It's Blessedly Quiet in My Computer Room

[Ben]

I finally got around to hooking my Acer nettop into a KVM switch and putting my everyday files onto it so I can use it as my "browsing and doc reading" computer. My office has become blessedly quiet -- the little guy is way below my threshold of hearing. Unlike my workstation, which with four ginormous fans, sounds like a plane during run up checks. I can now hear the birds singing outside my window again, and all is right with the world.  

I was so accustomed to the noise of the big one, the switch to no noise was almost eerie. Not to mention my office will now be a good 5 degrees cooler during the Summer. :)  My plan is to keep this one running all day, and just fire up the big one when I need to do work projects at home requiring heavy CPU/GPU, or when I want to play games, or just want to run stuff really fast. The Acer has the dual Atom and Nvidia Ion, plus HDMI, so it's great for streaming video, but I notice it lags a bit with stuff like Google Earth, and I don't think Left 4 Dead would even run.

My next project will be hooking up my recently acquired $200 Linux FitPC (below) as an always on home server. I've never done it before, but I plan on setting it up for SSH access from wherever. I'll likely put stuff I might want to remotely access in a TrueCrypt container.


http://www.amazon.com/fit-PC-Slim-Linux/dp/B001L18ED2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1277648309&sr=8-1

[Fly320s]

My next project will be hooking up my recently acquired $200 FitPC (below) as an always on home server. I've never done it before, but I plan on setting it up for SSH access from wherever. I'll likely put stuff I might want to remotely access in a TrueCrypt container.

How does that work?  That FitPC box is the server?

[Ben]

How does that work?  That FitPC box is the server?

Well, poor man's server. I think I'm too stupid to run something like Ubuntu Server, so my goal right now is to just do the Secure Shell for remote login. Which I've seen guys like Mtnbkr talk about doing, though reading the procedure makes my head hurt. I think I can figure it out though. Then like I said, I just plan on leaving encrypted files on it that I might want to remotely access, and maybe hook a webcam up to it so I can do remote security checks of my place when I'm gone.

If I get brave and smart, I'll look at putting Ubuntu Server or similar on it and maybe tying it into a NAS. I think I need to get a NAS anyway because I'm already spending too much time popping between boxes because, "oh, that file is on the other computer".

[Doggy Daddy]

I think I need to get a NAS anyway

FWIW, I just upgraded (ehhh... more like "was forced to replace a broken Linksys") router.  I wound up going with a $60 Belkin that has N, plus a usb port that allows me to hook up an external hard drive or printer.  If a router is in your future, you may want to check out some of the Belkins.  I'm pleased with it so far.

DD

[roo_ster]

Hmm, I'd like to get one of those wall-wart PC/servers.  Keep us informed.

[Ben]

FWIW, I just upgraded (ehhh... more like "was forced to replace a broken Linksys") router.  I wound up going with a $60 Belkin that has N, plus a usb port that allows me to hook up an external hard drive or printer.  If a router is in your future, you may want to check out some of the Belkins.  I'm pleased with it so far.

DD

That USB port sounds kinda slick. Does that stick the drive in your DMZ though, or is that internal network only? I'm currently tied to a CradlePoint MBR1000 because I run both cable and 3g off of it. It's actually a pretty cool router, practically Cisco business class configurable. More stuff on it than I know about, but somewhere in there it has a menu for "easy" setting up of port forwarding so I don't have to use the DMZ, which as far as I know, is not the best place to put the FitPC for what I want to do.

Edit:Well, mention of the USB port made me look at my manual, and apparently I'm supposed to be able to configure one of the 3g USB ports to take other stuff. I'll need to look into that.

[Ben]

Hmm, I'd like to get one of those wall-wart PC/servers.  Keep us informed.

Will do, if my head doesn't explode first. 

[Doggy Daddy]

As far as I've found so far, the drive is only accessible by those on our local network.  Keep in mind that I'm not nearly as network savvy as many others here.  Oh, there is also the capability of setting up a parallel "guest" network on the router that only gives internet access.  Useful, I guess, for guests.

DD