Results 1 to 10 of 10

Thread: Suggest a solution

  1. #1
    Vampire
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    London
    Posts
    1,705
    Thanks
    2
    Thanked
    11 times in 11 posts

    Suggest a solution

    I have a Netgear RangeMax DG834PN router to connect to the internet.

    Connecting to this via LAN is 1 desktop computer.
    Via wireless is
    - 1 XP laptop (soon to be Vista)
    - 1 OS X Mac
    - 1 Belkin Universal Range Extender + XBox 360
    - 1 PS3

    I am considering a Linux server for this network.

    It would have to do traffic shaping and prioritising - so that browsing and VOIP stuff will have higher preference than torrent downloading etc. As well as a squid proxy.

    I would also like this one to be the DHCP server so that the Squid can be used transparently.

    I would also like networking between all the computers so that I can access shared folders on the desktop and Mac from my laptop as well as the shared folder on the desktop from my Mac. Basically complete networking with shared folders on the different PCs accessible to all the others.

    I might also use the server for shared storage for backups and such. And maybe run torrents on this rather than one of the laptops.

    This is the current setup I would like.

    Please suggest the Linux distro to use and different programs I might need to use for these different things.

    Also can I use the Linux server for DHCP instead of the router itself while still allowing it to connect to the internet and provide wireless access ?

  2. #2
    Agent of the System ikonia's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    South West UK (Bath)
    Posts
    3,736
    Thanks
    39
    Thanked
    75 times in 56 posts
    i think your making this solution much too overcomplex.

    look at the following situations.

    1.) your router provides dhcp so you'd want your server to have "static" ip then provide the same dhcp range as the router, but with dhcp disabled on the router, thus using it as a dumb switch. Why not just use the router ? and nat all the addres it gives out.

    2.) why do you want a squid proxy ? your router will handle nat for you, why make a server nat then route traffic through that as you don't exactly have a big network ?

    3.) storage, ahhh yes, a valid reason, but does it really warrent a server ? why not buy a nas box or just stick a load of disk in say your desktop ?

    4.) Traffic shaping, does this really matter, your on a home network over broadband, just limit the ammount of bandwidth your torrent client can use rather than messing with traffic shaping ?

    Torrent server ?? either just use a desktop or perhaps get a nas box that runs an OS and use that direct.
    It is Inevitable.....


  3. #3
    Vampire
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    London
    Posts
    1,705
    Thanks
    2
    Thanked
    11 times in 11 posts
    If the router provides DHCP, then I have to manually enter the proxy details on every computer.

    Other than the ones mentioned above, there are lots of other laptops and desktops that routinely connect to my network. Most of us use the same websites (different for each person obviously). Its a 1mb connection - which is barely fast enough for me alone, let alone when there are three other users on it. If Squid is going to reduce this crunch, then great.

    I also dont want to cause lag and slow browsing on the other computers if I downloading torrents on mine. Thats the reason for traffic shaping. With this we wont always be competing for the same bandwidth. My brother plays some games which require low lag and I dont want him to suffer just because I want to torrent. There is throttling on my connection already, which means that I cant just confine my torrenting client to certain times of the day etc.

    Central storage because I have to create backup images of all these different computers on the network and have them easily accessible.

    So I need a server for my storage, and I would definitely like to have a central proxy such as Squid.

    So if I am already going to have a server, why not have it do the rest of the jobs ?

    If it can also download torrents on it, that means I can switch off all the other computers instead of keeping it on to torrent.

    Agreed, DHCP can be left on the router if it is going to overly complicate matters, but like I said that would cause problems with the proxying.

  4. #4
    Vampire
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    London
    Posts
    1,705
    Thanks
    2
    Thanked
    11 times in 11 posts
    Just to add to what I said, I would also like to run some VM server on the linux servers to try out some of other stuff that I have been interested in, but never got around to doing.

    Such as setting up WSUS, Streaming to Xbox 360, etc.

  5. #5
    Agent of the System ikonia's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    South West UK (Bath)
    Posts
    3,736
    Thanks
    39
    Thanked
    75 times in 56 posts
    I still think you are overcomplicating things,

    if you're natting on the router, then you don't need "proxy" details, as it will just be direct connection out onto the internet.

    The proxy solution won't really proivde you with much unless your caching content which isn't really good with things like "news" sites, each PC will store a local cache of things like the google logo so each PC is really doing the caching job already that your aiming at your squid proxy's functionality.

    The solution your suggesting doesn't really require traffic shaping and will just overcomplicate things in my opinion only of course. I don't believe you need a "centralised" server for what your suggesting, but you may benifit from a small nas box to that your multiple clients can access shared storage.
    It is Inevitable.....


  6. #6
    Vampire
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    London
    Posts
    1,705
    Thanks
    2
    Thanked
    11 times in 11 posts
    Been reading around and it seems that Squid might cause some problems with certain websites and certain configurations - so not using it might be the way forward.

    I would still like to use traffic shaping.

  7. #7
    asphinctersayswhat dannyboy83's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Hamilton, Scotland
    Posts
    677
    Thanks
    3
    Thanked
    0 times in 0 posts
    some routers feature traffic-shaping - I'm pretty sure my Netgear with DD-WRT firmware hastraffic shaping options.

    Is a new router out of the equation?

    My System: Coolermaster Centurion 5 (black) case, Intel E6750 Core2Duo, Tagan Easy-Con 530W, Asus P5B Deluxe WIFI, OCZ 2GB Kit (2x1GB) DDR2 800MHz/PC2-6400 CL 4-4-4-15 PLATINUM XTC, Samsung SpinPoint 200Gb SATA2 / 2 x Maxtor DiamondMax 10 200Gb SATA, 256Mb Sapphire ATI PCI-E X1950PRO, Creative X-Fi Xtreme 7.1, 19" Daewoo W9ZQ Black Widescreen TFT, 4Mb Virgin Cable Broadband (formerly Blueyonder) with Linksys WRT54GL Wireless-G and DD-WRT firmware.

  8. #8
    Vampire
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    London
    Posts
    1,705
    Thanks
    2
    Thanked
    11 times in 11 posts
    DD-WRT doesnt work on my DG834PN afaik.

    I am also seriously considering getting Virgin Broadband instead of Pipex crap I have now. A new router is a good option and I might go that way and avoid the server.
    All Hail the AACS : 09 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C0

  9. #9
    Registered User
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Posts
    1
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    0 times in 0 posts
    Spam
    Last edited by MD; 19-05-2007 at 12:24 AM. Reason: Spam

  10. #10
    Agent of the System ikonia's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    South West UK (Bath)
    Posts
    3,736
    Thanks
    39
    Thanked
    75 times in 56 posts
    how is increasing website traffic anything to do with this topic ?
    It is Inevitable.....


Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. Looking to get a weekly tape backup solution for my 600GB server
    By latrosicarius in forum PC Hardware and Components
    Replies: 9
    Last Post: 24-05-2006, 04:51 AM
  2. Windows Xp on a mac solution submitted
    By Gordy in forum Apple Mac
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 16-03-2006, 08:39 PM
  3. Expand your mind- suggest a track
    By Rave in forum Consumer Electronics
    Replies: 111
    Last Post: 08-04-2005, 03:02 PM
  4. Backup Solution
    By Norky in forum Software
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 13-02-2005, 12:06 AM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •