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Old 02-08-2006, 03:05 AM   #1
curos
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What are some things I can do on my old hardware?


So I have two old boxes that I'm not sure what to do with. They're both about 233 mhz with about 64 mb of RAM.

I would like to hear what your ideas on some useful and cool things I could do with them.

Some ideas I had were:
firewall
network together to make super computer
do some freenx thing with thin clients

but my knowledge is limited, so any other ideas?
 
Old 02-08-2006, 03:20 AM   #2
Pete M
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I'll start you off with some good firewall software

http://ipcop.org/

Pete
 
Old 02-08-2006, 03:29 AM   #3
MS3FGX
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Firewall is good. SmoothWall is a nice package that can get you a firewall setup in a few minutes.

As for clustering...you aren't going to have much of a "super computer" with 266 MHz machines, so I wouldn't waste your time with that.

You could put in a big drive and make a file server.

Or make it a torrent/download machine. A machine you just use to download large files on.
 
Old 02-08-2006, 08:41 AM   #4
cwwilson721
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I use mine (266mhz/64mb) as a webserver/mailserver/dial-in server/forum server. I admit, it's slow, but it's a small church I'm using it for, and my net connection is even slower (128mbs) .
 
Old 02-08-2006, 09:14 AM   #5
GlowGlow
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* Typesetting with groff, or maybe LaTeX: http://faustus.dyn.ca/mom/mom.html
* As an internet terminal, by using Dillo, or running a browser from a faster computer.
* Use slow cycles for SETI and others.
* Everything UNIXy that does not involve KDE or GNOME.
 
Old 02-08-2006, 12:44 PM   #6
Crashbox
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Let's see I have a similar box (laptop - P233MMX with 192 mb of RAM) and it is currently performing the following duties on my home network:

- CUPS print server

- bittorrent client - for those long downloads when I don't want to leave my power-hungry desktop running. Enhanced CTorrent is a nice command line bittorrent client. Plus I can start torrents from work (via SSH - see below) and they're done by the time I get home.

- Privoxy proxy server. I route all my other comp's internet traffic through this one in order to get the benefit of Privoxy while only having to maintain and run one instance of Privoxy.

- SSH server for remote access to my home network

- End point for an SSH tunnel that I use for web browsing when I'm on potentially unsecure networks or networks I don't control (work, airports, hotels, coffee shops etc.) If you've already got the SSH server and Privoxy working properly, it doesn't require any further config on the server end. There is a nice writeup on how to do it here. The author uses a Windows server, but it is even easier to set up the server on a Slack box.

- And finally, even though I don't use it very often, I also have a Tor client installed. It has to be used in conjunction with Privoxy (or another similar proxy), but it works nicely.


The box has plenty of power to handle all that. Hell, I probably could do more with it, but right now that's all I need it to do.

Hope that's given you some ideas.
 
Old 02-08-2006, 01:59 PM   #7
gnashley
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http://distro.ibiblio.org/pub/linux/...abyScreams.jpg

You can even run a screaming 240MB desktop installation!
 
Old 02-08-2006, 02:28 PM   #8
satinet
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you could give them away installed with Damn Small Linux on to someone who needs a pc for browsing....
 
Old 02-08-2006, 02:48 PM   #9
soulestream
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router / wireless router

firewall as suggested

Folding


soule
 
Old 02-09-2006, 12:00 AM   #10
Woodsman
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Quote:
They're both about 233 mhz with about 64 mb of RAM.
I have a similar box. Several years ago I bumped the RAM to 256MB and replaced the 233 MHz Pentium MMX with a K6-III+. I also installed a modern hard drive with DMA and FD bearings. I now use the box as a desktop workstation. The box is not a screamer, but is silent and is more than adequate for a word processing, web surfing box. And I use KDE too.
 
Old 02-09-2006, 09:36 PM   #11
JockVSJock
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Another firewall idea

http://www.zelow.no/floppyfw/

Or you could set them up for DHCP server too...
 
Old 02-09-2006, 10:07 PM   #12
mdarby
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My office uses a similar system for our DHCP / Squid / netfilter firewall setup. It runs at .08 load. Have fun
 
  


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