configuring a public server rather than a production server

noob question

[shadowrelm]

ok I know this is going to be a noob question and you all are going to roll your eyes and rub your forhead but here goes. I have downloaded the windows xp version of apache 2 and am ready to install it. it is pretty straight forward but I do have a question. in the fields were you put in your server information A.K. server domain and server name all the articles I have found, and books i have read, say use localhost in both. This is usually for having a production server for the testing of scripts. If I want a funcional server to actually host live web sites what do I use for server domain and server name? do i still use localhost, or do i use a name of my own making? and for the WWW.servername.com do i have to register that said domain name? Again this is a stupid, noob, point fingers and laugh question, be we all have to start someone where and I need your help.

[jdMorgan]

> WWW.servername.com do i have to register that said domain name

Yes, register that domain name, and use it as the servername.

Newbies welcome -- Anybody who "laughs" gets booted.

Jim

[shadowrelm]

ok thanks!

here's another one, I have installed apache (just by going through the prompts) and everything seems to be running fine. I have the feather with the green triangle in the tray. How do i configure apache for the best performance and how do I set up the directories and folders for the web sites I want to host on the server.
I have no ambitions of running a hosting company just hosting sites for myself and a few friends.
Does anyone know of any artilces, tuts, or books that can explain how to do that? I have looked at a few I found online but as i said erlier, most only deal with linux, unix, and installing the apache server. When you get past that the articles seam to dry up and those that deal with windows are virtually nonexistant.

[coopster]

Yes, Welcome to WebmasterWorld, shadowrelm!

The Apache [httpd.apache.org] pages are a resource that you will use quite often. The manual for each version can be found in the links on the left of that page under "Documentation". (Your local installation probably also has the manual installed as well). One of the best ways to learn how to use Apache is to find and open the

httpd.conf

configuration file and start reading through it. For each directive that you are unfamiliar with, read the comments but then also read the associated manual page for that directive. Yes, it will take a little time but well worth the investment to fully understand the HTTP server.

The Documentation pages also have a section titled "Performance Tuning" that you can read through.

[shadowrelm]

if i register www.servername.com do I have to use that registered domain as my personal web page? I have a domain picked out for that and it is available so if I do have to use that one thats fine I am just not sure about the usuall proticals for such things. If I have to register www.servername.com and then www.mypage.com thats fine to I just want to be clear.

[coopster]

Not quite sure I follow you here but if you have a domain name registered and that is the name that you are going to be hosting on your server then yes, that is the name you will use for the ServerName [httpd.apache.org].

[shadowrelm]

sorry I guese i wasn't very clear on my last post so let me try and explain the question better. I have a domain that I am going to use as my personal web page. I am trying to get more into the web design field and am going to use this site to display my skills and to try and drum up some business. Now I have my server up and running that I am planning on running this personal advertising site on. Right now I am not planning to be a small hosting company, I really only want to get the server up and running to host my sites and maybee one or two of a friend of mine (he is a gammer and wants to make a fan site). But lets say that one thing leads to another and I want to be a small hosting company. Should I register my servername as something different than my advertising site just to keep things seperate should i decide to host more sites someday, or should my registerd domain for my site be the same that I am going to use for my servername? I know it seams rather complex but if i need to create another domain for my server I need to start thinking along those lines or just shut up and use the www.mysite.com as both. God I feel stupid

[jdMorgan]

Still not sure I can answer your question, but here are some facts:

You can register more than one domain -- as many as you can afford.
You can host multiple domains on one server -- See "Name-based virtual servers"
You can 'break up' a big site into several smaller ones by using subdomains of the main domain.
Subdomains are part of the main domain, and therefore don't need to be registered separately.
You can create as many subdomains as you like, such as search.google.com, gmail.google.com, and www.google.com -- all are subdomains of the google.com domain.
Subdomains can co-exist on the same server, or be assigned to different servers, as you like.

Jim