Thin Clienting at home

Have you ever wanted to have an few extra computers in your house for house guests, that you dont want using your $2000+ computer, or do you have kids that want a computer and you dont want to shell out 400+, but still want them to have a computer for web surfing and word and have complete control over? Well then you have stumbled onto the right instructable.

Your solution? A Thin client......A THIN WHAT??
A thin client, a thin client is basically a stripped down computer that is used as a window to the Terminal Server, some use complex platforms to connect to the server, but today I am using RDP because that was the easiest for me (and cheapest).

RDP??? RDP stands for Remote Desktop Protocol which is a handy way to connect to a computer from a remote location, say you are on buisness and you go OH CRAP you forgot a document on your home computer, all you have to do is have the computer turned on then connect to it from your laptop or whatever you are carrying with you, get the file and email it to your self and Finito! you are now out of hot water and you can brag to your friends.

Starting from scratch, expect to spend about $100-300, as for me, I spent about $41.99 to be exact, because I had the computer already as with the home network and everything else.

Step 1: Materials

Well you are going to need a few Items to set this up.

1-Extra Computer (well, you could actually use the one you are using now), Running Windows XP PRO, Specs dont really matter, I am using a 2.6ghz with 512ram, any old one hiding in your closet would be fine.

2-Compaq Evo T20 Thin Clients (again you could use any type, I just used these because that is what I found on ebay) These can be purchased on ebay or mabey from a company thats liquidating, I even found some on craigslist! I found three of them for $.99 well plus $40 to ship, but they were new in box!

3-Wired Home network (Cat 5e preferably)

4-DSL or equal home connection

Comments

[ubuntuPenguin]

to use the thin client computers do you need to be connected to the internet?

[NekoHunter]

No, once they are set up, you can use them on the same network as the host PC without needing an internet connection.

[anarquiles]

you have some kind of experience with windows XP embedded?
i need help. o tried to install the Embedded Studio to make the custom images for different equipments, but i just get a Database Error and cant run the program

[lx_white]

great instructable. i just ordered a thin client off of ebay just so i could set this up.

[bwpatton1]

Cool! Hope it all works out for ya. Sorry for such a late response

[isalimoko]

If you're planning to use Citrix, might well use LTSP. Although it is faster, you'll pay more running Citrix for the licenses. One user license for Windows for each user license for Citrix.

[Computothought]

Have you used any of the images from the HP site to re-image your t20's or would you recommend something else? I used netxfer years ago, but it looks like I need to re-image some locked down units I found.

[bwpatton1]

Unfortunatley I cant find any way to get into the Bios type menu. I have the CE version of the T20 thin clients and they dont allow me to do anything but boot directly to their CE config

[Computothought]

Thanx for checking.  There is not a traditional bios on those things. Don't worry about it. I think I remember what I did now/

[Ranie-K]

Just wondered if you could use an external DVD reader and install windows (or other OS) on a flashdrive? This way, it would be a stand alone computer, only using the network for internet? Would this boot faster or slower than using a client/server approach?

[Computothought]

The nice thing about this instructable is that you can take old thin clients with as little as 32 megs of memory and work just fine. Xp will not run on them. You can get them for dirt cheap. At least one or two of mine were only 5 bucks. Buy a new mswindows box for that.

[bwpatton1]

Hmm....With the thin clients I purchased they had a special version of windows that only let me connect to a server, but with the T20's and T30's that have XP already on them they would work as a great stand alone internet terminal and it would boot much faster.

[Computothought]

Cool...  We have been doing that for several years now with LTSP (Linux terminal server project). We use both t30's and t20/s set to pxe boot. Do not have to mess with MS licensing issues and only have to upgrade the server when needed. Clients are virtually service free. .

[bwpatton1]

Awsome, I was thinking of doing something Citrix based but I did not have any 64 bit hardware and I didnt have any time to get any.
Thanks

[Computothought]

We used Citrix, where I used to work, but never had a chance to install any apps on it. For a small installation, your revelation of unlimited xp sessions is probably the best bet in a Microsoft world. We are all linux,. except I have one token xp box. I may install the software for the linux rdp clients to access it.

[bwpatton1]

With Citrix could you watch videos without the jerking motion (basically is it faster than RDC)?
That sounds good for the XP box, linux is much cleaner LOL

[Computothought]

I think mythtv (ie mythbuntu) has a thin client option.  Good luck.

[bwpatton1]

I actually wrote this instructable several months ago and havent published it until now, If there is anything lacking let me know