If you installed the RPM, then the server is already started. However, if you installed from source, you'll need to start it by hand. The RPMs and source install the program in different places, depending on the distribution's setup, but you can find the server initialization script by looking for the file CDWserver. Like most System V style control scripts, you start this server by typing something similar to /etc/rc.d/init.d/CDWserver start.

Once the server is running, you can access its interface by opening a web browser on any machine within your network, and going to the base URL with the port 12411. For example, if you're doing this on the server itself, you'd go to http://localhost:12411. Doing this opens the main CDWserver web page, as shown in Figure 1.

Test and make sure you can access the web page from other machines on your network. If not, then you have some diagnostics to perform, such as using the "ping" program to ensure that it is possible to reach that machine's network card at all, and then checking to see if you have port blocking or filters set up that need to be adjusted. Once you're sure you can reach that web page on that machine, it's time to configure the CD writing program.

If the software you downloaded is newer than version 2.3c, you'll need to check the Help link and other documentation sections to see if the instructions are changedof course, it doesn't hurt to click Help anyway to see what you might be missing that I haven't mentioned. The main page is Status, if you find yourself lost in layers of URLs.

To configure CDWserver, edit the file /etc/CDWserver/config on the Linux CD server machine. If you get confused along the way about what's already set up as far as defaults go, you can click the "active settings" on the Help page link to see how your server is currently configured. The file is well documented if you're familiar with CD burning vernacular, but since you might not be, I'll give you some recommendations:

• See my article "Burning CDs in Linux: Tips and Tricks" if you're lost with terms like "burnproof" for some background on terminology.
• If your CD writer supports burnproof, then by all means, activate this feature. It will help you avoid writing "coasters" rather than useable CDs.
• If your CD burning machine is going to have any other job in addition to burning CDs, either turn off the imageOnTheFly or run the test suggested in the configuration file. Otherwise you're going to end up with a lot more "coasters" than useable CDs.
• If you are concerned about people trying to access this tool from outside your network, you can, among other things, change the portNo value. Just be sure to look in /etc/services to make sure you're not usurping a port that will cause a conflict. High numbers are best.
• If you want to allow your users to check on the server's status, set a value for the statusPortNo port. Once again, look to /etc/services and choose a port that isn't being used. High numbers are best.
• You can reduce or raise the number of clients that are allowed to be connected at once using the maxOpenConnections value. If you find that the machine is creating many "coasters" and think it might be due to client load, then definitely lower this value and see if the situation improves.

Once you've finished editing this file, save it and restart the server by typing the appropriate version of /etc/rc.d/init.d/CDWserver restart for your distribution.

Next: Setting Up the Client Machine »