Laptop as a server?

[der.hans]

Am 10. Jan, 2001 schwäzte Steven Martindale so:

> I've been struck by an idea and wonder if anyone on the list has done
> something like it.  I've been wanting to put together a modest computer to
> use as a dial-up server for a modest network (Hey, only two working
> computers in the apartment currently).  My current desktop computer is
> running a bit too hot right now to consider leaving it on for long lengths,
> and my old box is mostly put back together (pentium 100 on an old Intel
> board I can't seem to find any documentation for), but I've only got one
> monitor and as of yet no KVM switch (Yes I said to working computers in the
> apartment, the other is my Sister's not mine).
> 
> So I got to wondering, I keep running across listings for older laptops for
> $350-400 and lower.  Later 486 models and early pentium and pentium clones.
>  Has anyone tried simply running a laptop of a wall-wart rather than
> battery and using it as a modest home network server?  When I didn't need
> to work on it I could simply fold down the monitor (hmm, well as long as it
> isn't a model that shuts down when you do that) to keep the keyboard from
> getting poked and set it aside.

I did that for a while when I was rebuilding my firewall a couple of years
ago. Using the laptop my connection was much better than with the desktop,
but I figure that was because the laptop had a 56k modem and the desktop a
33.6 modem :).

> Now I know the newer laptops can get quite hot, but would I be likely to
> have heat problems with say a pentium 100?  

They can have significant heat probs when running for a long time,
especially older models. You're probably better off finding a cheap 486 or
pentium desktop. You want something that can take a bit of RAM as that
helps caching. My firewall had 32MB and that was a little lean. Throw a
KVM on it and there you go.

A friend of mine has his mother board stapled to the wall with the hard
drive on hooks next to it, so it doesn't need to take much space :).

> Sure it wouldn't be a "great" server, but I'd think it ought to be at least
> adequate, and best of all no need to either get a second monitor (taking up
> the last of the free space on the desk) or a KVM switch.  Though I would
> need to more than likely get a PCMCIA network card and modem (though if the
> laptop has a serial port then I could simply plug in my external modem).

Still need the network card, though. Also, you can't upgrade components.
Cool idea, but I think a standard pc is a better way to go.

A good 4 port KVM would cost you a few hundred dollars. You can pick up an
old desktop for less than $100 at the Sun swap meet.

ciao,

der.hans
-- 
#  der.hans@LuftHans.com   home.pages.de/~lufthans/   www.Opnix.com
# Motorraeder toeten nicht. Motorraeder werden getoetet.