Setting up a network for a homework club

[petesmithy]

HI

I'm a youth worker and I've been given a server and 10 desktop PC's that I want to network. I was thinking of using linux or win NT as the machines are not new.

The main purpose for doing this network is for young people to use for homework. Therefore I want to have high-speed broadband attached to the server and the bulk of programs on the server that all the PC's can access.

Can any help me get started I've never done this before but I am used to using PC's so understand alot of the jargon!!

Thanks

Pete

[TheNNS]

For a server I would use windows 2000, NT, or 2003 server, and for the PC's I'd go with win 2000 or xp if they're not too old. If you plan to have a linux server, then you should have linux computers. Since this network will be used for doing homework, I would download edubuntu and install it on the server and on the computers, just make sure you install the server on the server and the workstation on the comptuers.

[jbennet]

NO - edubuntu is for like, really young children. Use NT if you want good filesharig and access control with minimal fuss but if you want to run the apps of the server linux is the way to go

[TheNNS]

edubuntu is not for little kids only. I guess you don't need most of the packages that it brings, since it'll be a homework club, all you need is an office suite, openoffcie for example, a web browser, firefox, and maybe a few other apps.

By the way, Novell Netware has many problems.

[jbennet]

i would say SLED but the requirements are high and the updates are borked and its the same price per year as NT probably is off ebay

[TheNNS]

SLED is way too powerful and robust for what they'll use. They could even use a live cd like DSL, SLAX, or whatever. I think you should try CentOS.