Networking a Windows Machine to a Linux one.

[Tratos]

Ay up,

Anyone know of any nice tutorials that a nib like me can understand for networking a Windows (main machine) to a Linux one?

i do have this one (http://www.zdnetindia.com/techzone/linuxcentre/stories/24073.html) but its a bit baffeling o_O could anyone translate this to nib speak or point me to a different tutorial, or even tell me in your own words how to do this?

Many Thanks

Regards

~Tratos

[Myrlin]

If you want to be able to share files and folders, and transfer files back and forth, you'll need to configure Samba on your linux box. I don't really know how to configure it, but if you search for "configure samba" or "samba faq" you'll probably get better results than searching for "networking linux and windows together"

Hope that helps.

[MrBiggles]

not a lot of info on what you actually want to do with the networked computers.

If you just want them on the same network, so you can use the linux box as a firewall for instance, that's a whole nother thing and it's going to depend on the flavor of linux your using.

other than that, previous post about samba config is good idea.

[Tratos]

Ah rite ok

i basicly just wanna share files / net connections and stuff like that, i get my Linux machine tommorow and will be connecting em and shit then, just want a rough idea on what im gonna have to do

~T

[trigger hurt]

eh
avoid samba like the plaque if unless you want some headaches before you actually get it up and running.

If you want to store files on the linux box, check out ncftpd. It's a great ftp daemon. Then, when you need to up/download files to your share, just use an FTP client.

As for using the *nix box as a router/firewall, you don't really need a powerful machine. Infact, I wouldnt use a router/firewall box as a fileserver either, not very secure. Instead, if you have an old machine lying around somewhere, check out smoothwall. It is a standalone linux firewall package. Of course, you can't install another linux on top of it, but it is quite simple to configure with the webbased tools.

[numb]

Yeah I'd recommend using FTP. Other than that it's pretty simple to set up the network, u just set an ip for your linux machine, and an ip for your windows machine and they should be able to see each other right away (you should be able to 'ping <linuxboxip>' from your windows pc and get a reply.
It does depend on which distro of linux you use, but I think the internet sharing isnt too difficult to set up either, after configuring your linux machine to share out the internet (I believe using 'ipchains') - you just have to set the default gateway on your windows boxes (network settings) to be the IP of your linux machine + the DNS servers to match that of your ISPs.

[trigger hurt]

Originally posted by numb
Yeah I'd recommend using FTP. Other than that it's pretty simple to set up the network, u just set an ip for your linux machine, and an ip for your windows machine and they should be able to see each other right away (you should be able to 'ping <linuxboxip>' from your windows pc and get a reply.
It does depend on which distro of linux you use, but I think the internet sharing isnt too difficult to set up either, after configuring your linux machine to share out the internet (I believe using 'ipchains') - you just have to set the default gateway on your windows boxes (network settings) to be the IP of your linux machine + the DNS servers to match that of your ISPs.

smoothwall makes that all very seamless. One of the only firewall app's I know of that supports PPPoE.

[g0rt]

tcp is tcp my friend, plug 'em in, give 'em IP's and booya you have windows and linux networked

you wanna share files? don't listen to these nibbishes samba is teh absolute win...its so flexable, its even better then windows filesharing...you can do a hell of alot with samba, but it does take some learning and some "trial and error" sessions :D . if theres something you want to "avoid like the plague" like trig put it here :p, make it SWAT....it tries to make configuring samba "easy", but does a really BAD job at it....

if you have any questions just PM me, my only windows box is my gaming machine, every other comp of mine on my network is unix based...mostly linux, and I have them all networked together. my fileserver, in which my windows machine uses for just about EVERYTHING, is running samba so if you want to see my .conf for some tips i could copy/paste it for ya.

as for firewall, i would recommend using iptables....its free, and included in most linux distros....and damn its fucking powerfull, best firewall software you can ever lay your hands on once you know how to use it properly

keep in mind.... -j DROP is your friend

[Incursus]

ROFL whoever suggested "just use FTP" above = networking noob. FTP = all sorts of security violations for an internal filesharing network.

Use samba. Set your config file to accept connections only from your internal IPs. And use iptables for your firewall/NAT.

[g0rt]

Originally posted by Incursus
ROFL whoever suggested "just use FTP" above = networking noob. FTP = all sorts of security violations for an internal filesharing network.

Use samba. Set your config file to accept connections only from your internal IPs. And use iptables for your firewall/NAT.

is there an echo in here?

actually an internal ftp with no way out to the internet cant really be "insecure"...unless hes scared of his mom or siblings hax0ring him :p

[trigger hurt]

Originally posted by Incursus
ROFL whoever suggested "just use FTP" above = networking noob. FTP = all sorts of security violations for an internal filesharing network.

Use samba. Set your config file to accept connections only from your internal IPs. And use iptables for your firewall/NAT.

As I stated before. If he wants to use it ONLY to share files, ftp is the way to go. No headache 'learning' to configure samba through swat. No headaches locking down the box.

If he wants to use it for filesharing and as a router, then he should do it on two machines, as it's not very secure to make your file server into a router. If it's just a router, then as I said...smoothwall works wonders for ease of use. Configuring ipchains is a daunting task to someone who has alot of questions about linux.

And finally...if you configure ncFTPd correctly, you won't have many probelms...ie

-make sure all users of the system are in in /etc/ftpusers (if I remember the filename correctly)
-chroot all users allowed to access the FTP server; this will keep them from browsing above the root directory you set for them
-make sure the ftp directory is set to -noexec so they can't upload a rootkit and then run it right inside your ftp server
-turn off telnet completly and use either vpn or ssh2 (both have weaknesses and strengths) to admin your server since linux doesnt need a keyboard/mouse/monitor plugged up to run correctly.

Right now, my file server is not attached to anything that will allow internet access. What exactly am I worrying about in terms of "internal networks".