One of the best things about Windows networking is that when a Windows PC loses a network connection - say, you unplug the cable - it can no longer see itself.

This matters to me more than most because I run VMWare Server on my notebook, and when I'm not connected to my wireless network I can't connect to my virtual Linux server either. Even though it's running on the same box.

So what I did was this: I installed the Microsoft Loopback Adaptor, and bridged it to my wireless network. So now, with or without wireless, I can still reach my server.

The only problem is, Windows now tells me that my wireless is disconnected. And if you go into the wireless networks screen, right below where it says "Not connected", it has a Disconnect button to disconnect the unconnected network.

Apart from that, it works fine.

I was having trouble mounting the Samba share from the virtual Linux server back to Windows, but that was because Plesk doesn't (or at least, didn't) automatically apply its firewall rules after a reboot.* Quite possible something I did wrong, but certainly confusing.

Plesk also has a nicely confusing way of managing your Samba shares; it adds an include file to the standard smb.conf, puts the shares it's managing in there, and ignores what's defined in the main file. That might actually be the best way to handle things, but it ain't obvious when you run into it for the first time.

I also set up a PPTP VPN to SoftLayer from my home network. That lets me manage the servers even if the regular public network at the hosting company is down (the VPN goes through a dedicated Cogent link); it lets me run backups without touching by 4TB/month bandwidth allowance; and it lets me do things like check on CPU temperatures and voltage levels in the servers. And do both soft and hard resets, if I should feel the urge. Without even opening a browser window!

* Yes, I have a complete web hosting management system installed on a virtual machine on my notebook.

You mean to say you don't?

Posted by: Pixy Misa at 01:25 AM | Comments (36) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)