[SunRescue] WTD: DSL Connection question + thisoldsun thoughts

[Ken Hansen]

Anyone know a good "Hook up your Sun workstation to your broadband connection" document?

I mentioned on a maillist last year that I got my workstation to share my DSL connection, and now about once a month I get emails from folks looking to do the same with their sun equipment...

I'd love to have a document I could point them to, does anyone know of one on the web?

I am asking as a way to avoid writing a brief one myself...

On a related topic...

I know that Bill has registered "thisoldsun.xxx" (not sure of TLD), and I was thinking about what would be some good material for such a site - here is my list (this is what I plan on doing, and I am considering documenting my efforts):

1) "What machine should I get/look for?" - Select hardware for good home use (fast enough to not get embarassed by when friends stop by), review Solaris 8 install as a standalone machine. (I think an SS/5-170 is a good candidate, esp. with 128+ Meg RAM, for around $300 Ebay dollars)

2) "What about the Internet?" - Connect said workstation to a broadband connection, establish dynamic DNS service on either a shared domain (like myfrigginsun.dyndns.org) or your own domain (myfrigginsun.net). Install Netscape.

3) "Is that all there is?" - Optomize server - increase security, install patch cluster, disable unneeded services - and revel in awe inspiring performance ;^)

4) "Let's show off" - Load Apache web server, review security concerns, establish annonymous FTP.

5) "Don't forget your friends" - Review adding users to workstation, activate quota on disk usage, add external/additional hard drives.

6) "Two heads are better than one" - install a second framebuffer/monitor. Also, review adding a serial terminal and a modem for dial-in/dial-out access.

7) "Development Tools" - Install GCC/G++ compiler, Perl, PHP, and document small, "Hello, World!" test programs to verify environment works.
 
8) "Let's get productive" - Install Fax software, Star Office, as well as doom ;^). Also, install a serial, parallel, and network printer.

9) "A place for my stuff" - installing a relational database (either MySQL or Oracle, maybe both?).

10) "It is better to share" - Install SAMBA, configure NFS sharing, also review security. Add Palm Pilot to machine, and connect a CD-Changer (like the Pioneer 4x speed 6 disc changer that *should* just work with Solaris).

11) "The power to burn" - adding a CD-Recorder and burning your own CD-ROMs - also, MP3 palyback/ripping.

Anything folks think I am missing?

My hope is that I will be able to document one of the above "chunks" each week or so, and at the end have a very nice server with a good description of how I did it...

Thanks for taking the time to review this,

Ken