Server Question

taz480 · May 27th, 2006, 04:27 AM

I wanna make sort of a make-shift server setup. Well, not even really sure if it would technically be a server setup in sense.
I live in dial-up land. No other alternatives unless I wanna pay out my ear for satellite. No thanx!
Right now I have my HP desktop set up with XP Home SP2 with 3 accounts. One for daughter, one for wife and of course one for me as I would be the administrator. I do most of my computing with my HP laptop, also XP Home SP2. It has it's own modem which I will use sometimes because for some reason it gets a little faster connection speed. But usually I like to be free from wires. So I have a WLAN PCI card in my HP desktop and it and my lappy share my home network via Ad-Hoc connection. My dial up connection on the desktop is shared so I can make it dial from my lappy. The problem with this is that my desktop has to be on. I'd just leave it on all the time except the PSU fan is a tad louder than I'd like. However the one in my little Dell PC is super quiet and I wouldn't mind leaving it on all the time. I was thinking of taking my v.92 modem and the WLAN card out and putting them in the Dell. I would of course bridge the LAN and WLAN connections so all 3 machines can freely talk to eachother for file sharing and printing. The printer would also be moved from the HP desktop to the Dell. This way, it would sort of be my server of sorts or sort of a make-shift wireless router/dial-up modem/network printer combo machine. I could even keep certain files on it so either HP could access them, or the modem without the other being on. My question is do I really need a server version of Windows on the Dell or would good old XP Home be fine. I'm sure it would, but what advantages are there to having a server version of Windows on the Dell?? Sadly, I have yet to play around with the server versions. Ultimately, I would also kinda like to be able to store everyone's Windows accounts on the Dell and be able to access them from either computer. In other words, all of our Windows account files and settings would be on the Dell and my HP desktop and laptop would more or less just become server terminals. Would those machines also require a server version of Windows?? Prolly, huh?? I dunno, if that's the case, I'd just be better off leaving everything XP Home and just make my network work through the two bridged connections. I have a copy of Windows 2000 Professional. Is there anything it would do for me more advanced than XP Home as far as what I'm trying to do?? At the very least, I could just have the Dell as my modem/router/printer setup, I guess. I just wanna start learning about servers a bit, too. I did a couple searches before looking for some similar post. But I also saw a few good posts about servers. I'm gonna go read a few more.

Sorry if this is a lil long, everybody and thank you for your input. Much appreciated!

eminem_rh25 · May 27th, 2006, 05:41 AM

Well, if you are willing to spend the $$ to get a Server Edition of Windows, you could do that and experiment...

For now, everything you are doing, execpt managing all the windows accounts from 1, you can do with Windows XP Home. For running a domain (you can manage everything from 1 computer), you would need a server edition of Windows...

taz480 · May 27th, 2006, 06:00 AM

But would I need it on all three?

And BTW, thank you very much for your help!!

**GroundZero3** · May 27th, 2006, 08:17 AM

AD HOC offers no form of protection of the network

If you want, just get a wireless access point or a wireless router for your setup.

Windows Xp and 2k have ICS which is internet connection sharing. There is no need to purchase windows server and having roaming accounts in a home.

taz480 · May 27th, 2006, 08:34 AM

Thanx GZ.
Ya, Im using ICS now. I think Im just gonna move the modem to the Dell and make it like the HP desktop is now. Then the HP desktop will just be another computer added to my network. And as far as the protection, actually, mine is. My Ad-Hoc(peer-to-peer) network connection is WEP encrypted.
Ya, I didn't really think that Windows Server would do me much good here, just wasn't sure. I do wanna learn about them, tho. Eh, one of these days when I'm not doing all the other million things Im doing usually. LOL!!

Thank you guys very much for your replies!! I got a plan. Now I just gotta find the time(he-he) Thanx!!

**GroundZero3** · May 27th, 2006, 08:37 AM

oh really, i didnt think you could do WEP or anthing on AD HOC. Hrm i might need to look at that again. Either way the server software would be a bit expensive for what you want to do.