Linking several PC's

sloughflint

I feel sure this is a very basic concept.
Can anyone give me an idea on how to link up a pc and 2 laptops around the house. Fed up with different versions of everything on each machine. I dare say it is possible to do and synchronise all the documents. Do I need to buy anything? Currently have a wireless modem router ( netgear DG834) so laptops access internet via that. can I go one step further and link up all my files?

Gibblestick

Keeping all your documents the same on several PCs is not an easy task. The easiest way (and least problematic IMHO) is to set up a central storage area and save everything to there. That way there is only 1 copy of your documents but you can access it from all PCs on your network.
It also allows an easy backup machanism as everything is in one place.

JonTheNiceGuy

There's a few things you can use, and it all depends on how much interaction you want with your server.

1) Save everything to a shared folder. There's lots of ways of doing this, but my favourite options are to have some form of Network Addressed Storage (NAS) or a Linux/Windows Server and share it's hard disk.

Downside: You have to remember to save to that disk, and your settings themselves won't move around. You also have no automated backup from that.

2) Make everything "Thin Client" (or Dumb Terminal for older people ) based. Linux and Windows both offer different ways of connecting to a Thin Client. The easiest way that I've found of doing this is to have a central Linux Box (my preference is to use Linux, as it means no or little software piracy, more control over what I actually need to install to make everything I want to run), setup with K12LTSP (which is a distribution of Linux based on Fedora Linux or Ubuntu, depending on the version you pick), then I use another distribution called "Thinstation" on my other machines.

Under Windows, you need a server version (such as Windows 2000 Server or Windows 2003) and "Client Access Licences" (CAL). If you use Windows 2000 Server, then you can use Windows 2000 or XP workstations to connect to the server, without requiring those CALs as they are bought as part of the OS. You can use Thinstation again, but I don't know how many CAL's you would have to buy.

Downside: You'd have to probably buy more hardware, and pay for more licences and probably at least one different version of Windows. If you go the Linux route, you'd either have to be semi-techie, or know someone who know's his Linux.

3) Set up your Windows machines in a Domain, and then use Roaming Profiles to get your settings transferred to whatever machine you work on.

Downside: Server OS required (again), Windows XP home won't work out here, as it doesn't support domains.

4) Use iFolder, Subversion, CVS or RSYNC (all various "repository" systems) to automatically update files from one machine to a central machine.

Downside: It won't happen automatically, and may need some fairly hefty configuration.

I hope some of these have helped you out.

wiraone

I've just finished configuring my Buffalo Linkstation 2 few weeks ago, flashed it with a third party firmware and replaced the stock Linux operating system with Debian Linux. Set the LS2 as domain PDC and using roaming profiles right now. But it is surely not an easy job... messing around with SAMBA and the likes.. took me a couple of weeks (first time setting up SAMBA and PDC).

albertross_2

You just need to enable file and print sharing, see the wireless sticky thread. File synching can be done, but as already suggested, I'd avoid it unless you really need it.

Be aware though, that if you haven't setup wpa-psk security, then you may end up sharing those files with the neighbours.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=2471408&postcount=37

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=2471410&postcount=38

You may need to untick wireless isolation on the router to get the wireless kit to see each other.