Anyone done this?

[Sinner]

In order to build my crack racks cost efficiently I am thinking of trying something.

In the past I have used a serial null modem cable to connect a laptop to my desktop. The serial connection is treated like a dial-up ISP connection allowing the laptop to use the desktop as an ISP and connect to the internet at 115,200 bps.

What I am considering is a 1-node with 2 sub-node design. 1 PC with a LAN connection and 2 PCs connected to it via serial ports. Since I have lots of old serial cables from modeming days null modems only cost me around $5 each.

I think this is the cheapest multiple connection method.

 

[Train]

whatever works for you man, be resourceful as you can be, ive slapped crappy machines together with bare minimums, (bare minimum isnt much when you use klinux) using spare parts from upgrades and what not.

Hell, once over the summer i didnt have any case for these 2 extra mobos i had in my room, so i propped them up on cardboard boxes, cables danglin everywhere, CPU's werent even secured, and had to prop up fans on them using ny nieces play-doh so that the CPU's wouldnt over heat.

 

[GeoffS]

If you want to leave more room for expansion, I have some 12 port SMC 10Mbit hubs left over, and a pile of assorted ISA nics (3Com, Intel, etc)... maybe we could work out a deal!

I sold a bunch of the hubs here on Anand and people are pretty happy with them. Klinux works like a champ on this kind of setup (and just about any other kind of setup as far as I can tell! KiloWatt- you da man!).

Here at work, I threw a second nic into my desktop that is running the RC5 pproxy (and client), connected it to one of these hubs, and have 9 PCs running either Klinux, Win98, or RedHad connected to the hub feeding off my desktop.

LMK!

 

[networkman]

BUMP for GeoffS!! Hehe.. I'm one of the folks that bought a pair of those SMC hubs - they're still here.. just waiting for me to build my own crack-rack!

 

[Sinner]

How much you looking for those hubs? I know where I can get some $5 10mb NICs I think

 

[Kilowatt]

Nics are the only wat to go if you are going to use Klinux, as I didn't compile serial support into the Linux kernel.

Just watch which nics you get, make sure their Linux compatible.

 

[Sinner]

I've got mainly 3c509 cards. Leftovers from a telemarketing project awhile back. I believe these are Linux compatible.

I am still debating the Klinux solution as I have never used Linux before. I've checked out the page though and it seems straightforward enough. I will probably use it on some of the machines.

 

[GeoffS]

Klinux is so frekin' easy to use! I had never used Linux either. It's simply a matter of getting the right version (there are only three that you will need to worry about: 2.2, 2.3, 2.4) for the nic you have. Then you boot from floppy, login as root with no password required, run netconfig to give your new box an IP addy, and then install and configure the dnetc client. That's it! Up in 5 minutes max! If you use Klinux, your PC will have to be able to contact a pproxy. I set up my machine with internet access as the pproxy, and the Klinux boxes feed off of it.