Hi, i need help, i would like to know how i could setup a router, email server and file server, i have to choices of machine and 2 distrib for each machine,
If it's going to be a router, it needs to have two network cards - I don't think the iMac will do that, will it?
(Well, strictly speaking you *can* route using only one interface, but it's pretty pointless except in certain circumstances)
If the router is going to face the Internet, then it needs to be a firewall, and probably shouldn't be a fileserver as well. If it's going to be a firewall, you should run IPcop (because the support here for that is excellent, it's a great product. You don't *have* to run IPCop, but the learning-curve to do it properly otherwise is going to be a big distraction, and the cost of failure is pretty high)
The iMac would be fine as a mail/file server.
Ubuntu Linux would run fine on both machines, as would Debian stable, as would Gentoo IIRC. If both machines are going to be running Linux, try to make them the same distribution, it will make your life easier.
-jim
