How can I configure an Apple Fileserver?

[redAPPLE]

hi guys.

read on, please don't be shy. i would appreciate any type of help you guys could write down.

at home, the family has got a mixed environment of pcs and macs.

and finally, i was able to educate my family to move to macs. (would it not be cool, if apple could create ads (something like... this WHOLE family switched to macs!!). :D

oh now back to my problem. i would like to use an old g3 tower as a fileserver.

does anyone know any website with an extensive HOWTO?

i am slowly but surely trying to learn unix, but it would be cool, if i won't have to touch unix stuff at the moment.

i would like to install OS X as the default OS. the tower would just be a fileserver, so i guess, performance is not a really big deal. it would depend on my router, right?

i have a couple of AirPortconfigured macs. how could i connect them to the server?

which software is available? do i need the OS X Server or is the "normal" OS X enough?

thanks in advance.

[Nipsy]

You can do this for a home without a long tutorial or any new software:

Make sure the server is on the network (by plugging it into your wireless point in an extra 10/100 port)

Under System Preferences, click Network
Make Apple Talk active (redundant, but makes life easy)

Under System Preferences, click Sharing
Click the button to enable File Sharing
Name the machine something logical (like Home Server)
Now, there is an elegant or a quick solution for setting up your users (family)
The quick and dirty is to go the the Users System Preference, and add each individual.

Once that is complete they should all be able to log into their home directories, and exchange/back up files. To connect they either choose Go/Connect to Server in OSX, or the Apple Menu Item Chooser in OS9 and below.

The more graceful way to do things is by using NetInfo to regulate each user, their privileges, and their storage allotments. This is considerably more complex, but many good tutorials exist on apple.com, or can be found via google.

This makes sense in a HOME, for a maximum of about 5 users, who are not using the server intensively, but for backups and such. If you intend to serve home directories from the server, use the server for all document storage, etc. you should do things via NetInfo, and consider OSX Server for its ease of use (OSX contains 99% od OSX Server, but lacks the GUI interfaces).

[redAPPLE]

hi.

thanks for the help.

could you please tell me where i could find "netinfo"?

i am not aware of this company (or is this the software)?

thanks again.

[Nipsy]

NetInfo is the permissions/user/daemon manager in OSX/Applications/Utilities

Please read any web docs on using NetInfo to save yourself from catastrophe!