Dedicated Server or not?

Hi,

My wifes church is ready to replace their ancient hand me down computers
(four, I think), with five (5) new state of the art desktops, and one (1)
laptop.
The question has come up whether or not the church would necessarily need a
*dedicated server*, in addition to the computers already mentioned.

The church is planning on utilizing the hardwire ethernet network (NO
Wireless) they already have in place, to all six "new" computers by
expanding physical connections.
They are also adding SBC DSL for Internet Access. At present, they have just
one computer connected online through a dial-up account and it is NOT
networked with the other
three networked computers.

Looking at some Dell computers, I find that they first of all....recommend
WinXP Pro for each of the computers to be networked (+$60 extra each), and
second, advise a dedicated server (extra $2200) as part of a "total
networking package".

I would really appreciate some opinions on this scenario from people who
dont have any vested interest in the matter.

Thanks in advance

Matt

I went with XP Pro on my networked Dell systems and I'm glad I did. The
Simple File Sharing Only feature on XP Home would not have worked properly.

"Mattrixx" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:cHz_b.16898$(E-Mail Removed) om...
> Hi,
>
> My wifes church is ready to replace their ancient hand me down computers
> (four, I think), with five (5) new state of the art desktops, and one (1)
> laptop.
> The question has come up whether or not the church would necessarily need
a
> *dedicated server*, in addition to the computers already mentioned.
>
> The church is planning on utilizing the hardwire ethernet network (NO
> Wireless) they already have in place, to all six "new" computers by
> expanding physical connections.
> They are also adding SBC DSL for Internet Access. At present, they have
just
> one computer connected online through a dial-up account and it is NOT
> networked with the other
> three networked computers.
>
> Looking at some Dell computers, I find that they first of all....recommend
> WinXP Pro for each of the computers to be networked (+$60 extra each), and
> second, advise a dedicated server (extra $2200) as part of a "total
> networking package".
>
> I would really appreciate some opinions on this scenario from people who
> dont have any vested interest in the matter.
>
> Thanks in advance
>
> Matt
>
>
>
>
>
>

Why would they need a server? Until there is an answer for that question,
there is no need for a server. For the DSL to be used by all the computers,
a simple netgear router will do that trick.

--Dan


"Mattrixx" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:cHz_b.16898$(E-Mail Removed) om...
> Hi,
>
> My wifes church is ready to replace their ancient hand me down computers
> (four, I think), with five (5) new state of the art desktops, and one (1)
> laptop.
> The question has come up whether or not the church would necessarily need
a
> *dedicated server*, in addition to the computers already mentioned.
>
> The church is planning on utilizing the hardwire ethernet network (NO
> Wireless) they already have in place, to all six "new" computers by
> expanding physical connections.
> They are also adding SBC DSL for Internet Access. At present, they have
just
> one computer connected online through a dial-up account and it is NOT
> networked with the other
> three networked computers.
>
> Looking at some Dell computers, I find that they first of all....recommend
> WinXP Pro for each of the computers to be networked (+$60 extra each), and
> second, advise a dedicated server (extra $2200) as part of a "total
> networking package".
>
> I would really appreciate some opinions on this scenario from people who
> dont have any vested interest in the matter.
>
> Thanks in advance
>
> Matt
>
>
>
>
>
>