How to configure an Ubuntu VPN and File Server for small office

[madklaus]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to Ubuntu so please excuese my eventual stupid questions

I want to configure a File and VPN Server for my small office to be able to work from home and to always have secured, backed up and updated files.

Recommended by a friend, I installed Ubuntu on the computer and now I want to know how to do things right so that I don't have to worry about the server for the next year or so

Note that at the office we use Windows XP Pro PCs and Apple MacBooks (with Leopard) so the server should be configured for both user types.


Thanks in advance!!!

[JeppeM]

Hey,

First of all, a few starting questions. What computer have you installed ubuntu on? And how is the infrastrucure in the office you're talking about - for example, do you have a gateway/firewall mashine? If you don't know this, then try to figure out where the internet line is plugged in, and how that router/server gives out the internet connection to the rest of the office... Also, what version of ubuntu have you installed (Desktop or server, 8.04 or 8.10?)

With these questions asked, i think the best place for you start is the ubuntu server guide (https://help.ubuntu.com/8.10/serverguide/C/index.html for 8.10, https://help.ubuntu.com/8.04/serverguide/C/index.html for 8.04). You should look into Samba File Server from those guides, and then openvpn from here: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/OpenVPN

hope this helps a bit on your way

[yknivag]

I'm trying to do something very similar (see my thread, here. It, rather surprisingly, seems to be something very few people know about. Or at least are prepared to share opinions on.

I'd be most interested to see how you do it.