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A Linux Server Express for Portable Wi-Fi?

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."

4 of 37 comments (clear)

  1. Use flash memory by egarland · · Score: 4, Interesting

    The Linksys NSLU2 may be a good palce to start.

    TomsNetworking has a good article about messing around with it.

    Add a USB network card and a big USB key and you should be good to go (it has 2 USB ports).

    --
    set softtabstop=4 shiftwidth=4 expandtab nocp worlddomination
  2. Re:WRT54G by Malor · · Score: 3, Interesting

    "designed to start yet another GPL flamewar" -- oh please. I was expressing an opinion, and quite gently. I have never before been banned from any public discussion forum, under any alias.

    Normally, I would go read what I wrote to be certain that my memory of events and of what I said is correct, but, gee, I can't read it anymore. It never occurred to me that you'd actually ban me for a dissenting opinion, so I didn't save a copy.

    If any bystarnders are actually looking, I suggest you go read some of the many hundreds of posts I've made over the many years I've been here. I'm not a troll. I think about what I say before I say it. I make no pretense of perfection, but go read some of what I've written, and think to yourself about whether that person would be likely to start a flamewar. I'm pushing 40, for chrissake. I have better things to do.

    Contrast that with the numerous people talking about the abuses perpetrated by Sveasoft. There's an awful lot of smoke here. Perhaps, just perhaps, there's a fire?

    James is very, very good at sounding reasonable, but behind that reasonable facade lurks a very nasty fellow indeed. Read some of the stuff at the link above for some examples.

    And James... nobody is begrudging you making money on your project. At least, it sure doesn't sound like they are. I know I don't care... make all the money you like. And I pay for quite a bit of the free software I particularly like... send wishlist gifts, that kind of thing. I had no interest in shutting down your project. If anything, I wanted to help it.

    I, for one, just don't think that your glue work is any more valuable than the work of all the people who came before you. I'm cheerfully willing to help subsidize that kind of effort. I am not, however, happy about seeing GPL code hijacked. Thousands of programmers have put in millions of hours to make your project possible, and you are in essence spitting on them. Shame on you.

    Even a two week delay, by the way, is unacceptable under the terms of the GPL. And when I posted my message, it had been more than a month and closer to six weeks. I'd have to check my post to be sure, but I'm nearly certain that it was this time delay that I found pretty questionable.

    Again, to the world at large.... I'd suggest spending your money elsewhere. Support projects with ethical leaders. False DMCA notices and falsified hack reports, if true, are way, way, WAY into unacceptable behavior, and shouldn't be supported.

  3. Re:WRT54G by lga · · Score: 1, Interesting

    DamnYankee wrote:
    There are many other (and more appropriate) places than the Sveasoft forums to discuss GPL issues, such as here on Slashdot.

    Then lets discuss it here on Slashdot. Why is Sveasoft abusing the GPL like this? The Sveasoft code is clearly modifications to GPL software, and while they have the right to charge for the software and the right to restrict distribution to whom they chose, their customers have the right under the GPL to pass on the software to whoever the hell they like. Can you dispute that? Can you back up what you claim?

    Why is Sveasoft resorting to dirty claims of hacking and copyright violation to get mirrors cut off when (a) the mirrors are perfectly legal and (b) they know full well that no hacking has taken place?

    I await your non-answer with baited breath.
  4. Re:WRT54G by dubl-u · · Score: 3, Interesting

    There are many other (and more appropriate) places than the Sveasoft forums to discuss GPL issues, such as here on Slashdot.

    There are better places to discuss your own GPL compliance than your own forums? It would seem to me that unless you're trying to cover something up, the very best place to talk about that is on your own site.