Which Linux distro to install Apache on?

[Cloud Strife]

After hosting a couple sites on IIS, I'd like to learn about hosting on Linux with Apache. However, I'm not sure which distro I should install Apache on. Can you recomend me a beginner distro to install Apache start on?

I'm also looking for a good entry level Cisco router (less than $100 preferably) to better protect my network and to learn more about Cisco routers. This will be my first time owning a Cisco router so I prefer something that's noob friendly.

EDIT: I'm leaning towards Redhat/FC. Any reason not to pick them?

 

[Codmate]

Gentoo is good and excellent for beginners, as it's not too hard, but just hard enough to force you to learn some of the basics you'll need later on when setting up Apache.
It's much much lighter than Red Hat, and easier to keep up to date through portage.

Don't bother installing a gui (such as kde or gnome) if it's just a web-server.

The only problem with Gentoo IME, is that you need a fast internet connection and plenty of time, as it downloads everything as source and compiles it.

It also sports a nice friendly community.

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: Codmate
The only problem with Gentoo IME, is that you need a fast internet connection and plenty of time, as it downloads everything as source and compiles it.

Don't forget time. You need time. Possibly a lot of it.

I recommend Slackware or Debian.

 

[Cloud Strife]

Originally posted by: Codmate
Don't bother installing a gui (such as kde or gnome) if it's just a web-server.

Wouldn't that mean I'd have to edit everything in terminal?

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: Cloud Strife

Originally posted by: Codmate
Don't bother installing a gui (such as kde or gnome) if it's just a web-server.

Wouldn't that mean I'd have to edit everything in terminal?

You probably would if you installed a GUI too...

 

[skyking]

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey

Originally posted by: Codmate
The only problem with Gentoo IME, is that you need a fast internet connection and plenty of time, as it downloads everything as source and compiles it.

Don't forget time. You need time. Possibly a lot of it.

I recommend Slackware or Debian.

Never messed with Slackware, but Debian is habit forming. It seems to end up on all my latest projects.

 

[cleverhandle]

Originally posted by: Cloud Strife
Wouldn't that mean I'd have to edit everything in terminal?

Yes. I believe that was Codmate's point. If you're going to put a web server on the Internet, take your time and learn to do things correctly rather than clicking on a GUI and hoping it configures things correctly for you.

I also think Gentoo is a waste of time, though. Slackware, while a little dated and clunky for desktop use, would make a fine platform for a web server. So would Debian.

 

[Cloud Strife]

I'm looking at the Debian download page and there are a bunch of binaries to choose from.

http://mirrors.usc.edu/pub/linux/distributions/debian-cd/3.1_r2/i386/iso-cd/

Which one should I download?

 

[cleverhandle]

Originally posted by: Cloud Strife
Which one should I download?

Assuming you have a decent net connection, download the netinst.iso. That contains just enough on the disk to get the system started and then pulls everything else from the net. The "bunch of binaries" (#1-14) is the full Debian distribution (14 CD's worth). In Debian-land, it's pretty unusual for people to actually use distribution CD's - much easier to use the netinst to get started and then auto-download everything else through apt.

 

[n0cmonkey]

Probably debian-31r2-i386-netinst.iso, but I didn't read the documentation either.

 

[Cloud Strife]

These HTTP/FTP mirrors are slow. I switched to the torrent file and now I'm downloading at 800kBps.

 

[Cloud Strife]

Any recomendations for an entry level Cisco router?

 

[cleverhandle]

Originally posted by: Cloud Strife
Any recomendations for an entry level Cisco router?

There's nothing anywhere close to $100 unless maybe you find a super deal on something used. The cheapest Cisco router is the 850 (ethernet only, no DSL modem, $260) or 857 (with DSL modem, $300). And honestly, if you're uncomfortable with a linux command line, you're going to like IOS even less.

 

[Cloud Strife]

How about the Cisco 806? I don't really want to get into the whole IOS interface just yet... Does the 806 have a web management?

 

[cleverhandle]

The 806 is an earlier model from the 800 series - it has about half the memory of the 83x/85x's. It does have web management, but it is also ethernet-only. Other people more knowledgeable about Cisco products will probably provide more details.

 

[Cloud Strife]

After a couple hours of messing with Debian, I finally got Apache and PHP up and running. No GUI seems daunting at first, but I think I'm getting the hang of it. This makes me wish I tried out Linux at an earlier age. (18 currently)

Bump for Cisco router help.

 

[Pheran]

For the Linux distribution, I'd recommend trying CentOS, a free version of Red Hat Enterprise Linux. RHEL is one of the most common versions of Linux run by businesses.

As far as the Cisco router goes, I'd consider getting a used Cisco 831 from Ebay - it's not as ancient/crappy as the 806. Note that *no* Cisco router is what I would call "newb-friendly" - that's why they own Linksys.

 

[Cloud Strife]

The Cisco 831 router only supports 10Mbps WAN port. It looks like I'll be looking at the higher model, the 871. I can't find any cheap ones on Ebay though. Which model did the 871 replace? Maybe there's a discontinued model with 100Mbps WAN port.

 

[skyking]

you need more than a 10Mbps WAN port?

 

[Cloud Strife]

Originally posted by: skyking
you need more than a 10Mbps WAN port?

For normal surfing, no. Comcast has this powerboost feature that increases your bandwidth to 12-16Mbps for short bursts, and I guess to "future-proof" our connection.