need a good howto

[thewanderer]

First of all:
Do you actually mean routing? If so, I suppose you know how routing works and want to apply static routing to your network.
In implementing any network, topology schemes are really useful. Make sure you have one at hand.

What setup are you trying to accomplish? I'm trying to see the broader image but keep failing to get it from your posts. Please express yourself clearly as to what you are trying to get out of your computer network, best accompanied with network schemes.
What is the most important, include the network interfaces and logical links between them (you may or may not skip switches).
After that is done, you are likely to obtain an insight on what exactly the packet routes are going to look like, and what tools you should use for your network.

Specifically, what do you mean by 'computer connecting all the others'? Does it act as a switch? What network does it use for packet switching - cable, or WiFi, and in what topology?

[dvdljns]

Ok here is the deal.I have a server setup. right now it has 10 windows comps connected to to it through active direcory.
Think of it as a big circle with one spot in the middle and 10 surrounding it. If you work on one comp and do not access anything fine but anytime you need to access anything on any other comp or the web you need to go to the server. this server is connected to my dsl through wired line and to all the workstations connect through wireless adaptors. All my comps have a private webserver on them that acts as a file server. but recently I needed a public webserver and decided to throw a linux box in for this. I could get to the web but could not get from the web to the linux machine. after doing some research I decided windows had to be blocking the linux machine. so I started trying to replace my windows server with a linux machine. Could not get it to work. I can reach the internet to surf the web but can not get any thing from the internet or my workcomps to the linux box. the server does proxy,dns,dhcp. But the main purpose is to set between my network and the internet.I want everything from the internet to go to this server. and everything going to the internet to go through this server. That is why you you will hear me call it a passthrough box. I thought I had a ip routing problem mainly because with windows I do not do any routing at the ip level. add ip routes that sort of stuff. but I tried to hook up firestarter and firestarter will not connect to my wireless card. Tells me my card is not ready.
I do not think I am gettng two way connections through this netgear card. it is a netgear ma 521 adaptor.

[Absent Minded]

Sounds like you need something more advanced unfortunantly. Your services are going to need to be setup independantly it sounds like. If I am understanding you want DNS for your local network with some other services like SAMBA and LDAP for Windows Domain Athenication. Be forwarned that this is not going to be an easy "out of the box" ordeal. Here is a link to a good Firewall how to: http://www.abazaba.org/debian/firewall.html hopefully it is still availible. That will get you started on your quest and provide your "passthrough" needs safely. You will still need to see about other services. Installing things like Squid I don't think is the answer here as it only provides secondary DNS Caching if my memory isn't failing here.

After that you should do a search on "Configuring SAMBA as a Domain Controller". Note you will need to have your Windows server availible to allow SAMBA to join your domain. If memory serves, you first have to set SAMBA up as a secondary DC and then take your primary out of the loop and upgrade the status of your SAMBA DC to "Primary". It has been ages since I have done this so I likely won't be of much help other than giving you an outline. I didn't have to deal with "Active Directory" at the time as it was an NT4 Domain before Win2k was released.

Most of what you want will be easy enough I think.. web services, caching proxy, etc. but getting DNS working properly has been difficult for me as well as getting SAMBA and LDAP athenication working as a PDC. I haven't had the need for a Windows Domain in years now as all boxes on my network except one are Linux systems.

[dvdljns]

Thats why I am trying to take it one step at a time. I can set the windows server to allow a nondomain comp to access the web. It just will not have the protection given the windows comps. right now if I can get incoming traffic to a web server on this linux machine I will be happy. If I could do that I would be willing to drop back with a peer to peer on the windows side and rebuild with linux. sounds like you did this in the past. does linux have anything like active directory to handle domains. It seems to be a loose collection of seperate programs. The atraction to active directory and also the reason it is a pain is that it all ties together. It was meant to be the head of the network. I know linux has software to intigrate into active directory but surely all linux networks are not peer to peer. Do you know of a inexspensive network controller that does ad hoc and has the driver built into the 2.6 kernal. Oh well guess I will start setting up a webserver on windows to use untill I get the linux machine to work.

But untill proven otherwise I still do not think linux is up to par with windows on networking. After all it needs to network and this did not.

[Absent Minded]

I don't have the time at the moment to give a good responce but you should look into Microsoft's toolkit for Unix. Linux/Unix typically uses NIS and a varity of other services to meet the needs of the network admin. With over half the internet servers being run using this platform I don't see how you can say that it is inferior to Windows networking, yes it IS differnt. There is allot more freedome to choose exactly what you need, to get what you need to have done accomplished with out having to run a bunch of other services that you don't need. I have used Windows Servers right along side my Linux and Unix servers. Their methodologies are very differnt. I think that may be part of what you are missing. The last Windows server I used was version 2003. Shortly there after I moved everything to Linux, FreeBSD or Solaris. Thesedays, Linux takes care of all the services I need on my network. Like I said, things are just differnt on Linux/Unix systems.

AM

[refracta]

active directory domain for 10 computers.....just to tie them together.....hilarious....too funny....

Just tell us what you want to do? Do you want to share files? Do you want to share an internet connection? etc...

Then describe your network, how are the computers physically connected and so forth...

[Absent Minded]

...right now if I can get incoming traffic to a web server on this linux machine I will be happy. ...

Okay, so first fallow the firewall howto I gave you the link for. Open the nessary ports for your webservices and install apache2. Connect your Linux server to your modem/router that connects to your ISP. If I am not mistaken the howto describes how to setup nessary routs for your other computers to connect to the web or second network through your new firewall. Assuming that your Win Server is still in place then it will be just routing your network's requests to the firewall. That gets your webserver up and your firewall in place doing it's job.

Next you can focus on duplacating your needed services on to the Linux server. This will likely involve the fallowing services:

• DNS (BIND9)
  SAMBA with Winbind
  LDAP
  NIS (to use this you will need to install and configure MS Unix Compatability Tool Kit)
  DHCP
  Caching proxy (there are a few so research your choices)
  NFS (again you will want the Unix toolkit for Windows if you choose this)
  MySQL

I suggest reading up on them so you get a grasp of what all they can do for you and how to implament them so you can taylor these services to your needs.

AM

[dvdljns]

I will do that reading plus a lot more. setting up a linux comp is going to be a small part of running a network. right now my windows network just works for the most part but I remember when it did not. spending 8 hour days looking for info,paid subscriptions to ms techcenter and per incedent charges to talk to microsoft. I know this is not just a change but a journey.

[Absent Minded]

This Thread deal directly with the firewall howto that I linked to you: http://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=27069

Anyway, it might be an interesting read and make it easier to get specific questions about the howto answered by it's author.