Setting up semi advanced home network

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garto87

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Apr 30, 2006
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I want to set up a new network at my parents house. First off we have a static IP address (cable broadband). I want to create a network where I can access it remotely, say when I'm at school. Basically I want to centralize most of my critical data (school work and old projects) at home and be able to access it from anywhere anytime. I want to set up a virtual private network that me and my family can access from our apple laptops and window pc's.

I was thinking of loading a free NAS solution on an old pc and using it as data storage for the server. I do also want to have it update its databases where if I buy DRM-free music from iTunes it automatically copies it to the network storage when I log onto the network without me doing anything. Then I can at my own will choose which music files to keep on my own laptop to conserve space. Same thing for videos.

Our old linksys router is crapping out on us so I wanted to redo the network. I'd prefer the most stable setup for this, budget of 200 or so. I really want to get the airport extreme base station for the house since most of the computers are apple there and the ability to purchase airport extremes to stream music easily. Otherwise I would prefer something from linksys since I know they are a very reputable company for networking.

In terms of the NAS device I want to create, it has a full XP pro copy on it now so maybe i could use that to my advantage and get XP to be used as a server. Its a dual core x2 so I mean its overkill for any of the applications anyways.

Please post some options for me, or anyplaces where I could look. I can build PC's fine and consider myself a power user but I'm really quite clueless to anything but basic networking so I ask for your help.
 
You can look at something like m0n0wall/pfsense for the vpn. That would make that really easy. As for a NAS device, you can use something like freenas or openfiler. Openfiler is more advanced that freenas but both work very well as a NAS solution. There are ofcourse other options and I'm sure other people will drop in with those.
 
Just remember it is going to be slow copying things back and forth remotly even on a cable connection.

VPN is even slow for large file transfers on T1 which has a much faster upload than most cable packages.


If you wanted to do this though, I would replace the router with something like Smoothwall/IPCop/pfsense which will take care of the router and VPN connection. Then you just need to setup a file server either with a windows OS like XP or Vista, or using a linux option like FreeNAS or a full blown server linux distro (probably overkill).
 
I'll jump in here with the semi-obvious plug for Windows Home Server. Great little product if you haven't seen it yet...

The built in web interface and dynamic DNS make accessing the server remotely without a VPN a breeze. Heck, they even give you a real trusted SSL cert now to secure the web connection.

Of course for machines on the LAN, there's always CIFS/SMB file sharing which works just fine with the Macs. Unfortunately the Macs won't be able to take advantage of the built in backup features of the Home Server though (great feature for the Windows PC's though).

Dead easy interface for setup... and there's a growing list of add-ins which allow for iTunes streaming, and a load of other things... http://www.wegotserved.co.uk/

Something to look at.
 
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