To use Linux as a file and print server for a Windows network, you need a package called Samba running on the Linux box, which, among other things, allows the Linux box to emulate an NT server. Samba is very efficient and reliable and pretty straightforward to administer as it has a GUI front end that runs in your web-browser. Samba installs automatically as part of most Linux distributions.

The windows PCs won't need any extra software although you will need to set various options in Network Properties. If you've held on to your Acorn machines, I believe !Omniclient will allow you to use these on the same network.

The most useful book I've found on this is the O'Reilly 'Using Samba', which is also available online - http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/samba/chapter/book/index.html

If you'd like more information about our rather basic setup here, please get in touch.

Miles Berry
Head of Maths and IT
Christ Church Cathedral School
http://www.cccs.org.uk/

I coordinate IT at South Lee School in Bury St. Edmunds (Suffolk)

Although I consider myself to be reasonably expert with Acorns and stand-alone PCs plus some programming languages I have never been involved in networking, although that hasn't stopped me!

We are about to have some major building work done and a new IT room.

I am thinking abut a Linux route because I have spent the last few months examining it on a couple of old PCs that had given up the ghost when 'running' windows.

The idea of a Linux server with Win desktops appeals because of general staff IT ability levels.

Can anyone point me in the right direction (web sites books) for info on setting up this sort of thing (Miles Berry mentioned this sort of network) ?

In appreciation

James Carter

JHC@southlee.demon.co.uk

JHC@stonycobbles.freeserve.co.uk