Compatibility with windows
 

Hi, currently I'm using a windows network for internet. Is it possible to put a linux PC into the network, and will it have internet access (I'm a real newbie you know...)?

the answer is yes, (almost) anything can be done with linux. The method however varies a little depending on how your internet access is set up. Are you using Internet connection sharing or using a router to supply connection to your various pc's? If you are using a router you will be able to do it easily using a dhcp client on your linux box.

Please include a little more information when making your posts, such as linux distibution etc, and detailed information about your problem/question

I still need to choose a linux distribution...

if you want a fully user configurable one try gentoo linux, it is slow to install since it compiles everything from source but the portage package managment system is excellently made, and there is documentation covering every facet of the distro as well as thriving forums and wiki.

If the gentoo procedure is a little to much, try debian linux. The best way to get this is probably to install from the knoppix/kanotix live cd as it sets everything up for you. Debian's apt package manager is good, and also fast since it downloads binaries rather than compiling source.


For a full list of distributions go to distrowatch.com where they have an exhaustive list of ditros and their features.

Hi and welcome to LQ.

I definately wouldn't recommend either gentoo or Debian for a start. Like you wrote in your first post 'im a real newbie' I don't think it's gonna motivate you into Linux if you start with any of the two distributions that freestyling mentioned.

You will need a Linux distribution that finds all your hardware (or most of it) and has a GUI for most configurations.

Here is what i recommend.

1: SuSe 10 Eval. I has a huge hardware repetoire, and is easy to configure/install. Don't let the 'eval' scare you. The version is in no way crippled or timelimited. All that is left out is some licensed software products (don't know which ones, and I really never missed them)

2: Mandriva 2006 free
Same as SuSe a really good distribution to start with. Easy to use plus (when you get better) some more advanced features.

3: Fedora core 4. Based on the old Redhat system. Only thing is that most stuff in this distribtution is beta, so it sometimes turns up gettin/beeing unstable. But if you want the newest softwaretitles plus you are willing to do some reconfiguration once in a while, this is the one to pick.

Just throwing in my :twocents:

Have fun :)

Yep, that would be the main 3 to pick from for the new user. I was always Mandr* here, but have a couple of Suse boxes as well now. Cool games included :)

How about Ubuntu? I like the idea of getting a free cd... And I have installed a live CD on my older computer and liked it. Or would you think that ubuntu (or kubuntu) is to hard?

Ubuntu is a nice distro, albeit one that I don't have a lot of experience with. I have heard that it can take a couple weeks to get the free CD shipped to you. If you have a system with a CD burner, most every version of Linux can be downloaded for burning onto CD, including all of the ones antiloaded mentioned.

Once you've decided on your distro, we'll need to know how your network is set up as freestyling said to help you connect to the Internet. If you just use a router that runs a DHCP server, you can usually just set your machine to use DHCP and all the correct parameters will be supplied automatically by your router.

Ubuntu would actually be my first choice for the beginner. However, I recommended expending NO energy picking the first try---you are almost certain to eventually try at least one other.
Pick any of these at random and dive in:
Ubuntu
Fedora
OpenSUSE

NoKnower,

First, chang your username. In a couple of weeks you won't be living up to your name. :)

ANYWAY

Yes, Linux will connect just fine, and you'll probably find that you actually obtain better network performance on Linux than you do on Windows. Not only that, but in addition to TCP/IP (v4 and v6) Linux can support NetBEUI (ugh!), IPX/SPX, and Appletalk right out of the box, no add-ons to buy or license.

As an aside: Did you know that there is a high probability that your network router is running Linux? If you're using a LinkSys (low-end crap), Netgear (low-end), or newer Cyberguard router (mid-to-enterprise), you're using Linux on your network already? Ditto for any number of wireless access points, spam filtering appliances, IP (VoIP) telephones, DSL and cable modems, and countless other embedded devices.

If you have more than one computer on the network, and all of them are behind a router which is connected to the cable-modem or DSL modem, then all of them will simultaneously have access to the Internet. (And, all of them can be simultaneously protected by a firewall in that router, if it has one as most of them do.)

The DSL/Cable modem plugs into the "WAN" port on the router, and each machine is plugged into one of the (typically 2 to 5) ports on the other side of the router.