Can it be done, tough one does anyone know?

max_carpenter · - Joined: 18 Mar 2005 Posts: 124

I am not to sure where to post this so done it in two paces.

I want to do what my mate at work thinks is impossible. I want to get a harddrive that can connect to a lan port connect it directly to my broadband router and run my website of it with no need for a pc as I have no reliable pcs in my house.

If this is impossible i can alaways build a shuttle with min specs but I want things to be cheap as possible
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TRUSTAbyss · - Joined: 29 Oct 2003 Posts: 3752 Location: USA, GA

If your talking about using an extra HD as the server then no. You can use an
extra HardDrive to host your website from but you need a computer. You can't
possibly run a server without an Operating System. Hope this helps.

Sincerely , TRUSTpunk

max_carpenter · - Joined: 18 Mar 2005 Posts: 124

Thanks, I did have a tiny feeling someone would say tht but there was no harm in hoping. Looks like I will be building my self a very cheap shuttle then :-s got a budget of maxium 100 pounds. Don't need screen or good grpahics or anything really new as long as it can run windows server 2003 anyone got suggestions?
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DHCD Computing
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TRUSTAbyss · - Joined: 29 Oct 2003 Posts: 3752 Location: USA, GA

Wait! I saw an episode of the Screen Savers one time that talked about a
router having a Linux OS. You may want to look into this and see if you can
try this with your router , if you can get a HardDrive with an ethernet slot , I
believe that this can be done , look around Google for info.

Sincerely , TRUSTpunk

max_carpenter · - Joined: 18 Mar 2005 Posts: 124

ok sounds strange. So basicly my router runs linux? How does that work I have a bt voyager and it can still run as normal providing are other computers?
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max_carpenter · - Joined: 18 Mar 2005 Posts: 124

is this something to do with it?

http://lists.complete.org/discussion@aclug.org/2001/04/msg00045.html.gz
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DHCD Computing
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TRUSTAbyss · - Joined: 29 Oct 2003 Posts: 3752 Location: USA, GA

I heard that some Routers indeed are using a Linux OS. I can't gurantee that
this will work but its worth a shot. I will do a search on Google for some info so
that I can give you more than just "its possible that it will work" , LateR!

Edit: This is the original show notes. I guess only Linksys works :(
http://g4tv.com/screensavers/features/354/Dark_Tip_Linux_on_Linksys.html

Sincerely , TRUSTpunk

max_carpenter · - Joined: 18 Mar 2005 Posts: 124

Thanks alot, I have had a wuick look not much luck. I am also going to test out windows server 2003 and start doing costing for a shuttle do you know anywhere where I can get really cheap parts, never reaally seen, used or built a shuttle
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M.Carpenter

DHCD Computing
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www.dhcd.co.uk

TRUSTAbyss · - Joined: 29 Oct 2003 Posts: 3752 Location: USA, GA

Yes , the best place on the net for this stuff. www.PriceWatch.com

Anonymoose · - Joined: 09 Sep 2003 Posts: 2192

Routers running Linux have absolutely nothing to do with being able to run a webserver on your router. If your router is running Linux or BSD it is an extremely stripped down version for routing and firewalling only, and if applicable, it's own web interface. There is no way to adapt it to the point that you could host your own site directly off of it.

You can buy network attachable storage devices, but again, they run an extremely stripped down version of BSD/Linux to provide network services - it's not something you could run a website directly off of. You may be able to get a more enterprise level product which will do this, but you won't be running Abyss on it, and it will certainly be out of your £100 price range.

If you're shopping for parts in the UK, the two best places I can recommend for prices are www.ebuyer.com and www.aria.co.uk - I don't think you'll build a brand new Shuttle style PC for under £100 though.

aprelium · - Joined: 22 Mar 2002 Posts: 6800

max_carpenter,

Even if a router/NAS device is running Linux, you can be sure that it is not using an Intel processor. Most devices use other kinds of processors (Hitachi SH3/SH4, ST, etc...) that are cheaper and less powerful than those of PCs. If you're a geek and can live with that, you'll have to recompile everything to that particular architecture which means that you'll have to use a standard PC with cross-compiling tools and a whole development environment.
Building a Shuttle or PC with the bare bones (processor, HD, motherboard with network card) is a wise choice and can save you a lot of time in the long run.
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max_carpenter · - Joined: 18 Mar 2005 Posts: 124

thanks I have made my mind up that is the way I am going. Build a cheap shuttle with as many second hand parts i can. It not going to be used for anything other then my website so needs bar minium to run. If it can run server 03 then it can run my website. I am using server 03 as it is very reliable self fixing and knows what it is doing with much more security then use abyss webserver on it becuase I don't like the built in one
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M.Carpenter

DHCD Computing
max@dhcd.co.uk
www.dhcd.co.uk