Debian Server , Whats it all about, Please advise here ???

Taken from another source!! Hope someone can explain it cause i've no experience of them!

"Download and Install Debian

First download the netinstall cd of debian linux
You can download it from the following URL: http://www.debian.org/CD/netinst/
Debian -- Network install from a minimal CD
(Most people will generally want the i386 version)
This will install the basic debian linux system on your hard disk.

During the installation process, it will ask you several questions
Hostname and domain are not really of much importance right now as you can change it at a later date. Here you can input a hostname and domain of your choice.

Another question you will be asked is if it can use the entire hard disk. As it is going to be a dedicated server, you can use the entire hard disk.
Quote:
Guided - use entire disk
When it's asking you for a network mirror, make sure you choose a fast and stable server.
Usually local university servers are fast and stable.

When you've completed the network mirror, it's going to download the software list.
Now you can deselect everything to keep the server as small as possible.
All you have to select is web server.
After a while it will eject the CD and it will start to reboot.

As you might have noticed during the installation of debian it uses dhcp to acquire an ip address. For a card server, it's not recommended to have it's IP address handled by DHCP. First thing we need to do is remove the DHCP and assign a static IP to the linux server

Assigning static IP
Log in as root with the right password
then type in the following command

Code:
vim /etc/network/interfaces

now remove the following line

Code:
auto eth0
iface eth0 inet dhcp
and replace it with

Code:
auto eth0
iface eth0 inet static
address 192.168.1.100
netmask 255.255.255.0
broadcast 192.168.1.255
gateway 192.168.1.1
These IP addresses might be different for your situation.
Remember to replace them with ip addresses relevant to your local network.
You can save the file with the following commands.

Code:
<esc>:ZZ
(note that’s a capital Z so shift + zz)
Once the file is saved, you can restart the network and check if your linux server is running with its new IP address.

Code:
/etc/init.d/networking restart
ifconfig

ifconfig should now look something like this
Quote:
cardserver:/home# ifconfig
eth0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:00:00:10:D0:70
inet addr:192.168.1.100 Bcast:192.168.1.255 Mask:255.255.255.0
inet6 addr: fe80::250:4ff:fe1d:d27b/64 Scope:Link
UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
RX packets:8931 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:6028 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
RX bytes:7585683 (7.2 MiB) TX bytes:916823 (895.3 KiB)
Interrupt:10 Base address:0x4000

Installing SSH
Next thing that needs to be done is install an SSH daemon.
This will allow you to log into the card server securely from your own computer and the server does not require a keyboard and monitor if you want to change something.

Code:
apt-get install openssh-server
Once SSH is installed, you can logout of the server, remove the keyboard and monitor as we don't need it anymore.

Getting Putty
You need to download putty to your PC so you can log into the server with SSH

http://the.earth.li/~sgtatham/putty/latest/x86/putty.exe
Update apt-get software list
To make sure, you locally have a good software list available, you have to update the apt-get database

Code:
apt-get update

Installing an FTP server
To be able to transfer files between your computer and the linux server, an FTP server is needed.
During the installation it will ask you one question. Answer it with "stand-alone"
This will consume a bit more memory but will prevent linux from spawning a new process every time you log in.

Code:
apt-get install proftpd

The server is now installed and all the needed files are in place.

Preparing your server for CCcam
Now it's time to get it ready for CCcam.
First thing we need to do is make 6 directories and adjust the parameters.

Code:
mkdir /emu
mkdir /emu/cccam
mkdir /emu/script
mkdir /emu/log
mkdir /var/etc
mkdir /var/keys
chmod 777 /emu
chmod 777 /emu/*
chown username /emu
chown username /emu/*
The username stated above is the username you created during the installation. This name is going to be used for file transfers through FTP.

Start up script for CCcam
To prevent from having to change directory all the time we're going to place a script on the server so CCcam can be started from any directory on the server.
Code:
vim /emu/script/cccam
Code:
#!/bin/sh
CAMNAME="CCcam Server"
# end

# This method starts CCcam
start_cam ()
{
/emu/cccam/CCcam.x86 –C /var/etc/CCcam.cfg &
sleep 2
}
# This method stops CCcam
stop_cam ()
{
pkill CCcam.x86
}
case "$1" in
start)
echo "[SCRIPT] $1: $CAMNAME"
start_cam
;;
stop)
echo "[SCRIPT] $1: $CAMNAME"
stop_cam
;;
restart)
echo "Restaring $CAMNAME"
stop_cam
start_cam
;;
*)
"$0" stop
exit 1
;;
esac
exit 0

Code:
chmod 755 /emu/script/cccam
ln /emu/script/cccam /bin/cccam
Now you can simply start, stop or restart CCcam from any directory by simply typing

Quote:
cccam start
cccam stop
cccam restart

Upload CCcam

Now use a FTP program to upload CCcam.x86 to /emu/cccam and CCcam.cfg to /var/etc

Making CCcam executable

Use putty again to give CCcam.x86 execution rights

Code:
chmod 755 /emu/cccam/CCcam.x86

Config update script

When running larger servers it’s a good idea to only update your CCcam.cfg once a day to not annoy all your peers. Following is instructions to do just that. Drop any new configs into /emu/cccam and at 3am it will backup the current one in /var/etc and copy the new one from /emu/cccam over it.
Code:
vim /emu/script/configupdate.sh

Code:
#!/bin/sh
#Script to process the new CCcam.cfg and backup the old one
SOURCE=/emu/cccam/
TARGET=/var/etc
FILE=CCcam.cfg
BACKUPDIR=/var/backup
CONFIGOLD=CCcam.old
if test -f $SOURCE/$FILE ; then
echo "New Config Present"
if test -d $BACKUPDIR ; then
if test -f $BACKUPDIR/$CONFIGOLD ; then
echo "Removing OLD config file from backup directory"
rm $BACKUPDIR/$CONFIGOLD
else
echo "No OLD config to remove."
fi

if test -f $BACKUPDIR/$FILE ; then
echo "Renaming Backup to old config"
cp $BACKUPDIR/$FILE $BACKUPDIR/$CONFIGOLD
rm $BACKUPDIR/$FILE
else
echo "No Backupfile present yet"
fi
if test -f $TARGET/$FILE ; then
echo "Copying Original config to Backup directory"
cp $TARGET/$FILE $BACKUPDIR
rm $TARGET/$FILE
else
echo "No Original Config File Present!?!?"
fi
else
echo "Backup directory does not exist."
echo "making new directory"
mkdir $BACKUPDIR
if test -f $TARGET/$FILE ; then
echo "Copying Original config to Backup directory"
cp $TARGET/$FILE $BACKUPDIR
else
echo "No Original Config File Present!?!?"
fi
fi
echo "Moving New config file to "$TARGET
cp $SOURCE/$FILE $TARGET
rm $SOURCE/$FILE
else
echo "No New Config present, Nothing to process"
fi
exit

Code:
chmod 755 /emu/script/configupdate.sh
To make sure the config update script will run at 3 am every night, we can place it in the crontab.

Code:
cd /etc
vim crontab
and add the following line to it

Quote:
00 3 * * * root /emu/script/configupdate.sh >>/emu/log/configupdate.log 2>&1
This will run the script every day at 3am, and it's output will be written in /emu/log/configupdate.log so you can check on occasion if all went well.

Starting CCcam with system boot

There's only one more thing to do. Add CCcam to the start-up so it will start on the next reboot of the server.

Code:
vim /etc/rc.local
and add the following line at the bottom

Quote:
/bin/cccam start –C /var/etc/CCcam.cfg &
test the config update script created earlier to see if that works

Code:
/emu/script/configupdate.sh
If it works, you can reboot the server and check if CCcam is running."

Thanks Jay that looks more user friendly!!

Quote from carmine

Oh My God, this looks really difficult.
Asking a simple question, if i can set this up and get it going can i not use this pc for anything else but server use ???

Nope you can use it as a desktop too if your willing to use Linux, its what I do. Or I think its possible to run the server in a Virtual machine in windows but I dont think you could shrare locals that way

You could partition the hard drive and have linux and windows running together but that would mean only choosing one when booting..

Hence if you picked windows you couldn't ccam share....

Linux is an operating system too just like windows but all programs may not be compatible!

I'd suggest you use an unwanted/unused desktop and not a brand spanking new desktop that all the family will want to use cause therecould be tears ;)

Only a low spec machine is needed and when all set up there is no need for a monitor or keyboard. All changes can be done by remote access through another (windows) machine.

Use an old PC if you have one or buy one on Ebay.

P4 2Ghz (or higher) cheap desktop will do, which can be bought for under ?50

All you will need is a network connection so it can be placed anyway out the way.

Everything is done remotely from your main PC with SSH and FTP

Ten Belows tutorial goes step by step!!

If you follow that i can't see you having any major problems!!

I have looked around a fair few other forums and that definitely is the easiest to follow in my eyes!!

Let me know how your getting on with it mate!

Might go for one myself in the future!!

you have already been given a link to an automated install.

Automated CCcam 2.3.0 Install Package For Debian 6

It does not get any easier than that.

Just have a go

Just follow Tens tut and you will be up and running in no time.

You could also install from the tut in a virtual linux system on a windows platform, thats how i did it first time. Do a google for 'clark conect' or 'clearos' if you get stuck give us a shout and I'll help if I can.

Once you've got it sorted in you windows box, a linux stand alone box is a breeze.

Dont forget you will need reshares on the clines as the standalone acts as another hop.

Quote from good_intentions

Nope you can use it as a desktop too if your willing to use Linux, its what I do. Or I think its possible to run the server in a Virtual machine in windows but I dont think you could shrare locals that way

Local sharing will work in a virtual machine - but you need a usb phonix card reader {or simular} ClearOS / Clark Connect will give you the Virtual machine to run linux in you.

one of these looks very promising, will it work ok with an omnikey without any great hassle?

Quote from multipack

one of these looks very promising, will it work ok with an omnikey without any great hassle?

Yes m8 it will work with a omnikey with no hassle!!

Mutz

thanks for the replies, when i got the omnikey about a year or so ago i was then told after i bought it it was only compatible with newcs and the lines i could give myself wouldnt work on my azbox.. obviously not :)