Linux for internet only

Hi,

Ive been playing with Linux off and on for a few years.

Im looking to setup my room with 3 computers, I have 1 thats running windows xp with a hub connected to it that i use for my xbox to play videos.

Is there a linux distribution that I can install on the other 2 computers that when they turn on they go into firefox or any internet app that will connect right 2 my network?

 

yea if u have Kubuntu you can use FIRESTARTER, thats what i use for y pc to connect to Xbox for videos n live. what u have to do is to give your xbox an ip. i gave my 192.168.1.100 n u have to configer it to send it to that ip. i works nice

 

well,

What I want to do is use the network I have right now with my xp computer thats setup for internet sharing to make my 2 other computers boot to firefox. I have a few friends that come over and I dont want them to delete files from my computer. So I want to make computers 4 when they come over.

 

Unless running as root how can they delete any system files (I hope you are not running ubuntu or similar.. insecure)?

Just set up a guest account on both machines, with a very limited set of applications..

say a group like :: internet
users :: root and guest

and make a simple guest password that is easy to remember like.. oh.. webuser

guest will get it's own /home folder and can keep bookmarks just like any other user.. but you have the option of when to allow access and what to..

This is a very old guide but gives the general idea of what you want http://www.linux.com/base/ldp/howto/Public-Web-Browser-2.html

You should ask on the forums of your specific linux distro for help with setting up guest accounts and the way to allow them limited rights.

I would never set up anything to connect and run a browser cold from startup.. way to easy to scan for and exploit

 

yea see firestarter is a programn so linux can connect to window networks

 

I honestly can't see what relevance firestarter has to this discussion.. the question is about setting up a couple of machines like public web browser kiosk terminals, not sharing any files from windows (which is easier with samba anyway) as is discussed here.. http://tldp.org/HOWTO/Public-Web-Browser.html

This article is more up to date.. and I'm sure Steve will help with any specific issues concerning his article http://www.desktoplinux.com/news/NS4984662030.html

I'm sure that is exactly what you want.. happy hunting, let me know how it works out.

 

perfect, thats just what I want. thanks

 

can DSL be installed to a hard drive? I know it will cut down on loading times when booting instead of a cd.

 

Yes you can.. it takes a little tinkering but once on works very well.

http://damnsmalllinux.org/wiki/index.php/Installing_to_the_Hard_Disk

 

Thanks creaky.. I forgot all about that. Have seen dsl destroy windows just running from cd too once or twice. As it has never happened to me I have no clue what causes it, but it could be something to do with hitting "save settings" on shutdown? This possibly could be solved by actually making a small partition and pointing the "save settings" routine at it. Older versions of puppy had the same fault, but they seem to have solved that now.. And I would actually suggest using puppy instead of dsl as it uses a modern kernal and apps which are a lot more up to date.
The only advantage to using dsl is that it can use the debian potato/woody/sarge repositories, and with research also the most swingingist (uuuuhh) new things from the backports.

I didn't see any mention of dual booting the extra machines in the original question.. but good call ;-)

 

I'm not planing to have windows installed on the computers. Just DSL.

 

Then it's safe, and a great use of old 2-8 gig hdd's.

You have a choice of full or frugal install..

http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/dsl-hd-install.html

Check the forums for any specific issues.. They are a really helpful bunch over at DSL

My hint of the day.. You have cfdisk (partitioning tool) available at runlevel 2

on boot screen type

dsl 2 and then chose what you want from the menu that pops up, or type

cfdisk

 

fire starter shares internet with your xbox just like bridging with windows.

 

An xbox, modded or not will connect to the internet just fine without help from any other programs linux or windows based.. but again.. It has nothing to do with this subject.

Do you have something to contribute to building a secure public access type web browser setup, or are you just spamming a particular piece of software that I have honestly never heard of until now?

Unrealfan.. If you need any more help getting DSL booting give us a shout.. It can play up sometimes.

 

trying to answer this guys question n u DONT have to mod your xbox to get internet from linux..

 

Sorry I got you guys confused. I have a computer setup with windows with a network share for my modded xbox thats running xbmc to play my videos. I was looking for a way to make the 2 older computers I have go into my hub so I can use them as a kiosk kinda like a library has their computers.

I was just trying to explain how my setup was and what I wanted to do.

 

ok, what os's r on the 2 other comps?

if windows all it takes is to share the entire harddrive for the hole network to see

 

I dont have a os on the other 2, I was looking for a way to make them a kiosk like they have at a library where you can only go online with them.

 

kinda need a o.s on them