"server" program?
 

I have completed the upgrades on my old computer and it is ready to be turned intoa server. I tried out a few programs on download.com and did not like them. It is behind a firewall and a router (7 other pcs on network).. needs to be accessed from outside network, something user friendly,
any suggetions??

so wait.. you have a hardware firewall/router.. and from that router you have 8 pcs connecting (including this old one?). Depending on what you want to serve to the outside world (http? ftp?) you'll have to set up certain ports for port forwarding on your firewall/router (going to this "server" machine).

For http server software, I suggest the popular Apache program.

Oh btw, I'm assuming your router/firewall is acting as a DHCP server (or you have static IPs correctly set up)

definitely apache for http, and for ftp, Serv-U can't be beat for ease of use, functionality and security.

Talking to the people that were here when it was setup they have said the firewall is "in the dsl", but they aren't too computer literate. How do i enable the ports on this closet router box?

Youre gonna have to look in the manual for that one--it varies based on who made it. Most have a web-based admin.

Correct. And if they don't have web-based admin, they'll definitely (99%) have telent-based admin (port 23). Do an nmap (port scan) of your router's IP (from internally). See what ports are open on it, and try to connect to it w/ the appropriate program.

Buttttt.. that may not be what you have to do. From your description it sounds like the DSL modem is also a firewall... and that's what you need to open ports on. The modem will likely have a web-based interface for administration (and if not, telnet!) hehe.

Good luck.