Networks Setting Up A fileshare Server

OK Im currently setting up a fileshare server at my house on 8mb up/ 512k down (best i can get were im at). Im planing on using it For friends to connect to get files etc and also for connecting myself when im away from home. Also to use for hosting games and lans!?.

Now my questions are!!
1. what operating system should i use
2. VPN?
3. Should i get a Domain and just use i site to redirect to files?
4. Secruity what to use?
5. ATM i only have A Intel Pentium D 925 What else would u reccomend for the sever


Thanks in Advance

 

1) win 2k / win 2k3 / linux?
2) no need really, just use an FTPd (WS_FTPd / guildftpd /glftpd / drftpd) and use SSL
3) no point
4) ssl over ftp or use SFTP
5) lots of hard disks, a good psu, some ram

 

1) FreeNAS
2) I say no, depends how worried you are. FTP works for me.
3) Again, I say no, but depends how much you get annoyed by typing in long domains.
4) FTP?
5) Low power PSU (gunna be on all the time), decent ram.

 

A friend suggested Centos?

 

any os will be fine for this...

you may also want to run Samba for local sharing of files.

 

Thats what im considering using. Been having a play about with it on a virtual machine.

Dont you mean 8mb down and 512k up?

If you are wanting to make it so people can connect to it remotely, you could set up hamachi on it which is VPN software that creates a LAN over the internet. Also means you can play LAN games with out having everyone over.

Security wise you can set up individual file access to different people and give them logon accounts which they have to use to connect. With CentOS theres alot of documentation to help with such things. I know Fedora Core is also another good OS to look at for this sort of thing as thats what a mate uses and we do exactly what your asking to do.

The CPU your using atm is sufficient to run and do what you want, although id advise going dual core.

 

Just whip Debian on it, paired with Samba and Proftpd, and since it'll be a frontline server, iptables. Done