A bit of idle chit-chat

[lisati]

*** rant begins ***

I'm currently enjoying a new ADSL modem/wireless router which I picked up for nothing (from this offer (http://www.telecom.co.nz/modemoffer)). Apart from not having a user guide in the box (duh!, easily fixed by a quick visit to Google) and having to fire up XP to run the setup CD, there's no problems so far.

Now to figure out what to do with a redundant modem from D-link, a spare Netgear router, and an old temperamental machine that came with Windows 98SE loaded (print or file server?). Sadly I haven't had much joy loading the various Linux distros I have available on to it (if it's not one thing it's another, pretty low specs by today's standards - 64Mb ram, 3Gb hard drive, 133MHz cpu, only 2 PCI slots (both currently occupied) amongst other limitations) but the Red Hat distro on a disk with a book from the local library shows some promise.

*** end rant ***
):P

[lisati]

*** rant begins ***
OK - proposed tinker report, NOT a request for help but polite suggestions are welcome. If you're not too busy laughing at my bumbling, that is...... (There's probably more than enough info)

Proposed use of the old machine: gateway to my home wireless network (and thus to internet) for my desktop which usually runs XP; probable print server, for at least one of my printers (the one that is directly supported "out of the box" with Ubuntu without the need for additional drivers; and eventually a firewall. Initially using Win98SE, but probably move to a Linux distro of some flavour.
*** rant ends ***

[Shazaam]

That old horse has plenty of steam to do all three (gateway, print server, firewall). Whatever os you go with depends on if you feel like tinkering. Put a minimal (or server) os on it and virtualize the apps.
http://www.vmware.com/appliances/

[barbedsaber]

*** rant begins ***
- 64Mb ram, 3Gb hard drive, 133MHz cpu, only 2 PCI slots

):P

http://www.delilinux.org/wiki/doku.php?id=screenshots
look at the last two pics


http://www.delilinux.org/

[cariboo]

I go with IPCop, with maybe cups added (you will probably ahve to compile cups from source) for a great firewall and print server.

Jim