Hello,

Although I have Mandrake 8 at home, I am a Linux idiot
I want to install Red Hat 9.0 Professional on a server at work. the server is a Pentium III 500 MHz with 256 MB ECC RAM and 5 x 4.3GB hard drives.

Here's what I want.

- The Linux server to be 100% compatible with my WinXP Pro workstations. (The workstations are public terminals mainly used for Internet access and document printing)

- The Linux server to be the Internet gateway, hand out IP addresses, act as a proxy server and firewall (even if I have to buy 3rd party software, which I assume is available)

- Linux server to be a print server, also has to be able to do print queue management (redirection, collation, job tracking) again 3rd party software is OK I will buy if necessary.

Question 1. Is this possible AND is it do-able by a linux idiot like myself.

Question 2. How much am I looking at spending on RH9 and all the 3rd party software I will need?

Question 3. Can someone point me in the right direction to read up on using Red Hat as a server and to read up on the 3rd party software I need. (like for Windows connectivity, firewall, print Q mgmt, etc)

Thanks so much. Any additional information you think I might need will be helpful and appreciated. I've never done this before

1) I don't see why not AND there is plenty of documentation about all of this stuff look at info about:
iptables
samba
dhcpd
squid
2) £0 = $0 (+ your time)
3) Just google for the programs a mentioned above. If you want to authenticate clints to the net as well then take a look at:
http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/Samba-Auth...way-HOWTO.html

RedHat 9.0 has many GUI tools available which you can use to configure all your services.

RedHat Linux 9 Documentation
http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/linux/RHL-9-Manual/