ADVANCED BLOG

Total Cost

2011-06-17T20:59:00.000-07:00

2 Logitech mice - $24
Linksys switch - $15
Cat 6 cables - $22
Padded steel chair (needed to upgrade from steel) - $12
Table from a thrift store - $30
Replacement power supply (the other one was fried) - $50
Speakers - $12
Surge Protector - $18
I rounded it up to the dollar.

Total: $183

If using this as an example for your own home server, you will possibly need to add the cost of two desktops, and hopefully won't need a extra power supply.

Server Area

2010-03-19T02:14:00.001-07:00

Where the magic happens.

<--- Gateway running Ubuntu Server.

<--- Compaq running Fedora, kind of difficult to see with power supply cables.

Server End Game Plan

2009-08-04T20:29:00.000-07:00

I am getting close to being finished setting up everything with the server and I have attempted to document most of the more interesting things that happened. My plan is to edit and touch the existing posts up a bit (e.g. I have replaced the Dell with a newer "hand-me-down"), as well as add a final one.

UPDATE: Not being a writer, or playing one on tv, putting all this together is taking longer than I thought it would. Not to worry though, it shall be completed!

It has also dawned on me that this server is completely ran by Linux. Having not spent much time with any Windows servers besides a class on 2003, I am unsure if that is more that Linux is overall better (perhaps, or maybe more so for developers, but I have no interest in the "religious" part of operating systems) or if it is just that free is so much more appealing than the pricey Windows server OS's when being on a low budget.

Home Server Part 6

2009-07-05T01:53:00.000-07:00

As a side-note I was very lucky to receive another computer from a friend of family, that also happened to be old. So I decided to set that up with the server as just a desktop computer alongside it with another open source operating system.

Second Computer Specs:

Dell Dimension L600CX
Intel Celeron
312 MB RAM
10 GB HD
Windows ME (now Ubuntu 9.04)

Other Parts:

Dell Quietkey keyboard
Logitech laser mouse

Back to the server part though; I have been having some trouble with the Ubuntu Server 8.04 OS. It may just be my nowhere near complete knowledge of how the OS works, but nevertheless thankfully there is an abundance of documentation and I shall dive into it. If I am still unsuccessful then I am planning on seeing how capable Fedora 10 would be to use for server applications. This has turned out to be much more difficult then I thought it would be, but is a very good learning experience. :)

Home Server Part 5

2009-06-23T19:16:00.000-07:00

Once again I scourged the internet for an operating system, this time for a server instead of just a desktop. After once again glimpsing at the Windows Server editions, I decided that the $240 minimum (Server 2003) was not very practical just for software.

I think it's worth noting that even though I generally prefer Open Source Software for several reasons, I have no real problem with Windows or Mac. It simply did not seem practical.

So I looked at a couple of the more popular Linux flavor options:

Ubuntu Server
Fedora
SUSE

After looking at them I figured it would be the simplest to try Ubuntu Server (8.04) since I was already running Ubuntu.

I also bought a Linksys 5-port switch ($15) to connect to the router I have upstairs along with two 10ft and one 50ft cat-6 cables.

My running total is - $66

Home Server Part 4

2009-06-22T23:25:00.000-07:00

So now I had everything I needed to have one whole computer, now I just needed a place to put it. Luckily, I soon found that place.
I got a medium size cave like corner of the basement to use, and started setting up shop. It didn't take me long to realize the 2x4 table that I was using was not going to cut it. In the end I bit the bullet and bought a six feet table ($30) and an all steel chair ($8). After I had those things I got everything set up.

Once I had everything up and running I finally started thinking about making the computer into a little home server, and began searching for an OS again.

Home Server Part 2 & 3

2009-06-22T00:26:00.000-07:00

The next part of this project was to get a monitor. I started doing a little searching around (offline and on) and the best deal I could find was on Newegg for about $130, which I did not want to spend that much.
Luckily though, after asking around, I found out that my nice girlfriend had an extra monitor that was just sitting in her garage. :)
So I took that off of her hands and saved myself from not being so frugal.

After that I had to decide on the operating system. Now keeping in mind that I had a computer that was not quite on the cutting edge, I looked at my options. In the end I decided to go with Ubuntu (Linux) 8.04. It's free, and free is almost always good. Also I didn't mind the slight learning curve.

Home Server Part 1

2009-06-18T12:46:00.000-07:00

Alright, so I started this project with:

One computer tower (Gateway)
A mouse
Keyboard
Almost no money
No place to put it besides the corner of my bedroom
And a dream

That being said, It is worth noting that I was not sure about what I was going to do with 3/4ths of a computer, the idea to make it into a server came later in the journey.

Computer Specs:

Gateway GP7-500
Pentium III (gotta love it) :)
320 MB RAM
10 GB Hard Drive
OS Windows 98SE

Low Budget Home Server Plan

2009-06-17T22:30:00.000-07:00

I'm currently setting up a server to do various jobs in my basement. I will get around to explaining the set up as I work on it and will be pointing out the problems that I face.

Also, I will most likely be breaking it up into parts to make it easier to follow as well as to read.

UPDATE: Since this is my first post I would also like to say that I will be using this space as a type of reference resource that will hopefully be helpful, organized, or at least semi-entertaining. I may also with time move some of the more useful posts into various forums that they fit into.
Lastly I am aware that I could use a better name for the blog. It is a work in progress, but I appreciate the constructive criticism :)