32packets

Nowadays, most households have multiple computers and media devices, and sharing files and media between them all can be extremely messy. The best solution would be a home server of course! Over the next few weeks, I will be posting how to guides on how to create the ultimate home server.

I’ll be separating the whole guide into multiple parts. By the end, we will have accomplished:

* Installing OpenSUSE onto your Home Server
* DHCP
* DNS
* SMB/NFS File Sharing
* Media Sharing
* VPN

More after the Jump!

I will be using an older HP desktop computer. It has a 2.8GHz Celeron, 1GB of RAM, and an Intel Integrated graphics card. I’ve put the two 250GB hard drives that I had left from upgrading my desktop into my new home server. Not a ton of space, but should be plenty for what I need. Since Linux can work on pretty much any hardware, I’ll leave the computer you want to use as a server up to you.

For the Linux distribution, I’ve decided to go with OpenSUSE. Based off of Novell’s SUSE, it’s a very solid operating system and has pretty much everything we need. It’s a community project that Novell supports, and Novell aims for it to be the best distro available. You can download the DVD image here: http://software.opensuse.org/ You can then burn the DVD image with your favorite DVD burning software.

I will be starting the install inside of VMware so that I can show you what to do with screenshots. You can click the images to view a High Res
Installing OpenSUSE

Insert the OpenSUSE Install Disc into your home server and boot to it via the BIOS.

From there, you will select Installation and press Return.

The OpenSUSE loading screen will pop up.

Select your language, keyboard layout, and then accept the license agreement, then click next.

OpenSUSE will then scan your hardware and current setup

Make sure that New Installation is selected and Use Automatic Configuration is unselected, then click next.

Select your time zone, then click next.

I will be using GNOME as the Desktop Environment, you can choose whichever you like,but their may be some inconsistencies between GNOME and KDE, then click next to continue.

I’ve chosen Logival Volume Management, it allows you to spread the filesystem over multiple drives. The default configuration seemed suitable for me; you are always able to change it later quite easily.

This is where you set up the Administrator user account. I’d suggest using a very secure password, at least 10 characters which include numbers, uppercase and lowercase letters, and special characters.

This is where you can view all of the installation settings.

Now is where we select the packages we want to install. Click Change, and then select software.

The packages that we want to select are:

* Base System
* Enhanced Base System
* Novell AppArmor
* Console Tools (only necessary if you want to use terminal programs)
* YaST System Adiministrationr
* YaST Installation Packages
* Software Management
* GNOME Desktop Environment
* GNOME Base System
* X Window System
* Fonts
* Remote Desktop
* File Server
* Miscellaneous Server
* Print Server
* Web and LAMP Server (Only if you want to host your own website)
* Internet Gateway
* DHCP and DNS Server
* Base Development (To install compilers you may need)

Make sure you unselect

* Multimedia
* Office Software
* Desktop Effects
* Graphics
* Games
* Voice Over IP Clients

Then you can click Install. Note that it will format the hard drive you have selected for the install.

Now you are installing OpenSUSE. It took me 30 minutes to install it in VMware Fusion.

You can view the Installation Details and Release Notes.

It will then reboot your computer.

Once your computer has rebooted, you can now proceed with the setup. You will now set your Hostname and Domain Name. The Domain Name doesn’t have to be a Fully Qualified Domain Name, you could use home.local or home.xyz or just home.

You can view all of your network settings there. You can also open the SSH port if you want SSH access to your server.

You can now set up the network configuration. Set a static IP address for your NIC.

In Hostname/DNS, you can set up the Name Servers that you want to use. I use OpenDNS.com’s Name Servers, which are 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220.

If you are using a router, you can set the router’s address as the default gateway.

Click VNC Remote Administration, then enable Remote Administration and open up the port in the firewall.

It will now test for Internet access by downloading the latest release notes and check for the updates.

Configure the Online updates and run online updates.

It will then start up OpenSUSE and you will be able to log in. If you have trouble logging in with the user you created, try logging in as the user “root”

This is the OpenSUSE Splash Screen. Click on a link if you are interested.

There you have it! Your OpenSUSE GNOME Desktop awaits!

You can proceed onto part 2 here!

You can view the next parts ere:  Part 3, Part 4, Part 5

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 16th, 2008 at 9:09 am and is filed under Hardware, How To's, Software. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.