Topic: SME 5.6 domestic network

[Monkey-Poo]

I have a custom-built machine running as a file-server. It's got SME 5.6 installed (no patches).

I can get it to work with one PCI LAN card and have two PCI LAN cards installed. It only seems to work with and recognise one.

My questions:

1. Unpatched, is it safe to connect the machine directly via a modem to the internet?

2. How do I get it to use 2 or more PCI LAN cards? I wish to do away with my slow hub and to route the whole house with thicknet cabling all connected to the server and the server to handle modem traffic as well as 3 or 4 different PC connections simulteneously (without needing a hub).

3. If I upgraded from 5.6 to another SME, would the files on the HDD be safe? I have 2 x 40gb HDDs on the server set up as SME soft raid.

4. Would I need to purchase a better version of SME Server and how mcuh would that be liable to cost?

MP

[Anonymous]

the answers:
1) no it is not secure, because it has to much bugs.
install all updates to 5.6 and you are fine.

2)
only a few types of lan-cards are recongnized by SME 5.6.
try to use another model or type.

3)
SME is designed to use ONE harddisk.
unplug the second hd, and after upgrade install it again.

4)
you may use 5.6 with update 6.

cheers klaus

[Kobus]

Why not just get a 100mbit switch. will sort all problems. or

switch between server and wireless access point and wireless for rest of pc's in house.

[duncan]

Why would you bother using thicknet? Just grab a 10/100 switch.

Regards Duncan

[Money-Poo2]

When I installed 5.6, I had both drives plugged in. The software installed, informing me it was installing as a raid system.

So, do I still need to take one drive out?

It strikes me that there's a lot of fiddling around involved here.

My LAN cards are both compatible and both work with this system. I can, it appears, only use one at a time with SME.

I do have a 10/100 hub but the point of a server is that you can make multiple connections to/through it without a hub. SME seems broken in that respect.

Rhys

[duncan]

I think you are saying that you want two use the 2 nics to serve your lan ie a fat pipe type of solution - 2 times 100 meg duplex which would give you 400 megs worth of bandwidth.

Is that what you are looking for?

[Anonymous]

Yes! 2 NICs to connect two computers to the server giving me 100mbps on each connection.

The hub can handle 100mbps but only gives 10mbps per line.

When I'm transferring a gig or two at a time, that's just too weeny. I use the server HDDs to store digital images. They can be up to 16 megabytes each.

MP

[duncan]

http://www.e-mith.org/docs/howto/contrib/net_card.html

Would be a start - however I dont think this will benefit you much and each nic needs to be in a separate subnet. If the server is in server only mode - you will need to enable ip forwarding.

Regards Duncan

[duncan]

Try again

http://www.e-smith.org/docs/howto/contrib/net_card.html

[Boris]

When I installed 5.6, I had both drives plugged in. The software installed, informing me it was installing as a raid system.

So, do I still need to take one drive out?

No. The advice to remove one and then readd it was not the correct one.

If you want to upgrade to another version, keep both drives in and just perform the upgrade.

My LAN cards are both compatible and both work with this system. I can, it appears, only use one at a time with SME.

You have configured your server to use dial-up for internet access. In this configuration dial-up modem and ONE NIC is used. Second NIC is ignored by design.

I do have a 10/100 hub but the point of a server is that you can make multiple connections to/through it without a hub. SME seems broken in that respect.

This is NOT the point of the server. SME is not broken in that respect, but simply doesn't fit in Your idea how it should work and be used.

[Kobus]

Again why dont you use a switch. It will give you 100mb for each connection to the switch. designed for that. Hubs were only designed as an extension to the cable.

[kuyaz]

I think he has a problem with one of the network cards becuase his hub as he stated is only out putting 10mb. A hub will only travel as fast as the slowest NIC. I have 4 computers on my network and don't have a problem with bandwidth. I've used the server in a LAN Match and it did not fault the slightest.

[del]

Hi All,

Maybe 1 of the nics is ONLY 10mb! That would explain why his hub is only giving it 10mb. Just a thought.

Regards,
Del

[shanen]

You can't use 2 nics on the lan.
Server/Gateway mode gives you 1 green and 1 red interface.
I use an old 10/100 intel nic on the green at home and I get 8mb per second (Megabytes).
Don't skimp on crappy cards.
It is fast enough to have games on the server and run them from there. (Vietcong, MOHAA)
Also map a drive letter to the share drive.

[Monekey-Poo]

All my LAN cards are 10/100 PCI Ethernet cards by 3Com. My hub is a "Plastic Palm" 10/100 hub. I suspect the hub may be a problem since it has a label on it saying "Made in China".

Ok. So how would you build the following network?

1. Aged AT K6 450 running Mandrake and a 10/100 3Com ethernet PCI Combo card

2. Brand spanking new XP Pro machine running a 10/100 3Com ethernet PCI card.

3. Laptop running NT4 and a 10/100 Gray Cell combo ethernet card.

4. Server SME 5.6 (brand spanking new in februrary) running AMD 1.7 with 2 3Com ethernet cards.

Cabling is Cat 5 between the XP and the server.
The modem is external and is on the XP at the moment.

No cabling currently linking the AT box. The laptop gets connected as and when required.

I'm toying with the idea of a wi-fi link for the AT box.

What would you suggest would help? Try to remember that while I'm a decent Delphi programmer, I haven't a clue about Linux. I see files with rpm extensions but haven't a clue what rpm stands for etc.

Simple and straighforward. How do I do this?

MP

[duncan]

How would i do it.

Ditch the Hub and go for a switch - increase your collision domains for better perfomance.

Wifi is fine for browsing - email etc but wont do if you plan on pulling large files across the network (It will work - but no where near as good as wire)

Leave the modem on the XP box if you want control of your connection (Sme in server only mode) - chuck it on the SME machine if you want an always on connection (Sme in Server - gateway mode).

The second nic in the SME machine is pointless unless you plan to install some sort of bradband/dialup router on it.

Set up the SME machine as your DHCP server.

Regards Duncan

[Monekey-Poo]

Ok.

I've taken the modem out of the server. I think that the suggestion of using it as solely a file/network/printer server is excellent as is using the XP as the gateway.

I've stuck a modem into the Mandrake box just for the hell of it and because pretty much no viruses affect Linux. I guess that means I'll have to fix it up with an antivirus of some variety just to be on the safe side.

Since somebody said I can use 2 NICs or 1 NIC and a modem and I have 2 NICs in the server, that means that I don't need a switch or a hub? I don't envisage 2PCs and a laptop all sharing the server simulteneously. If that happens then the quantity of data being transferred might be low enough just to slip a hub into the setup temprorarily.

I'll have a look at the manual and see if there're any instructions on how to configure for 2 NICs and no modem on the SME box.

My first task is to get the Mandrake box working. My next task is to get the SME box configured as a file-server/server. After that I'll worry about printer sharing. Then I'll worry about routing data traffic via the server and the XP box to the Internet.

MP