When you look at that old single core machine you probably see a pile of junk. You might even think that the components are so old they couldn't be used for anything. Well I'm here to tell you they are good for something. I will concede they are not up to playing the latest games and running modern programs (at least in the windows world) but they are still useful machines. Some of my ideas may call for an upgrade or two, but most of these ideas can make use out of your hardware as is.
Build A Firewall/Router
A firewall can be built using little more than a Pentium II system, two NICs, and 256 MB RAM. Download and install a Linux distro that is designed to act as a firewall/router, and you are ready to go. The low hardware requirements and easy setup make this an easy project for anyone with a little tech know-how and tight budget. A couple of distros worth mentioning are Devil Linux and IP Cop.
Setup An Internet Surfer
These can be built with a Pentium III system with 512 MB RAM and a NIC. Add Xubuntu, Lubuntu and you are set. For systems that have at least a 1GHz processor and 1GB of RAM, you could install Ubuntu or PC Linux. I like to clear off the desktop and add a shortcut to Firefox and rename it "Internet". It's an easy solution for visitors, and it reduces the possibility of compromising your machine.
Build A File Server
A simple server to store and serve up files is cheap and easy to build. A Pentium III with 512 MB RAM should do nicely. I'm not talking about RAID arrays. Just a simple file server for storing files and backups. Gentoo or Slackware are good choices for this. For the average home user, this will do nicely. Grab an account with a dynamic DNS provider like No-IP.com and access your files from everywhere.
Setup A PBX
If you still use telephones, you could build a PBX system. The faster the system the better, but you could build a PBX capable of handling 1-2 lines with a Pentium III equipped with 512 MB RAM. This project isn't simple or easy. For starters you can't use just any hardware for connectivity. Setting one up requires doing research and LOTS of configuration time. If you are looking for a challenging project, this is for you. Visit Asterisk to get started.
Media Center
You will need a Pentium IV system, 2 GB of RAM, TV tuner, and all of the disk space you can stuff into it. Luckily there are a few great options for software. If you are running Winders, Media portal is a great open source option, if you do not own Windows Media Center Edition, or XBMC. For Linux there is MythTV, XBMC, LinuxMCE, and GeeXboX. All of them have enough skins, features, and plugins to make a really nice media center.
Setup A MAME Box
Go to MameDev.org and load it on your old Windows box. Then head out to Cool Rom or ROM World to grab a few ROMs. Mame is a ROM emulator that runs old video game ROMs that are no longer being marketed. If your box will run Windows, it will most certainly run MAME. This is a great way to put old joysticks to use as well.
Setup an Active Directory Domain
Depending on the version of Windows Server you have, a Pentium III with 512 MB RAM should suffice. Load up Windows Server, configure Active Directory, and add it to your network. It's a great way of adding security and control to your network.
Build A RADIUS Server
Add authentication to your network with a RADIUS server. FreeRADIUS.org offers a free Linux based RADIUS server to install on your machine. A Pentium II with 256 MB RAM should be sufficient to run a small home RADIUS server.
Honeypot
Configure any old machine, put it in your DMZ, and hack it. Invite your friends to hack it. This is a great way to learn computer security. It's fun, too.
Serve Your Website
For small personal sites, this is the way to go. Pentium III with 512 MB RAM. Grab an account at No-Ip.com and serve your visitors from home.
Surveillance
Hook up a few cams, grab EyeSpyFX.com software, and make it accessible from everywhere. I would recommend a Pentium III, at least 768 MB RAM, and 100 GB disk for recording, less disk space if not. This makes good use of those old webcams.
Jukebox
Install Winamp and load it down with your favorite songs. Add some quality powered speakers, or connect to your stereo for hours of non-stop music.
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