[Preston] Linux on a 486
Phil Edwards
preston at mailman.lug.org.uk
Mon Sep 16 09:49:01 2002
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I've just inherited a small number of 486 machines and want to play =
around with networking them. I plan to set up a server using a PII 233 =
and Red Hat 7.3 and want initially to play around with the 486's as work =
stations, but maybe later use one as a firewall / router and one as a =
mail server.
Can anyone advise on the best version of Linux to use on these machines, =
bearing in mind they are quite low spec:
a.. 486 DX2 66 / DX2 50
b.. 340 / 540Mb HDD
c.. 8 / 16 MB RAM
d.. Thin net ethernet cards (although I do have some 10 base T cards =
so I may change them later)
e.. No CD Drive (so I'll have to do a network install, but I think I'm =
OK with this)
Ideally, I would like to use an earlier version of KDE / Gnome or some =
other x-windows system (even though I do need to get to grips with the =
command prompt). I am thinking about an earlier version of Red Hat, but =
having checked their site, the earliest version available for download =
is 6.2 and this appears to need more hard drive space than I have =
available. What about earlier versions of Red Hat than this? Where can I =
download them from? Alternatively, if anyone has a suitable version that =
they don't want, or will let me copy it, that would be even better.
As far as firewalls go, the top two would appear to be Smoothwall and =
IPCop, anyone got experience with either and / or have any particular =
preferences? Also, will they support the hardware I describe above or do =
I need something higher spec?
On a separate point, I haven't been to any meeting for the past 3 months =
or so due to a number of work and personal commitments, but it sounds =
like I'm not the only one. What is currently happening, is the group =
dying a slow death?
Phil Edwards
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I've just inherited a small number of =
486 machines=20
and want to play around with networking them. I plan to set up a server =
using a=20
PII 233 and Red Hat 7.3 and want initially to play around with the =
486's as=20
work stations, but maybe later use one as a firewall / router and one as =
a mail=20
server.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Can anyone advise on the best version =
of Linux to=20
use on these machines, bearing in mind they are quite low =
spec:</FONT></DIV>
<UL>
<LI><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>486 DX2 66 / DX2 50</FONT></LI>
<LI><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>340 / 540Mb HDD</FONT></LI>
<LI><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>8 / 16 MB RAM</FONT></LI>
<LI><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Thin net ethernet cards (although I do =
have some=20
10 base T cards so I may change them later)</FONT></LI>
<LI><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>No CD Drive (so I'll have to do a =
network install,=20
but I think I'm OK with this)</FONT></LI></UL>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Ideally, I would like to use an earlier =
version of=20
KDE / Gnome or some other x-windows system (even though I do need to get =
to=20
grips with the command prompt). I am thinking about an earlier version =
of Red=20
Hat, but having checked their site, the earliest version available for =
download=20
is 6.2 and this appears to need more hard drive space than I have =
available.=20
What about earlier versions of Red Hat than this? Where can I download =
them=20
from? Alternatively, if anyone has a suitable version that they don't =
want, or=20
will let me copy it, that would be even better.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>As far as firewalls go, the top two =
would appear to=20
be Smoothwall and IPCop, anyone got experience with either and / or have =
any=20
particular preferences? Also, will they support the hardware I describe =
above or=20
do I need something higher spec?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>On a separate point, I haven't been to =
any meeting=20
for the past 3 months or so due to a number of work and personal =
commitments,=20
but it sounds like I'm not the only one. What is currently happening, is =
the=20
group dying a slow death?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Phil Edwards</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV></BODY></HTML>
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