Newbie to Linux...

AMD'er · Nov 25, 2008

Ok..I have an old machine that was just given to me and want to do something with it...so I have decided to see if I could setup it as a router, gateway..etc evenutally...right now I'm want to try to set it up as a DHCP server but I don't know which version of Ubuntu to use...

Should I go with the desktop version or should I go Server version? I know that the server version is really command lines (don't know to much about) but I want to learn it...or should I just stick with the desktop version and try to configure a DHCP server from there? I have done some research and found that I can install the desktop GUI on the server version?

I'm stuck..any suggestions?

Thanks in advance...

smokie mcpott · Nov 25, 2008

if you want a router/gateway/dhcp server i suggest you look into a different distro like:
ipcop
smoothwall
pfsense
untangle
astaro security gateway

if you want one that you can play around with, tweak, add more functionality, go with smoothwall

if you just want it to work as is, go with pfsense

if the machine is really old, stick with ipcop

if the machine can handle it, check out untangle or astaro (astaro takes quite a bit to understand though)

TalRW · Nov 25, 2008

I have to agree w/ Smokie. His advice is very good. If you want a router go with those distros he recommended. Don't use ubuntu. Ubuntu is more of a desktop OS. The ones he recommended are designed specifically to run router/DHCP functions and be security enhanced.

You say you don't know commandline. If you want to LEARN how to use linux and commandline try installing gentoo. That will give you a good lesson. However just be aware this isn't for the faint of heart.

AMD'er · Nov 26, 2008

TalRW said:
I have to agree w/ Smokie. His advice is very good. If you want a router go with those distros he recommended. Don't use ubuntu. Ubuntu is more of a desktop OS. The ones he recommended are designed specifically to run router/DHCP functions and be security enhanced.

You say you don't know commandline. If you want to LEARN how to use linux and commandline try installing gentoo. That will give you a good lesson. However just be aware this isn't for the faint of heart.

I want to learn the command line but I don't want to Bungie Jump with no bungie...lol...I want to ease my way into it...so going with one of the ones he mentioned should be good? Can they do more than just he router function? I want something I can do a little of everything with...maybe have it as a file server at the same time

*PS*
The free machine is an E machine 566 with 512 ram, 10gig hd

smokie mcpott · Nov 26, 2008

one thing you dont want to do is make your router a file server as well... pick one thing to do with the box and do it...the more things you add to your router/firewall, the more insecure it becomes

honestly, if you just want to mess around and learn linux, use vmware server or virtual box on your rig and keep all the testing in a virtual environment. let the router/firewall do its own thing.

AMD'er · Nov 26, 2008

smokie mcpott said:
one thing you dont want to do is make your router a file server as well... pick one thing to do with the box and do it...the more things you add to your router/firewall, the more insecure it becomes

honestly, if you just want to mess around and learn linux, use vmware server or virtual box on your rig and keep all the testing in a virtual environment. let the router/firewall do its own thing.

ok I follow you...of course I was not about to just expose my network like that until I got a good grasp on the setup...so I guess it will be smoothwall 1st then mess around afterwards...

should I make sure I got 2 nics in this machine before I install or is it ok to add it later...the box I will be using is upstairs and my router and modem are down stairs...I don't want to take my network down until I have this figured out..

MRD · Nov 26, 2008

I use ipcop, it's great. However, NEVER add anything else to a firewall. Making it a file server as well is a horrible idea and very insecure.

It will automatically act as a dhcp server and do lots of other nice stuff on a very low spec machine, and it has a nice remotely accessible web interface (accessible from the internal wired network).

AMD'er · Nov 26, 2008

I'm actually trying to decide what I want to do with this box....I just don't want to use it to surf the web...so I wanted to set it up as something different...either a router...or maybe dhcp server and turn my router into a glorifed switch....

smokie mcpott · Nov 26, 2008

you will want 2 nics upon install, as it just complicates things if you dont.

a few tips:
disable DHCP on your router if your new smoothwall box is going to be performing those duties

put your smoothwall between your modem and your router (modem to red interface [wan], green interface [lan] to router LAN port not WAN port) it will make more sense once you install smoothwall

set your green [lan] interface to be on the same subnet as the rest of your gear (i use 1.1.1.0/24 for lan, 2.2.2.0/24 for purple [like dmz but offers dhcp to run my cisco 871w vpn router], and i use 3.3.3.1 for my DMZ or orange interface
make it easy for you to configure and set up.. its your network and as long as you use a private subnet, you can use anything you like

on the configuration of smoothwall, you will want to set up your red interface to pull its IP from DHCP and use the hostname of the smoothwall box (whatever you name the box) as its DHCP server (its weird i know, but thats how it works)

the beauty of it all is, if you dont want to take the network down to play with it, then all you need to do is plug both interfaces into the router as another machine... or leave the red interface unplugged. this will allow you to log into the webgui and get used to browsing around. you will also want to run updates on it (there are 3) but it will require that the red interface be plugged in to see the outside world

i am more than glad to help configure a smoothie box, and show you some cool add-ons

you will probably screw it up once or twice...its normal, just reload the box and go. the more you force yourself to do something like that, the more you learn

MRD · Nov 26, 2008

If you use ipcop, it will be a router, firewall, switch, caching proxy, dhcp server, dns server, dns cache, vpn server, snort intrusion detection system, and lots of other cool toys.

smokie mcpott · Nov 26, 2008

MRD said:
If you use ipcop, it will be a router, firewall, switch, caching proxy, dhcp server, dns server, dns cache, vpn server, snort intrusion detection system, and lots of other cool toys.

smoothwall will do all those things as well and provide a much nicer interface, considering smoothie was based on ipcop

i will have my cobalt raq3 here on monday that i got from fleabay for 33 bucks shipped, and will begin my raqcop endeavor. it should be interesting

AMD'er · Nov 26, 2008

smokie mcpott said:
you will want 2 nics upon install, as it just complicates things if you dont.

a few tips:
disable DHCP on your router if your new smoothwall box is going to be performing those duties

put your smoothwall between your modem and your router (modem to red interface [wan], green interface [lan] to router LAN port not WAN port) it will make more sense once you install smoothwall

set your green [lan] interface to be on the same subnet as the rest of your gear (i use 1.1.1.0/24 for lan, 2.2.2.0/24 for purple [like dmz but offers dhcp to run my cisco 871w vpn router], and i use 3.3.3.1 for my DMZ or orange interface
make it easy for you to configure and set up.. its your network and as long as you use a private subnet, you can use anything you like

on the configuration of smoothwall, you will want to set up your red interface to pull its IP from DHCP and use the hostname of the smoothwall box (whatever you name the box) as its DHCP server (its weird i know, but thats how it works)

the beauty of it all is, if you dont want to take the network down to play with it, then all you need to do is plug both interfaces into the router as another machine... or leave the red interface unplugged. this will allow you to log into the webgui and get used to browsing around. you will also want to run updates on it (there are 3) but it will require that the red interface be plugged in to see the outside world

i am more than glad to help configure a smoothie box, and show you some cool add-ons

you will probably screw it up once or twice...its normal, just reload the box and go. the more you force yourself to do something like that, the more you learn

thanks....I guess I can start downloading smooth wall now...the only thing I don't like about this box is the loud a@# 10gig HD thats in it...it wines like no other...plus I need to find another NIC...hopefully I got one around here somewhere

MRD · Nov 26, 2008

Actually, ipcop is based on smoothwall... it was forked off because the smoothwall people were putting all their efforts into the commercial version, and ipcop is GPL'd (real free software). The free Smoothwall doesn't get nearly as much attention as the commercial version does.

smokie mcpott · Nov 26, 2008

MRD said:
Actually, ipcop is based on smoothwall... it was forked off because the smoothwall people were putting all their efforts into the commercial version, and ipcop is GPL'd (real free software). The free Smoothwall doesn't get nearly as much attention as the commercial version does.

where the smoothwall team may have been focusing on commercial stuff, the real efforts have come from the community. the smoothwall forums are chocked full of excellent info, tweaks, mods, and support from fellow smoothwallers

they are both EXCELLENT distros and i have used them both extensively, and will be going back to ipcop for my raqcop project, but like a moth to a light, i am drawn by the prettiness that smoothwall provides

AMD'er · Nov 26, 2008

MRD said:
Actually, ipcop is based on smoothwall... it was forked off because the smoothwall people were putting all their efforts into the commercial version, and ipcop is GPL'd (real free software). The free Smoothwall doesn't get nearly as much attention as the commercial version does.

So which one...IPCOP or Smoothwall? from what I see you guys saying both are equally similar to each other...and whats the difference between free and (real free)...just asking...lol

smokie mcpott · Nov 26, 2008

AMD'er said:
So which one...IPCOP or Smoothwall? from what I see you guys saying both are equally similar to each other...and whats the difference between free and (real free)...just asking...lol

best thing for you to do would be go look at
www.smoothwall.org
www.ipcop.org

check out the screenshots and decide which one you like better. they both do the SAME jobs, with smoothwall offering more mods

AMD'er · Nov 26, 2008

I downloaded smoothwall...so I will begin my project 2morrow

MRD · Nov 26, 2008

I agree you'd be fine with either. I just like to support free (GPL) software, which ipcop is, and smoothwall is a commercial product where they offer a somewhat crippled version to the public at no charge.

I prefer ipcop, but both are good firewalls/routers and will do the job.

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