A package server

[dglad4]

OK, so I am a newbie to Linux and reckon I'm doing pretty good. I know Windows like the back of my hand and have a few machines at home. One is a server, Intel Atom running Windows Server 2003 R2 and 3TB of NAS space, one dedicated Linux, two Windows XP/Ubuntu multiboots and two dedicated Windows XP clients. I'm not yet ready for a Linux server so I run the Windows. The network is setup is for the server to serve many roles:

- DHCP (server address 192.168.1.100 scope *.0 to *.99, all manual non DHCP *.101 and above)
- DNS (I should point out not working too well on Ubuntu clients)
- HTTP (intranet/internet site)
- FTP (using FileZilla server)
- Windows Shares (for sharing out the terabytes of space)
- Active Directory (control over Windows clients, just for fun )
*All of above Windows services unless otherwise noted

Now what I want to do is cause our family has a terrible internet plan (2GB/month :S), continuously downloading packages for the Ubuntu clients isn't fun. So what I've been trying to do with the installations is I've opened up a new web port 8080 with Apache on the server to serve out the contents of one folder at the root. It contains all the downloaded .deb packages on my Ubuntu machines and I've tried editing the /etc/apt/sources.list file to lookup packages from hxxp://192.168.1.100:8080 and it works, but ignoring internet resources and trying to look up more dependencies than the original download. VLC is one example, tried from client downloaded to from internet then uploaded to server and over the LAN to another machine and even uninstalling the internet downloaded and trying the LAN install. The command is just like normal downloads with 'sudo apt-get install <app>'. I've tried many things and its getting too complicated. I've just adapted the APTonCD method for LAN here and wanted to ask you guys if there ws another method, if i'm doing something wrong or I need a lesson on what I'm doing badly wrong (lol, its how ya learn).

Exactly what I want: Serve out install packages for Ubuntu/Debian clients to download IF it exits in the LAN library, then check and download from internet.

What would do: Packages to install from LAN server when requested.

Thanks,
dglad4.

PS: The server is staying with Windows, no Linux yet. Also Virtual machines are a no no as the hardware is quite limited in resources (aren't all Atoms?)

[zombykillah]

You could take one step further ... and install a proxy, like squid.

[firbolg]

I've used apt-cacher ng successfully for 3 machines. Might work for you.

Apt-Cacher NG - Software Package Download Proxy
[all variants] How To Install Apt-Cacher-NG in Ubuntu Linux - Ubuntu Forums

[dglad4]

Are there any other options? these seem to be for a Linux server, this is a Windows Server

Thanks