Home router/server - hardware & software choice
 

Hi
I'm looking for new machine to replace my old home router/server (Pentium II 332MHz, 256MB RAM :))
In addition to common router/access-point functions I need:
- ssh access (from inside and outside the LAN)
- QOS
- small www server with php
- small mysql db
- possibility of running python/perl scripts
- cron tasks
- NAS (samba)
- caching proxy
- bandwidth usage stats
- possibility of running torrent client, jdownloader etc.
- owncloud (maybe)

I also want this computer to be silent (fanless) and low power.

At the moment, I'm thinking of 3 options:
1. Build PC from scratch on Intel Atom ITX:
- motherboard AD2700-ITX http://www.asrock.com/mb/Intel/AD2700-ITX/index.asp
- wifi adapter TL-WN951N http://www.tp-link.com/en/products/d...odel=TL-WN951N
- passive PSU e.g. PICO PSU
- 2.5" hdd
- 4GB RAM
2. Get terminal (thin client) e.g. Neoware, Dell or HP, add ram, hdd and wifi adapter.
3. Get wireless router e.g. TL-WDR3600 http://www.tp-link.com/en/products/d...del=TL-WDR3600 with usb 2.0 flashdrive & OpenWRT

Each option has advantages and disadvantages, which equipment will be sufficient? I'm afraid that WDR3600 could be not enough.
As an os I would like some linux distro with web gui and lots of available packages. I've read that you can run OpenWRT on normal PC. Is that true? Could I run it on dual core Atom or thin client?
OpenWRT, m0n0wall, pfSense, Zeroshell, IPCop, ipfire, ???, what do you recommend?

If one machine is all you can have then in terms of processing power, adding / changing hardware and not having to fsck with OpenWRT I'd go for the Atom. OTOH in this case less isn't more: the distros you mentioned are for use on a firewall device. While they often can be modified it makes sense (in terms of resources, security and disaster recovery planning) to separate and isolate functions (DMZ). So it makes sense to get both router and Atom :-]

my router running openwrt had strange limitations on it that angered me when I tried to run a usb drive on it as a server. I gave up doing that after an afternoon and went back to using my spare desktop as a file server.

I have not tried to do all that you are trying to do here, so take what i say with a grain of salt, but I do have another option for you to consider. A cheap $250-400 laptop with an ethernet port should be more than qualified to handle everything you are trying to do, plus it has built in battery backup. And you can use it as a spare computer in emergency situations. If you need a second ethernet port on it, you can buy a usb-to-ethernet adapter as well. (but i have no experience using them.)

Not sure if that option would be cheaper or better, but it sounds like it could be to me versus building a cheap desktop. Not sure if it meets your silent and fanless criteria though.

I want to have everything on one machine. Currently I'm thinking about Neoware/Igel thin client with Via C7 1GHz CPU, 2GB ram and hdd (ssd maybe). It's totally passive cooled and consumes ca. 20W.