Setting up home network

[the diff]

I know a little, but not enough in setting up a home network between a Dell and Aptiva. There's a variety of issue I need help with. Thanks in advance for your input.

System: IBM Aptiva (WIN 95) & Dell (WIN 98) + DSL

Reformatting Aptiva

The IBM Aptiva was my mom's which she can't use anymore. I plan reformat & partition the HD. Here's my plan for it:

(1)Install Windows 2000 & Linux.

Question: Is it best to set a primary partition for each (I think yes)and if so, approx. size/percentage? Do these new partitions (including an extended partition - see below) need different labels ("C" = Typically the whole HD... "D" the CD)?

(2) Should I set aside an extended partition for application/data files?

(3) I want the Aptiva to function as the server vs my Dell. I want a source to upload work done on FrontPage.

Question: Do I need to set aside another extented partition to function as a web server and/or specific location to only work with FrontPage files?

(4) The WIN 2000 primary partition will be set for NTFS, right? The Linux will have to be FAT32. Will the extended partition have to be set up as FAT32?

(5) Is Partition Magic the best application to manage this setup on the Aptiva?

Network Itself

My plan is to purchase a package that includes (2-10/100)NIC, cable twisted pair), and a small hub (5 port?). Going price is about $50.00 Oh, this isn't the package that runs over phoneline! Here's some final questions...

-> What particular features MUST the hub have to handle my DSL setup currently running off the Dell system?

-> Do I need to purchase any additional cabling to access DSL successfully from the Aptiva?

** Any other suggestions/comments?

Thanks!


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= diff =

[AwARe]

Hmmm well diff.........I dont have much knowledge of running multiple OS so for that part I cant help, but as far as some of the other stuff........do you need a seperate partition for frontpage and a web server etc etc etc, the answer is no........I want to say though if it is your plan to run both win2k and linux on your server machine, woohoo sounds like fun to me wish i had the time to set all that up....Good luck! in that respect http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif (but I would kinda wonder why not do just linux or just 2k? and as much as the idea of linux interests me, truthfully Id suggest just sticking with 2k) Reason I say that is, for the most part the only purpose of multiple OS's, is to have a machine that has multiple funtionality, as in, lets say you can't afford to buy a comp to run NT, and you have some programs that you "need" to run, that only run on NT, and so you do a multiple OS, but if this machine is gonna be a server, then it should really only have one function....make sense? and if you wanna do frontpage etc etc etc then Linux isnt the way to go, also, trying to get all that stuff to werk together properly (is posible) but its gonna take ya allot of werk and time..........ummm now on to what else i can help with.......partition magic is a very good program to manage your partitions, however if you're starting from a blank HDD, you probably dont need it.......but if you find that you do for any reason, yes its an excellent proggie............as far as the netwerk itself, here are some things i can say that may help.......dont buy that cheap 50$ netwerk setup for starters, cause its crap!, and way too slow, get 100/200 NIC's not 10/100 that kit comes with 10mb NIC's and a 10/100mb HUB so its not 100mb, and its gonna get ya hating life within a few short months....now as far as accessing the internet, I would suggest simply linking the second machine to the internet through the server and out to your dsl service from there, however you can run them both seperately to the net via dsl as long as your dsl modem supports it....some dsl modems are USB etc which um last time I checked theres no USB port in a HUB.......also to get the full potential out of that type of setup you would need to get a second IP from your ISP, and instead of a HUB you would want to get something called a switch, its like a HUB but better, to keep it simple, basically with a switch all the comps on the netwerk get the full speed no matter how many comps are hooked up, with a HUB the more you have hooked up the slower it gets...make sense? anyways Good Luck! Hope This Helped.......... http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif

[Ghost_Hacker]

OK here's what I would do.

Lets say I have the same setup as you but with a 40GB hard drive and I no longer want to keep any of the information from my old installation.

I would first use FDISK to delete all partitions on the drive and create a 2GB "c" drive. Format and then install Windows 2000 on that C drive. When done if I would use Partition Magic ( latest version is best when working with Win2k)and change the partition to NTFS then increase the size to 20GB. Or if I did not have Partition Magic I would use the "Disk management" program to create a extended partition of 18GB. ( 2GB C drive and 18GB D drive for a total of 20GB) The Win2k install program will also give you the option to do this during the install. That's it for the windows installation .


I'll be using Red Hat Linux for the linux install. The "easy" install will create a 20GB ext2 partition for my linux installation and will give me the option to not delete the other operating system's partition. ( always use any "easy" option when formatting Linux unless you know exactly what your doing). I will also choose the option to install LILO on a floopy and use that floopy to boot linux. ( boot from floopy and you get linux, boot from the hard drive and you get Windows 2000)


That's the install part. If you have any question just post back.


Now on to your other questions:

Should I set aside an extended partition for application/data files?
No,not really needed. I would keep it simple.

Do I need to set aside another extented partition to function as a web server and/or specific location to only work with FrontPage files?
Again no. In a "real" production server the answer would be to not install Frontpage extensions at all. And to always have "web" directories on a different partition.


The WIN 2000 primary partition will be set for NTFS, right? The Linux will have to be FAT32. Will the extended partition have to be set up as FAT32? The linux install will use a "ext2" partition. Again let the "easy" option of the install program do this for you.


Is Partition Magic the best application to manage this setup on the Aptiva? Partition Magic can be handy in an install like this but isn't really necessary.( I have a NT/WIN2K/LINUX setup and did not use any 3rd party partition tools during install)


What particular features MUST the hub have to handle my DSL setup currently running off the Dell system? any hub will support the DSL line. ( make sure it's either a 10Mb hub or an autosensing ,10/100Mb ,one) However for security you might want to use a router.

Do I need to purchase any additional cabling to access DSL successfully from the Aptiva? No. one cable for each computer's network card to your hub or router will be all you need. Unless you decide to setup the Aptiva as a router or proxy. Again keep it simple.


Also alot of the DSL "stuff" will depend on your ISP. For instance do you have more than one IP address? Is the line a "dialup" (PPoE) DSL line?


Hope this helps http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif


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Comment heard from a Klingon programmer.

"Klingon function calls do not have 'parameters'. They have 'arguments'....and they ALWAYS WIN THEM!"




[This message has been edited by Ghost_Hacker (edited 05-09-2001).]

[medic13]

try using a networking kit its the easiest way to network a couple computers

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