Server via Webmin....?

[justins]

I am a middle of the road kinda newbie .. I have tried numerous distro's but keep going back to RH based stuff .. I have messed with webmin but I'm not sure where I should start in setting up my web hosting from home, ftp and masquerading (Read a LOT on iptables and NEVER got it, ended up using Firestarter).

I have read much on Apache and ProFTP but I'm not sure it sinks in with me.

Is there possably a "simple get you started tutorial" that'll work well enough to get started, THEN I can focus on touching up the security? I'm the typical Cable user, linux boxes throughout, and my server is "occasionaly" used as a workstation so ClarkConnect is out until I can afford a cheap'er box.

Currently I've got a RH9 spin off running, but would also like to try FC2 (it's a pretty old box with limited HD space -around 3-1/2gig for linux and 60gig for file serving).

Thanks,
Justin

[jasonlambert]

These howto's should cover most topics:
http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/HOWTO-INDEX/howtos.html

Of particular interest, check out:
advanced bash scripting - http://www.tldp.org/LDP/abs/html/index.html (to learn a bit about scripts)

apache howto - http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/Apache-Com...WTO/index.html - personally i think this is over complicated, if you want to just compile php & apache, this documentation for apache & apache 2 is much easier to understand:
http://www.php.net/manual/en/install.apache.php
http://www.php.net/manual/en/install.apache2.php

Generally speaking there arent any overall howto's, as the trying to learn everything is just too much. Have an understanding of the shell, compiler, a basic "how linux works" - what all the pieces of the puzzle are etc and you will be fine.

I dont quite know how webmin fits into it, its in your topic title but you dont mention it once in your post? If you are wanting to do it all via webmin, i can assure you that you will benifit more from understanding how it all works, than by learning to use a GUI, as you still need to have some knowledge of whatever service you are configuring in webmin anyway.

Jason

[pc-mechanix]

how does webmin work?

[justins]

Yes I would like to use webmin as I'm heading out of the country for a few months and would love to be able to make tweeks and changes. Webmin is and has been installed.

I am familure with linux as it's been my only OS since last year. (Lorma Linux is my current distro, it's a RH9/FC1 rework).

I attempted to use cli for set up my iptables for about 4 months in all and never got anywhere with it. Help in setting up things like that is next to non existant. It seems every network is even more indavidual than every computer. I ended up useing Firestarter to get the masquerading set up, the forwarded ports set up, and open the ports I need for the things I do/use.

My only goal with my server right now out side of keeping the masquerading up, is to fire up my web site, and my mother in laws web site from that same box. I see that httpd (Apache) is installed so I know I've got it all there, just need to lear how to fire it all up.

Cheers,
Justin

[jasonlambert]

I attempted to use cli for set up my iptables for about 4 months in all and never got anywhere with it. Help in setting up things like that is next to non existant. It seems every network is even more indavidual than every computer.

That is something that does make sense, without dedicating a lot of time and effort, iptables is hard to get right, webmin can step in and assist with this in that it allows you to concentrate more on the actual rules themselves, and spend less time messing around with syntax of iptables commands.

check out www.webmin.org download a source package, unzip it and you should have installation instructions in there.

how does webmin work?

Webmin works by basically providing you with a graphical front end to common command line tools and various configuration files. Webmin allows you to make changes to major config files & various system options via a web based interface, rather than SSH and a text editor.

Jason

[justins]

I installed webmin a couple weeks ago on this reinstall of Lorma (https://24.162.228.179:10000)but haven't done much cuz the last few times I messed with it I realyl borked a lot .. lol .. samba died, apache wouldn't even start, and nfs borked in huge ways .. lol .. Figure I'll leave it for a bit until I get it figured out a little more .. apache and ftp are the goals over the next few .. (least I can mess with it while I'm over seas).

Cheers,
Justin