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A Linux Server Express for Portable Wi-Fi?

Posted by Cliff on from the powered-by-the-penguin dept.

crome wonders: "The new Apple Airport Express is a little wonder of technology. It packs a wi-fi base station with all the usual capabilities of base stations plus the iTunes over network thing in one little square appliance that plugs directly to the power plug in the wall. I have a few of these and I am quite happy with them. Often however, when I most need a wi-fi base station on the go, I also need a server on the go. For example, in my second home I have an old DSL modem, and I have an Airport Express but I have no way to share the connection over wi-fi because the Airport Express doesn't support PPTP. Having a similarly formatted small Linux server with two ethernet ports, a usable Linux distribution on it with all the tools one needs when traveling, and some disk space to save stuff would be great. Any hints on what components to use or anything that comes close to a Linux Server Express?" "A while ago, Cerfcube (a small start-up) had such small appliances, but they disappeared and the format (a cube) wasn't very practical. Since I don't seem to be able to find such a very small format Linux server, I am just going to build one myself. I plan to build one into an existing power adapter (mimicking the Airport Express) and cram into it a computer-on-a-chip, a small disk, and two ethernet ports."

6 of 37 comments (clear)

  1. DLS modem by tasinet · · Score: 1, Funny

    What's a DLS modem anyway?

    1. Re:DLS modem by jm92956n · · Score: 4, Funny
      What's a DLS modem anyway?
      A DLS modem is a small piece of hardware that is now believed to be extinct by most credible computer scientists. Current available evidence suggests the item was once used as a telecommunication device.

      Alternate theories include a submitter without a spell-check device.
      --
      An effective signature identifies a particular user amongst a base of thousands.
    2. Re:DLS modem by insomnyuk · · Score: 3, Funny

      DLS = Didn't Learn Spelling

    3. Re:DLS modem by tverbeek · · Score: 2, Funny
      What's a DLS modem anyway?

      It's obviously a typo for "LDS modem", a device knwon for sending out packets in pairs, trying to connect with non-compliant devices and convert them to use their own rather strict proprietary protocol (popularly known as "mormon"). LDS modems originally supported one-to-many connections, but now only work in one-to-one mode.

      --
      http://alternatives.rzero.com/
  2. They've had them for years. by b00m3rang · · Score: 3, Funny

    Laptops.

  3. Try having a single house... by bergeron76 · · Score: 3, Funny

    I'm sure with all the money you'd save, you'd proabably be able to afford the greatest of wifi technologies.

    Please don't confuse the sarcasm of this post with some twistedly severe and unbridled jealously of your multi-home ownership. ;)

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