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Linux Router/File Server

E

enelson125

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jun 21, 2004
Messages
485
I've got an old Athlon XP 2400+ system sitting, collecting dust at home and I figure I might put it to work as a Linux router. My intention is to use it as a router/firewall and to store my music and movies on it so I can stream them over the network. Preferably I'll want to use Samba to share, as I have my modded Xbox with XBMC on it hooked up to my TV, and I know it works very well with Samba. I'm pretty familiar with Linux, at least on the client side, as I've been using Ubuntu pretty frequently for the past year or so.

So I'm wondering what distro would suit my needs for this. I know a couple of my friends really like ClarkConnect, so that's a start at least. Also a how-to or tutorial of some sort for setting this up would help too. Thanks!
 
I prefer pfSense for a firewall/router OS, and it has a package system in which freeNAS is available to be installed within pfSense, creating the firewall/router/fileserver you're after.

www.pfsense.org
www.freenas.org
 
Go with the router distro(BSD or Linux, doesn't matter) that best meets you needs and has a NAS/Samba package.
 
A firewall/router should serve only that function. Adding on samba and other services opens up security holes.
 
BootSector said:
A firewall/router should serve only that function. Adding on samba and other services opens up security holes.
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If I had money coming out of my ass I would get two seperate machines, but I don't. I really don't see much harm in samba if I restrict access to the shares to my local network only. Then again I'm not a security expert either.

Keep the ideas/recommendations coming.
 
Money? Not like a firewall box requires much. Put together a junk-pile Celeron machine and call it a day.
 
[H]EMI_426 said:
Money? Not like a firewall box requires much. Put together a junk-pile Celeron machine and call it a day.
Click to expand...

I really don't have any money to spend right now, I'm using my extra box at home for this project because I don't have to buy anything extra. I'm in college right now so I really won't have any more income until winter break.
 
enelson125 said:
I really don't have any money to spend right now, I'm using my extra box at home for this project because I don't have to buy anything extra. I'm in college right now so I really won't have any more income until winter break.
Click to expand...
Colleges are great places to scavenge parts...
 
Colleges are great places to scavenge parts...
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and chicks ;)

back to the OP, you mentioned you can't afford two boxes, but if you ever decide to go that route, check out smoothwall. I've been using it for the last 3 years and it runs great. Would be best to have seperate boxes, but you can do this on one if you set everything up properly.
 
digilink said:
and chicks ;)

back to the OP, you mentioned you can't afford two boxes, but if you ever decide to go that route, check out smoothwall. I've been using it for the last 3 years and it runs great. Would be best to have seperate boxes, but you can do this on one if you set everything up properly.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'll most likely go that route, but it'll be a little while before I have some income again.
 
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