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This may be a bit of a long one, since I'm not exactly sure what I'm looking for so I'll be giving as much info as I can to help. Also I'm basically new to Linux.
So, my plan is to either take the family PC which is soon to be no longer used and make it into a server to learn. If I'm lucky I'll get an old PC from my dad's work. I'm still not sure which Linux distro to put on it (family PC specs at the bottom) and I also don't have full reign to do whatever I want with the PC yet.
So I'll be testing in a VM. The problem is, I want it to work the same way as it would when the real thing is set up. The set up will be the server will sit wired to the network, possibly headless, not sure how to do a headless install. It's not going to take the place of the router or anything like that.
The point will be to have the server as my Linux box, so I can SSH or FTP or remote desktop into it and use it from my laptop while at home, school or wherever, so I can program on it, learn about running a server and maybe test web stuff or stream media to my TV through a device.
So now that I've explained the set up and what I think it'll be for, keeping in mind I know nothing about Linux still, how can I simulate this on a VM on the laptop I would be accessing this future server from? Basically I would want to connect to this VM the same way I would be connecting to this future server.
Now I know this is a lot to ask but I'm really hoping to get the same quality help I've gotten from Stack Overflow on programming issues. It's basically a bunch of questions that should span multiple questions but I'm hoping to figure it out at once. If I haven't been clear on something let me know and I'll attempt to clarify.
Family PC Specs:
The family PC is a Pentium 4 @ 2 GHz with 768MB of RAM and an integrated card. I'll definitely be replacing the hard drive since it's just old and smaller drives are cheap. Maybe the RAM too to 2GB since it costs the same as the hard drive I'm looking at.
Should I install server-specific versions of Ubuntu?
Also, how would I set up the second network exactly? Would it require another router? I assume a cheap wired-only router would be fine as long as it's fairly new?
Third, is it easy to set up the VM the way you described?
Fourth, I guess after setting it up I would need to figure out where to go from there. Maybe that should require it's own thread? – Portaljacker – 2011-08-26T04:21:06.990
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I don't think server-specific Ubuntu is required for now. Get yourself comfortable on Linux first, then you can install a new one. I wouldn't recommend Ubuntu as server for anything serious tbh. About setting up the DMZ, there are a bunch of tutorials on the net, such as this one. You can use an old PC to act as router/firewall (he needs 3 NICs though). Setting up the VM is very easy, you just choose bridged network. And I think a new thread would be best, yes :)
– m0skit0 – 2011-08-26T07:07:11.277Thanks.
Well, since the old PC is becoming the server that won't work. :P Any recommendations for a decently cheap wired or wireless router that will be configurable enough? Then I assume the way I would connect it is by having the cable come out of one of the numbered ports on the main router into the internet port of the router for the server?
Also, I remember from Security now that when doing this I would need 3 routers, in a Y-pattern as shown here: http://digitaldiner.org/files/2008/09/091608-0305-lesliaisons1.png
Or is this not needed when following the method you suggested?
The other thing I was wondering is does being behind multiple routers make it harder to connect to from the outside? Or am I just thinking it's more complicated than it is? – Portaljacker – 2011-08-27T04:15:29.567
I suggest you getting a router that supports installing OpenWrt on it. I don't think you need 3 routers. 2 are enough: Private LAN -> Router/Firewall 1 -> DMZ -> Router 2 -> Internet. And about the difficulty of connecting from the outside, well no, since you'll be connecting to the DMZ. I wouldn't recommend letting connections directly from the outside to the private LAN.
– m0skit0 – 2011-08-27T11:31:20.063Yes, but then that defeats the purpose of why I want the server. – Portaljacker – 2011-08-27T16:29:02.097
I don't see why. Can you point to which point are you exactly referring? – m0skit0 – 2011-08-27T16:35:48.783
The not accessing it from the outside! – Portaljacker – 2011-08-27T19:40:33.293
I wish more people would comment. :P – Portaljacker – 2011-08-27T19:40:52.277
You access from the outside, but just to the DMZ (where you'll put the server). – m0skit0 – 2011-08-27T19:44:20.847
@Portaljacker let us continue this discussion in chat
– m0skit0 – 2011-08-27T19:44:33.093