Networking with Linux the do's and dont's

[wanderingarcticfox]

OK, now remember I am still reading the rute-book and have learned a lot here in this Forum.

The question now is about Networking. I was dismayed that to get Gigabit hard-wire transfer I had to go to a wireless router. Well that is a sign of the times I guess. I see that the D-Link DIR-655 has removable antenna’s.

http://www.dlinkshop.com/store?Actio...ctID=122148000

I just am not sure if I can use this with Ubuntu and Kubuntu, I switch between them often.

I am sure someone has a good place for me to 'start' as far as this issue is concerned; but I am 'hoping' for a plug-N-play with easy set-up for linking systems.

Initially it will be to link my old Compaq [11 years old in Feb.] but in long range to link a secondary [new] system for Distributed Computing. [Gigabyte 880 with 2 Dimm's@1333 & a PhenomII X2 430PSU]

I am reluctant to link my current system because I switch between Ubuntu and Kubuntu so much; though I know I could leave it in one for 'down-cycles' overnight [it has a 600 watt PSU] I have been specifying the parameters for a secondary system that would be lower wattage and such [a drop from 600 to 430].

I would appreciate any and all advice in the area of Networking; I however plan to use only 'hard-wire' connection so the wireless is mute. I have nothing against those that use wireless; I just choose not to.

Thank you in advance for comments and suggestions.
8)

[oshunluvr]

Re: Networking with Linux the do's and dont's

If you can return that wifi router, there are other options that work for networking that don't include wifi. I prefer gigabit switches for my home network. The dis-advantage to a switch is they are not configurable. However the advantage to a switch is they are not configurable! This means no settings to mess up

4-Port Gigabit switches can be had for as little as $20.

Newegg

In any case, you will be able to turn off the radios in your wifi router so no need to remove the antennae.

To networking: You didn't say what you want to accomplish. File sharing? Cluster computing? Printer sharing?

[wanderingarcticfox]

Re: Networking with Linux the do's and dont's

Networking is just for Me, Myself and I;
In other words just my main system and my Distributive System [to be built in summer 2012.

OK; trying to understand>>> If all my systems run Linux>>>>All my systems have 10/100 or 10/100/1000 access then I do not need a router just a switch??

I want to be able for my main system to be able to 'talk&share' with my Distributive system and both be able to access the net at Gigabit speed {10/100/1000} the 1000 being the desired speed. I want to be able to 'Run' both the 'Primary {this system}' and the secondary Distributed system at the same time with as few if no bottle-neck incurred.

I do not know if that makes sense?

[wanderingarcticfox]

Re: Networking with Linux the do's and dont's

If you can return that wifi router, there are other options that work for networking that don't include wifi. I prefer gigabit switches for my home network. The dis-advantage to a switch is they are not configurable. However the advantage to a switch is they are not configurable! This means no settings to mess up

4-Port Gigabit switches can be had for as little as $20.

Newegg

prefer gigabit switches for my home network. The dis-advantage to a switch is they are not configurable. However the advantage to a switch is they are not configurable! This means no settings to mess up

4-Port Gigabit switches can be had for as little as $20.

OK; so you are saying that a 'switch' is all I need to network two [2] different systems??

My set-up is a cable in-put to a cable Modem with an out-put to either a router or a switch.

If all I need is a switch that is OK; but if a router would ad security [ie:Firewalls] then which is better

I am not looking at spending unnecessary money but looking for economical hook-up and security.

I have bought nothing yet for networking. I have learned it is better to ask those in the know before running out and throwing cash around.

That is what I like about this Forum, I can ask and get answers long before I buy!!!!!



















Newegg


To networking: You didn't say what you want to accomplish. File sharing? Cluster computing? Printer sharing?

[oshunluvr]

Re: Networking with Linux the do's and dont's

A network connection is just that - a network connection. What you do with it is another matter.

If you have a need to control it, you need a router. If it does not need to be controlled, a switch will do.

For example; I have a large home network that connects to a dozen or so devices (not all are computers). These are all connected through a couple wired switches. My network has a connection to the internet via a router. The router is also wireless so out laptops do not have to be wired all the time.

Therefore, all the wired devices on my network connect to each other via un-managed switches but connect to the internet through the router.

In addition to the internet, I share files, streaming media, printers, telephone service, and scanners. How each of these things is "shared" is different for each device.

How yours should or could be set up depends on your needs and equipment.

I have no clue what you're planning by "Distributed" system. I assume you've got some software that will employ nodes or clustered computing for some purpose?

[Detonate]

Re: Networking with Linux the do's and dont's

On a related note, I ran across this article the other day. I have not tried it because I don't have any Windows computers on my network, but If one of you tries this, and see if it works better than Samba, others here might find your report interesting.

http://technonstop.com/tutorial-setu...server-windows

[SteveRiley]

Re: Networking with Linux the do's and dont's

Simply adding some more info here...

My house was built with Ethernet jacks in and cabling running from every room to a small wiring cabinet in the first floor closet. But that's all. Behind each wallplate I had to connect the cable to the jack and then add a punchdown block in the wiring cabinet. Cheap builders...

I have seven short Ethernet cables running from the punchdown block to an eight-port switch in the closet. The eighth port connects to the LAN side of a wireless router. The WAN side connects to my cable modem. The wireless functionality is disabled.

Why did I buy a wireless router instead of a wired one? To be blunt, wired router performance sucks unless you spend around $500. I have a 60mbps connection from Comcast. For anyone with a high-speed connection, a router's WAN-to-LAN performance is critical: if your router can't keep up with your Internet connection, then you're throwing away money every month. The Small Net Builder website has a great chart showing WAN-to-LAN throughput for every model they've tested. You'll note that cheap wireless routers perform much better than similarly-priced wired routers (I griped a bit about this on the forum there, too).

Switches are another matter. The ultra-cheap ones can get finicky and never last longer than a year or two: the switch I mentioned above just crapped out last week after serving duty for nine months. I've actually come to loathe consumer networking equipment. So I'm going to splurge a bit and get a small-biz class switch, looking for something in the $150 range. I need reliable gigabit Ethernet and properly-functioning jumbo frames.

Anyway, lots of words. If your network is self-contained and doesn't connect to anything else or the Internet, just get a switch. If you need Internet connectivity, add a router -- get a wireless one and shut off the radios.

[oshunluvr]

Re: Networking with Linux the do's and dont's

Good info Steve.

I've got two little 8-port Rosewill brand gigabit switches that are rock solid. 4 years old, $20 a piece, metal housings (love that), but no jumbo frames, still in daily use.

My main switch is a Netgear GS116 that's about 2 years old now. It supports jumbos frames but only to an MTU of 7692. Above that, it barfs. It's good enough for the home. Runs a bit hot, but it's on the wall in the corner so the heat doesn't effect anything. My server and main desktop are both connected to the main switch so I run port aggregation (bonding) on both devices and tuned the MTU's and txqueuelen to max and use 32k block sizes on my NFS servers.

The real-world net effect of all this is near-hard drive access speed to my server. I can't really tell most of the time if I'm using a remote or local drive.

[oshunluvr]

Re: Networking with Linux the do's and dont's

wanderingfox, re the firewall; Firewalls need to be between the internet and your network, not between computers on your network.

How you should be set up depends a lot on how your internet connection is set up.

For most of us these days (I'm assuming here...), our internet providers supply us with a modem/router and usually wifi is included. If you're using an ADSL modem or other directly connected internet device, you need a firewall on any computer connected to the internet. You can also (since you have the router) connect your modem to the router wan port, then use the routers lan ports for your computers. This results in a firewall (assuming your router has one - most do) at the internet connection, thus freeing your computers from having each one.

just give a bit more detail about your entire network and it's devices so we know how to advise you to proceed.

[SteveRiley]

Re: Networking with Linux the do's and dont's

Heya wanderingfox, there was a similar discussion here on KFN a while back about architectures for small networks. Just thought I'd point you toward that in case you hadn't seen it.

[wanderingarcticfox]

Re: Networking with Linux the do's and dont's

Thanks Again; I'm just trying to learn here. The ISP is Time Warner and is coax cable. I will most likely jump up a service level after the new year. I talked to tech support and the new service will change out my cable modem and have at least 2 outputs for computers so I am going to email them again and find out more about what there modem with built in router has as far as a firewall.

The Distributive computing is to share time on a node[?] and allow them [the researchers] to run packets of data computation. The one I am interested in is out of Oxford Unv. in England and does climate modelling. But that is a ways off yet.

Thx again for the links and discussion. 8)

[SteveRiley]

Re: Networking with Linux the do's and dont's

Thanks Again; I'm just trying to learn here. The ISP is Time Warner and is coax cable. I will most likely jump up a service level after the new year. I talked to tech support and the new service will change out my cable modem and have at least 2 outputs for computers so I am going to email them again and find out more about what there modem with built in router has as far as a firewall.

You need the upgrade probably because your existing modem conforms to the older DOCSIS 2.0 standard; higher rate connections require DOCSIS 3.0 support. I'd be very interested in learning which modem they install and whether they provide you with configuration instructions. Every cable modem I've used has had only one LAN-side port and required me to, uh, investigate own my own how to reach its config screens

[wanderingarcticfox]

Re: Networking with Linux the do's and dont's

I will definitely report back what I find out.