Re: Linux over Network to Windows
David R. Litwin wrote:
> I have a (we shall call it) main computer, printer, modem (well, that
> doesn't really matter: It is connected to an Ethernet card) and
> (eventually) a Router that will provide a wire-less signal. This
> machine runs Windows 2000 Pro. What I want to do is set up a network
> betwixt the two computers. This will enable me to have internet access
> from my laptop, have access to the Printer and have access to files
> located on both the Windows and Debian partitions of the central machine.
So the central machine has both W2K and Debian?
Trying to access files from both the Windows partition and the Debian
partition over the network is fraught with pitfalls is easiest if you're
willing to boot the central computer into the OS from which you're
trying to access files. If you're wanting to access files on both
partitions at the same time, it'll be easiest if you leave the central
computer in Debian, and have your Windows partition formatted as FAT32
rather than NTFS.
> Further, since the central machine will normally be running windows,
> my laptop (which will usually be using Debian) must be able to
> communicate with Windows.
>
> I have no idea how to do this. How does one set up a network?
That's a tremendously broad question.
> How will I be able to have an internet connection?
You mean, from the laptop? Once you have the wireless in place, just get
a Linux-compatible wireless card for the laptop. If you're trying to
access the internet from your laptop over a wired connection to your
internet-connected Windows box, I'd suggest forgetting this, unless you
really want to do it for the learning's sake.
> How can I access the files and the printer?
Again, this is a broad question.
If the central computer is booted into Windows, you can share out the
Windows partition just like you would in a Windows-only network. Then
the laptop can use Samba (more specifically 'smbmount') to mount those
shares. Since Windows can not natively read Linux partitions, you can't
(easily, without 3rd-party tools) get to the Debian files from the
laptop while Windows is running on the central computer.
If the central computer is booted into Debian, you can share out the
Debian partition(s) via samba (Windows-oriented) or nfs (Unix-oriented).
I think that instead of doing either of these, I'd simply use scp and/or
sftp to access the Debian files on the central computer from your
laptop. If the Windows partitions are FAT32, Debian can also share those
partitions (again, either via samba or nfs or scp/sftp); if the Windows
partitions are NTFS, Debian can share those partitions as read-only (but
not write-capable, at least, not without "issues").
The printer can be shared out from the central computer when it's booted
into Windows or into Debian. The laptop can then print to the printer
using Samba (if the central computer is running Windows) or via several
methods if the central computer is booted into Debian. But the easiest
way would be to do what someone else suggested; get a wireless access
point that supports a printer, and print via the WAP (of course, this
assumes you have a real printer and not one of those rip-off winprinters
which I can almost guarantee you have).
>
> I got the vague impression that there are numerous answers to this
> situation, possibly including some sort of debian-standard samba.
Yes. This is largely because you're wanting to use your central computer
as a server, without dedicating it as a server (ie, it's not
consistently available as a Windows or as a Debian box, 24x7). Thuse
there are many forks in the road, and we can't really provide a roadmap.
Limit your path a bit, and we'll probably be of more help. For example,
decide that you're going to access either the Debian files or the
Windows files from within Debian or Windows, rather than trying to get
all the possible combinations taken care of right now. Once you've
gotten some experience and know the possibilities a bit better, then you
can start branching out to take care of those other configurations.
--
Kent
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