Question about Linux and Windows together.

from JoeUser Forums
I am curious about something. I plan on having more than one PC in my house someday and would like to network them together to share files. Would having a sever with Linux be a good idea while the rest of the PCs have Windows? I figure if Linux is a pretty safe system and is widely used on servers would that be a good idea?
37,244 views 11 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
It depends what you really want to do.  You don't need dedicated server to share files.  I share files with all the computers in my house, including my Mac, from Windows.
Reply #2 from JoeUser Forums Top
Either one is fine.  Linux is more secure, but you should not have to worry about family members hacking your servers.
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Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I don't think you really need a server to link a couple computers in your house.
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I live in a student hosue where we are 7, was 8 people, and everyone are connected through local network. No dedicated server. It's a mix of PCs and Macs. I sometimes plat around with Ubuntu and that works fine as well with the Samba network engine.
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Mind you, if you go for a wireless network, like we do in my house cause it's less hassle with cables and more convenient with laptops etc, make sure you secure the network with a password. I get two other networks listed in my network list from some of the neighbours. For a while they wheren't secures and I could easily connect to their computers and leeched of ther internet if I wanted. ...something some friends of mine used to do when they discovered an unsecure WLAN that was avilible at a very spesific point in their living room.
Reply #6 from JoeUser Forums Top
I may not have made my question clear so let me try again. The reason I would use a Linux as a server would be so that hackers could not get into my network. At least that's what I understand when making a home network. I want the Linux box to be the link between my Windows computers and the internet, while also being able to share files and internet with the other PCs. What I want to know is if using a computer with Linux to give access to the other Windows PCs to the internet, while also sharing files between each other, would be a good idea for safety?
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Basic guide to settng up a Linux domain controller with Samba: http://www.freeos.com/articles/3842/

You could set up a shared directories on the server, or user gFTP and give each user their own login and specific permissions for sharing files.
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
The reason I would use a Linux as a server would be so that hackers could not get into my network.


Buy a gateway/router.
Reply #9 from JoeUser Forums Top
What I want to know is if using a computer with Linux to give access to the other Windows PCs to the internet, while also sharing files between each other, would be a good idea for safety?


I'm no Linux master, but I tried setting up Linux as a Firewall/Proxy. It worked fine but since I don't use Linux it was a waste of a PC.

I just bought a Cisco Pix 501 and I don't worry about a thing. DLink Has a CheckPoint Firewall for around $300 and the Pix usually runs about $450 plus config if you can't do it.
Reply #10 from JoeUser Forums Top
Great, that's all I wanted to know Thanx for the answer guys.
Reply #11 from Stardock Forums Top
There is an argument to made for giving family members who only ever browse the web and check their email linux machines though.