Hosting at home

How do you host at home over broadband?

[nevpugh68]

Hello all! A webmasterworld.com and web master newbie here! :)

I'd like to try my hand at setting up a spare PC I've got kicking round as a web server (Windows 2000 Server), connected to the world via my 600k BB link. The site is always going to be very low traffic, and is more of a play and learn really, so I can't imagine I'm going to get hassle from my ISP. (?)

I've already got static IP addresses on my existing PC's, but what I dont know is, after I've registered my new domain name how do I link the two together ... i.e. how do I tell the world that when someone types www.something.com that it's got to come to my PC?

Many thanks in advance!
Neville

[edited by: JamesR at 4:51 pm (utc) on Aug. 4, 2003]
[edit reason] please, no sig URLs per terms of service [/edit]

[JamesR]

Welcome to WebmasterWorld Neville.

You have to have a name server set up and then point your domains to that through your domain registrar.

Have you checked microsoft.com for information on how to do this?

[Stretch]

This should help get you started:

www.diywebserver.com

There may be stuff it doesn't cover so ask here for details if needs be. I'm sure someone will be able to help.

Cheers

Stretch

[Stretch]

Oh yeah. Welcome to webmasterworld! [webmasterworld.com]

[moltar]

There are many web services that will provide you with DNS either for free, or for a low fee.

I sent you a sticky with few addresses.

[nevpugh68]

Thanks for the welcome's guys .... I've been a lurker for a while, thought it was about time I showed my head above the parapet :)

And thanks for the links (and the email moltar) ... some interesting reading, I'll check these out .... (just reading diywebserver now ....)

Ta :)

[g1smd]

Hmm, I know someone who uses no-ip.com to achieve the desired result.

There are several other firms also providing a similar service.

[petertdavis]

Be sure to check that your ISP allows this. I know a lot of ISPs disallow it in their TOS. Mine does.

[gangstah]

Hi,

I've got my Web site running at home and am using one of the free dns groups to handle those issues.

The only thing you have to worry about is SECURITY, SECURITY AND SECURITY.

I'd pick up a book on it if I were you regardless of which OS / Web server you were using. I use IIS I'm AMAZED at all of the steps that need to be done to ensure a safe site. I'm sure apache is no different.

Plus I'm going to have to put down some cash for a good UPS system for my modem, router, switch, and Web server so that I can run sites when my power goes out.

Also in the future I'll probably have to look into getting extra IPs from my ISP so that I can handle SSL transactions (using host headers right now). What a whip.

But it is pretty cool opening www.somesite.com and knowing that it's running on the computer behind you.

[moltar]

My ISP disallows home servers as well, unless I sign up for "business connection" which is basically the same thing, except 3 times more expensive :)

I am still running a webserver at home. I have almost no traffic and they never said anything...

Although I was running an FTP server before, and after 8GB of traffic in 2 weeks, they sent me an email with my server headers, threatening to discontinue the service unless I remove the server. At least they warned me :)

[nevpugh68]

Thank you everyone for your thoughts and information. I've decided that, even though I still want to do this at some point when I'm less busy (just for the fun/interest factor) I think it's something I'd best leave for the moment, and go with a free/cheap hosting company.

But thankyou again :-)