remote Linux server
 

Would someone care to point me in the right direction?

I have a small LAN, Windows PCs plus a Linux server - ADSL connection, dynamic IP. The server has no GUI or keyboard. I want to run a file-sharing client on the server (24/7) and access it through any of the PCs (sometimes).

This sounds standard to me, but I don't know where to start. Can anyone help, please?

And yes, I know I should RTFM. And I would, if only I knew which M to FR! Ive searched around the sites and the forums, and I still HGFC.

Run a vncserver on it and use gtk-gnutella from CVS.
With a vncserver running, you can access your gtk-gnutella from any PC that has a vncclient...

bye
Markus Goetz

Many thanks, guruz. I've made a lot of progress by following your advice and now have an MS Windows PC running VNCviewer, controlling a PC running Mandrake. Success!

However, the server PC that I want to run a gnutella client on is proving more difficult. When trying to start vncserver, I get the message "can't find "xauth" on your PATH". (I searched - no "xauth, no "x anything else" either). My guess is that vncserver is looking for X Windows. Does this mean I have to install a GUI on the server for the 'vnc' scheme to work? I had imagined that vnc would take the place of X Windows - have I got it all wrong again?

My bad...

I should have also posted a link here for you... Loads more for you to consider, and you may also wish to try to get together with 'alex2'...
Only for the brave ! :p

http://www.gnutellaforums.com/showth...threadid=20207

Heya

Well, a vnc server is some kind of x server, yes, but it does not display itself on the screen but only over a vnc network connection :)
But you need to have X stuff installed anyway.. Hm, try to install X but not run it, that should work.

If you need help just ask in here or on the thread that ursula posted the URL of.

bye
Markus Goetz

There is a saying "We learn more from mistakes than we do from successes". Well, I have to admit, I have learnt a lot about Linux recently :D. And I still have so much to learn.

I can see now that I have to re-think the whole thing. The server that I have been experimenting with is running SMEServer V5.6 from http://www.e-smith.org. I think this is an excellent package for the non-Linux-savvy (like me, a couple of weeks ago). However, as they claim, "at e-smith we plan to stand out from the crowd by keeping features to a minimum". Admirable, except when a newbie tries to bolt-on something extra like gtk-gnutella and vncserver - then at every turn, another 'feature' has to be added to take the next step - nothing major, just the odd X Windows here and maybe a C compiler there...

So, for the time being, I am stepping back from this project (any cricket fans here?: 'retired, hurt'). Thanks for all the helpful suggestions, I think I now understand how to do it - but I don't yet have the skill to see it through.

Ursula: I am not sure what a cross-post is, but I assume it is not good, so I decided not to respond to http://www.gnutellaforums.com/showth...hreadid=20207. Thanks, I do appreciate your help :)

you can run mutella (which is a terminal mode client and can run as a daemon) on your linux mashine and control it from your windows hosts with a normal browser. go see mutella.sourceforge.net. I'd recommend you to compile the CVS version though.

--Max

maksik, thanks for your comment. I wonder, is what you are suggesting closer to what I originally imagined?

Many years ago, there were teams that I worked with who had X Windows terminals on their desks. They were running 'stuff' on Unix-based DEC machines that sat in rows in the only air-conditioned part of the building, the basement. So now, I thought I could have a file-sharing (gnutella, whatever) Server PC running on a remote (LAN) Linux server with anything like X windows running on PCs to view/admin everything. Why not?

So far, it seems the only solutions involve setting up a full 'file-sharer-in-X-windows-like GUI' on the server, then viewing the results on networked PCs that replicate the view that could have been seen on a monitor attached to the Server.

I trying to understand, does your suggestion remove the need for a GUI running on the server? Is this what I'm looking for?

alex


Your secret answer, honest ! ;)