[techtalk] Setting up a LAN in a cashpoor office

[Jeff Dike]

jsd at brain.jenn.ca said:
> Fortunately, I have a couple of 486s lying around that I have no use
> for.  I know I can get used 3C509 10base2 cards for them for about
> $5.00 each.  Cable, caps and Ts won't be that expensive.  Slackware
> for the server is a must as it is the distribution I know the best.

I'm not sure if this is appropriate in this case, but if you want to set this
whole thing up at home before dropping it down in their office, you might 
want to set up a virtual network with user-mode Linux 
(http://user-mode-linux.sourceforge.net).  Set up the server in a virtual 
machine and test it either with virtual clients or physical ones.  You can
even check out the dial-in this way, although obviously without the actual 
modems.  This would let you get the software set up before having to deal with
the hardware.

> I just have a few questions.  I am not super knowledgeble about this
> whole Linux thing.

It sounds to me like you have a lot of HOWTO reading ahead of you :-)

> They want a library catalogue on the server.  I was thinking of
> setting them up with an  SQL type server.  I have never worked on the
> server side of it.  What do I need?  

I use MySQL.  Pretty easy to set up (the only thing that will kill you there 
is getting user access set up the first time), voluminous documentation, I've 
had no problems with it.  http://www.mysql.com

PostgreSQL (sp?) is another good free database, but I've never used it.

> Are there good web resources out
> there?  How do I set quotas for the users?  

File quotas?  man edquota

> How do I set dialup for
> the server so I can connect to it remotely, because I know I am going
> to need to?

The PPP-HOWTO talks about setting up a server.

				Jeff