Messages

As ever the Wiki is your 'friend' in this type of situation ;-)

Look at this page for the steps needed to go with a single NIC; http://wiki.linuxmce.com/index.php/DHCP_Plug_and_Play

Thank you very much. I did not find this page during my initial search.

Regards
Andreas

....now in my home installation I have a single NIC (because my Core is creaky and old and has few slots!!) and my broadband router has its DHCP turned off on its LAN side. My Core attaches to one of the broadband routers ports and is the DHCP server on the LAN. It therefore must be switched on 24/7 as otherwise DHCP would fail...but also so would my families TV and DVD consumption ;-). The Core is always running becuase its always doing something...even in the middle of the night it is usually recording some weird TV show or movie...so we never turn it off (it uses about 42W).

Sounds like the setup I was thinking about (except the always-on, but I think, I have to live with that). After some other posters wrote that it was very hard to set up, can you please write some more information about the trouble you had to go through to get this to work?
Thank you

The problem you have is that the whole way MCE "knows" about new devices is from their DHCP request. If it isn't the DHCP server, then it can't detect the devices and you've cripled the system.

Good point. I forgot about that. So it has to remain always on...

As everyone here is saying, why make work for yourself? Life's too short as it is!

First reason: Because I am a bit stubborn and would like to understand the reasons for limitations that cause me trouble
Second reason: Wiring will be tough.
Third reason: I like the ideas behind LinuxMCE and will probably be using many features in the future. But currently, I just want to do the first small step and do not need an always-on-media-server. But what I do need is an always-on-router for the internet-access. Thus the idea was to be able to turn the core/md off when it is not needed. An always-on-machine consumes more electricity and there is the risk of it being too loud for the living-room. When we are watching TV, the noise does not disturb anybody. But what about reading a book? Thus the one-NIC-approach is quiet charming.

The simplest solution for the moment seems to be to install XP-MCE or some other MCE-Solution that does not go as far as LinuxMCE for the moment. But I don't want to give up that easily

The diagram you reference seems to indicate two NIC's one to the left of the core (external), and one to the right(MCE network). You will need to connect the broadband router to the core on the switch part of the router, not the external interface port (once you disable the DHCP). You can also pickup a switch for about the same price as a NIC, sell your router on E-bay and probably pay for both.

You are saying that I can connect everything including the broadband-router to the internal LAN and just leave the second NIC without any connection? Did I understand this correctly?

Things like auto-detecting network devices when plugged into the network, Asterik, IP Cameras, Network booting MD's, and other things that I can't think of each have their own dependencies on the network configuration, for this to work and be PNP you need two NIC's unless you want to dive into how each of these packages interact with the DCE Router, the network, and Kubuntu. If you do please post your findings, several of us would like to know what you find.

But why should the PNP-functions stop working only because I have a broadband-router in the internal LAN?

[CD Installation]

CD Installation
Cons:
1. take a huge amount of time

Just how much time does it take?
I don't need an exact number for my setup here, just a rough guideline how much time I need to plan:
1, 5, 10, 20 hours?

Thank you
Andreas

Thank you for all the answers.
Now at least I know that the trouble of wiring the core will probably be easier than setting up LinuxMCE without a 2nd NIC in the core.

What all the linked articles and the replies do not answer is the conceptual necessity of a 2nd NIC. If you want to distinguish between internal and external LAN, there is no doubt about the necessity of two NICs. But if you setup your network as outlined below, why can't you just put your broadband-router into the internal LAN (with DHCP turned off)?
http://wiki.linuxmce.org/images/3/38/After.PNG
If someone wants to access the internet directly from the internal LAN, it's fine by me

Or put differently:
In my home, the broadband-router and the remaining PCs are in the same room, but there is no chance to get an eithernet-cable to the core. With one NIC, I would just use the existing WLAN or a powerline-eithernet and I would be fine. But with two NICs I will be needing two distinct connections between the two rooms: broaband->core and core->PCs.
And I am getting curious about the conceptual reason for the decision to support two NICs only in LinuxMCE and make me go through the hassle of doing this setup.

Regards
Andreas

Hi,

I did not yet install LinuxMCE, but am currently reading the installation-instructions. What I am wondering most about is the definitive requirement of two NICs - one for the internal LAN and one for the external LAN. There is no doubt about it in the wiki.
Only the FAQ mention that it might be possible to have the core with only one NIC.

At home I have 3-4 PCs running and the core. Each of the PCs should have full access to all the information in the LAN, the internet and the core. There is of course also a WLAN-Router around to offer access to the internet, but I can turn the DHCP-functionality off.
Do I really need two NICs in this setup?
What are the drawbacks of having only one NIC?

Thank you very much for any information.

Regards
Andreas