I have 5 unused Dell desktop computers in my laboratory.
I would like to make them available for BOINC crunching, but I have two limitations: space and only 1 network socket available.
Is there an easy way to make them available for BOINC and control them together using only 1 monitor, 1 keyboard and 1 mouse, and having available only 1 network socket?
What would be the easier and cheaper way?
What software/hardware should I install? Should I use a router or a network hub?
All the computers are the same model. They don't have wifi card, only a single socket network card each one, and Ubuntu as operative system.
Thanks all!

Even if the way to do it is not easy, I am interested :)

If you can install e.g. e,g, WINE as a Windows emulator, then BOINCTasks would be your ticket to ride. It can manage hundreds of clients at the same time.

P.S. Did you have a problem to post before, as in 1st post today Jan.22, as your account was created on Dec.5?

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Coelum Non Animum Mutant, Qui Trans Mare Currunt

Is there an easy way to make them available for BOINC and control them together using only 1 monitor, 1 keyboard and 1 mouse, and having available only 1 network socket?

Yes!

You need an ethernet switch to connect them all to the LAN. Shouldn't cost much, but go for a decent brand as the $20 cheapo ones tend to die just out of warrantee :)

Ubuntu will easily allow remote login so that you can control the machine as if you were sitting at it - Zero cost!

Not sure what sort of machine you want to connect to them with. I think again that's all part of Ubuntu (I don't do it this way myself), but if you want to connect from a Windows machine you just need a VNC client. TightVNC is fine. In either case ... Zero cost!

FWIW, I run about a dozen 'headless' machines running a mixure of Ubuntu and Win XP. I access them all via VNC from the only machine with keboard, monitor and mouse. I find it simple, reliable, and cheap (apart from the cost of a couple of network switches).

HTH.

Cheers,

Al.

Thanks guys,
I will try your solutions.
It is going to take a while, first of all I have to get the ethernet switch.
I will keep you posted. I will reply with the solution that works for me here, just in case anybody else have the same question than me.

About your question, SekeRob2:

P.S. Did you have a problem to post before, as in 1st post today Jan.22, as your account was created on Dec.5?

I don't know if I get what you mean. I posted once before for first time, weeks ago, you can check it out by clicking on my name. When I realized that somebody replied I already found an acceptable solution by my own.

Thanks.

My problem here was that those computer are connected to a big network that, as far as I understand, is like compartimentalized. Meaning that: I can't connect directly to these computers from outside, with the same methods that I am using inside the building. Also, I can't see the computers on the network when I am in a different floor. I am not an expert on networks so I needed some time to find a good solution:
Finally what I did was:
- Buy an ethernet switch, not very cheap, not very expensive.
- Install Ubuntu from scratch in all of them.
- Install all of this in every computer:
---- TeamViewer (that allows me to connect from outside through the port 80).
---- Configure/install the Desktop Sharing / Remote Desktop Viewer program coming with Ubuntu.
---- Install openssh-server and ssh packages.

I personally like working with GUIs, so I prefer to use TeamViewer or Desktop Sharing. Teamviewer crashes sometimes, so if that happens, I can connect to one of the computers using Desktop Sharing and using that, connect to the desktop of the computer where Teamviewer crashed. Also, if things go complicated at some moment or the graphic system crashes, I use ssh and the terminal window.
Also I have to consider little details, like disabling the keyboard checking of the BIOS in some computers, etc.

Thanks for your help!
Now the grid of BOINC is a little bit bigger.