I did fix the inability to access files from one xp box to the other. Somehow SP2 had jacked up my security settings so NO ONE had the access to move files off of my laptop, I had already disabled the stock firewall since I use Symantec.

As for DHCP....I like to know what my IP adx's are, little obsessive compulsive... I know you can set the adx lease so it doesn't expire, but I liked the idea of having a static address anyway.

Maybe I misunderstood the objective of having a domain controller. I had thought (given my meager training at the hands of the navy) that a domain controller gave the network a specific set of operating instructions. Instead of continually having to configure multiple computers, the controller would handle that any configuration. I was just reading web-pedia and it describes a PDC as allowing users to use resources on multiple computers as if they were resident on the computer which they were logging on to. This has obvious appeal to me. Of course I doubt my network is going to go beyond what i have now, but this is good training for when i end up being in charge of a seagoing navy network. LOL.

Does anyone have an idea of a book or something that will give me a crash course in linux? I mean, commands, basic operating principals and such? I feel like a moron as I have no friggen clue how it even operates! Thanks!

IT2 (SW):newbie:

I can agree with the web pedia definition of a PDC as long as you limt "resources" to shared files and printers.

All a PDC is going to do for you is provide a common point of authentication.

Right now, if you want to log in to your laptop or Machine 2 as user IT2, you have to create a user account named IT2 on each computer and set the password on each computer. How the desktop is set up is separate on each computer. If you arrange the desktop icons on the laptop just the way you like them, you would need to do the same on machine 2 if you wanted the same arrangement.

If you had a PDC on your network, you could create a user account named IT2 on it and then log in to the laptop or machine 2 as that user account. You would only have to maintain one username and one password. You could also use what is known as roaming profiles and your desktop arrangement could be shared on both computers.
If you're going to share files on the PDC, the laptop and machine 2, having a PDC can make setting permissions to the shares and files easier.

With only 2 machines on the network, setting up a PDC may be more bother than it's worth. If your new to Linux and have no experience with domains in the Windows world, the learning curve could be quite steep. If you had half a dozen or more machines and multiple users, then it might be worth your while.

For some free documentation on Linux, visit The Linux Documentation Project at:

http://www.tldp.org

For documentation on Samba, go to:

http://www.samba.org

For some documentation specific to a Samba PDC, check out:

http://www.justlinux.com/forum/showt...ight=samba+pdc

It's been a long time since I've bought a book on Linux but you could go to Amazon.com and do a search on Linux. You'll find a whole list of books and maybe you can spot one that seems to meet your needs.