Apache - link domain?

[caspergomez]

Hi guys,

I just followed instructions and installed Apache on my PC. These instructions stated I should use "localhost" as ServerName, and e-mail [e-mail].

What I don't understand is... is it possible to buy a domain (let's say www.whatever.com), and upload HTML pages and files to the Apache server on my computer so when others visit [whatever.com...] they see my website? How do I link that domain to my Apache Server?

I'm totally new to this and it's all very confusing to me. I don't really understand why they suggest using 'localhost' or what's the difference, aside from price, between Apache and using a hosting company to host my website.

THANKS!
-CG

[jdMorgan]

You need to 'register' your domain, then set up a "DNS Zone file" to point that domain name to the 'public' IP address of your server. This would be the IP address assigned to you by your ISP.

Make sure your ISP allows you to set up a public server on you account -- many don't, and we've had the case here at WebmasterWorld where a member disregarded that ISP rule, and got himself disconnected. This was particularly bad because that ISP was the only one he had access to... No more internet at all for him.

If you set up a server at home, you will need to consider the following:

You should use a hardware firewall. You will see intrusion attempt after about (on average) 17 seconds of putting your server on-line. Note that these won't necessarily be HTTP attempts and most of them won't be 'visible' without a firewall of some kind to block them and tell you they are occurring.

You should set up the server with adequate air conditioning to maintain a 22 degree Celsius operating environment.

Use one or more uninterruptable power supplies to prevent power outages to the server.

Secure the server in a locked room.

Be sure to have someone monitoring the server 24/7 to reboot it if there is a problem.

Set up a separate PC to use as a backup in case of primary server failure.

Make a backup of the site files and database (if any) every day. Copy these files to the second PC.

The above features are just some of those provided by paid hosting. While I encourage you to 'experiment' with home hosting in order to learn about Apache, I certainly won't recommend hosting an important site at home unless you never leave the house and have nothing to do but watch a server.

Note that if you put up a site, get it well-indexed, and start making money from it, and then the server fails, you will be off-line, losing search rankings and links, and losing money at precisely the time that you need to pay for repairs or new equipment.

Anyway, the key here is DNS and domain name registration [rscott.org]. If your ISP does not provide you with a fixed IP address, do a search for "Dynamic DNS" to find out more about how to get around that (with some added complication).

Jim