setting up a redhat linux server

[muddog]

can anyone explain to me how set up a red hat linux server (or were i can find a very newbie friendly guide) that will allow users to logon on (with password) to the computer that runs windows, just like a windows NT server. the computer must be able to log on to a domain, and it has to be able to share internet. i have absolutely no linux experience.

thanks in advance

Tony

[Computer Hobbyist]

Muddog,

I am a little confused, if you want to set up a Linux box to act as a server for Windows machines, with passwords and all the other normal NT features, Samba is the answer to your prayer. If you are looking for a site with instructions for beginners linuxnewbie is a good place to start. Pay attention to the NHFs.

If you want to peek at your Windows machines from you Linux box, that must be a feature of NT I missed when the guy installed my NT network. I don't know how to do that. I would appreciate any of the network folks telling me how so I can spy on my employees -- just kidding.

CH

[muddog]

thanks! having no linux experience, i had no idea that this samba thing existed. oh well. i will take a look at the samba NHF and see if i can get anything done.

[Computer Hobbyist]

Muddog

The HOW-TOs tell you to download and install Samba. You probably already installed Samba when you installed RedHat. I suggest you check your RedHat documentation. If you have already installed Samba, setting it up might be even easier for you than the HOW-TO. I wasted a couple of days the first time I installed Samba trying to download and install software I had unknowingly installed when I loaded RedHat. I created problems for myself by trying to install over the previously installed software. Once Samba is installed (assuming it isn't already) its just a matter of configuration.

CH

[muddog]

ill check the documentation to make sure. the damn project just got a lot harder thanks to some last minute additions. apart from that server, i have to setup an apache web server and an FTP server. all of this must be done by next thursday

[muddog]

i gotta resurrect this post at all costs. the apache server was a breeze. the ftp was not. i can't get it to work!!

for the ftp i am using proftpd, and one of the example config files. i don't know how to configure it. all the ftp has to do is let you connect locally (and maybe let other anonymous PCs connect as a bonus). i tried the ftp with a GNOME ftp client called gftp.

using this gftp i can connect by setting the IP as 127.0.0.1, port 21, user and password anonymous, and there is this one little drop down list beside the password box that lets you select how you want to connect: FTP, HTTP, Local, there is another option but i forget what it is, but so it will actually connect i have to select local. shouldn't it connect if i select FTP and put the local host address? is it possible to connect through FTP on to the same computer?

thanks in advance.

[Statica]

Ok, I am a bit confused on what the trouble is ..
doesnt the connection work when you use an IP like say 192.168.xxx.xxx ?

Just some pointers, if you do want to look at whats going on..
the conf files are in /etc/proftpd.conf or /usr/local/etc/proftpd.conf

are you using it as a standalone or are you using it via inetd, I would recommend having it loaded thru inetd if you dont have too much to FTP. If you are using inted then you need to change the /etc/inetd.conf to run proftpd; if not comment out the entire FTP line from /etc/inetd.conf

ok to simplify .. check out:
http://www.mandrakeuser.org/docs/connect/

and try to see where you have gone wrong. Also check your /etc/hosts file to see if your IPs are layed out correctly.

[muddog]

grrrrrr. i thought the config files where supposed to go in the same directory as the proftpd directory. i will try again.

what the heck is inetd?

...must get...more...linux experience...

[muddog]

i had to present the project today, and everything went smoothly. im glad to report that the only problem is that my pc wasn't set to automatic. i was pretty nervous, but i got 100/100!!

i owe everyone a big thanks, and on top of that im starting to like linux more