How to set up a home server?

If you want it set up as an active directory domain you need a server OS. This is also a bit much on the administrative side for your needs. If you mean a DNS domain, you'll need a registered domain or use a free dynamic dns service like no-ip.com. If you have a registered domain, you can get a freeware dynamic dns client and transefer your nameservers over to zoneedit.com (another free service). Honestly, I don't think you need a server to accomplish what you want to do - unless you have quite a few users, but it sound like it's just you. A desktop OS can be configured to do all of the thing you mention.

Simple question.... complex answer.... First poster said: "Enable File Sharing" Ok - how do you do that you may wonder. Now the answer starts to mushroom in complexity. If you know about PCs but are unfamiliar with the terms "domain controller" "NAT" "A Record" "LDAP", you might be biting off more than you are willing to chew without needing to do so. It doesn't sound like its necessary to setup a domain so why bother? You could instead get a network attached storage device and use a workgroup setup.... But what does that mean. I don't mean to be insulting if I have been but to me it sounds like if you want function, just hire someone to set it up for you or if you want to experiment, just dive in and run into problems then figure out solutions. That's how I learned most everything I know about computers. I learned about DNS because terms like "A Record" and "NAT" became important to what I wanted to do, so when they came up I learned about them and that knowledge has payed itself back time and time again - now, I can follow, participate and lead and training session on DNS or come up with a plan on how to implement the DNS aspect in an enterprise network... not to mention understand, fix and optimize... and know why, a current DNS implementation. I build my first computer for college when I was a Chemical Engineering major. Intel PII 233, 6GB hardrive, 128 MB ram. Windows NT 4.0 Workstation - call me a glutton for punishment. It was state of the art at the time... I hope that doesn't date me too much. I still have AND still use that computer. lol I ended up breaking my computer enough I learned to fix it and now, due to that knowledge and experience gained then and over the years, am an IT professional doing actual work in a company with 400 users spread along 10 locations. The best lessons are learned the hard way - if you never make mistakes or run into problems, you never learn problem solving or the deeper understanding needed to do so. There is no better teacher than hands on, real world experience. A text book will only take you so far, experiencing first hand the examples you see IN the text book will take you quite far. That said - go for it.... just find your own answers. The easy answer now might help in the moment... until you need another easy answer. Better to have the knowledge so you don't have to ask the question right?

you really do not need a dedicated home server to do all the things you mentioned but Windows server 2003 is pretty good but all you really need is all your computers connected to a router enable file sharing and get a network printer and you shood be able to accomplish all the tasks you mentioned

Windows Home server, in this its a wizz to set up printer sharing and file sharing but i dont know anything about setting up a domain though, sorry. You can use any printer on a network because the network setup files/drivers should be on the printer drivers disk. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Windows-Home-Server-Win32-English/dp/B000VWW8QQ/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=software&qid=1204660689&sr=8-1 http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Windows-Home-Server-OEM/dp/B000VWW8QQ/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=software&qid=1204660725&sr=8-3 Good Luck!

really the best in my opinion would be debian, windows server is rather awefull, it is very buggy

ARRRGH!!! Why is everyone reccomending windows as a server operating system? Why would anyone reccomend windows whatsoever, let alone as a server! Get Ubuntu Server, its brilliant

Anything Windows 2000 and up shoiuld be fine. File, print, and connection sharing are all built into those OS's. For remote software, try RealVNC, TightVNC, UltraVNC, or a web application like TeamViewer or SkyFex. Make sure your firewall is enabled with the right port settings for these if you decide to use them.

As others have mentioned below, you can do most of what you want using your existing OS. The problem comes in when you want to make it a domain controller. You need a server OS to make it a domain controller. You cannot do this using Windows 2000 home\pro or XP home\pro.