Serving From Home

[mat_bastian]

I'm on a cable modem. I'm running windows 2000 with apache installed as the webserver I would like to use.

In a couple of days we will be conducting our fantasy football draft and I thought I could save some money on the server if I could just host the message board (invisionboard which is installed already) we use on my wifes machine.

There are 12 guys who need access to the board for one night and after that, we won't need it again till next year.

My question is, what do I need to do to let people or tell people how to access my machine? do I just tell them my ip address and and directory path and that is that?

Can I point a domain name at the site?

Any help, instruction, or reference would be appreciated.

[roscoepico]

I sometimes serve up small pages to friends using a static IP address. I use Xitami webserver to accomplish this and it works well. I think you would be safe using this method for a small fantast football draft.

M

[EliteWeb]

Any business off of home machines Id be cautious. Here's why, ISPs often monitor their users traffic and when they see spikes for certain accounts they will monitor more and possibly block the port. Unless you have a business line which allows you to serve data you may run into problems.

Ive known too many people who based their hosting off of home solutions to save money and then they get screwed when the ISP sees an increase in data.

Our cable provider here already blocks port 80 by default so no web serving. :D

[mat_bastian]

EliteWeb... this could be, but this will be very minimal bandwidth for about 3 hours one day and then done.

Thanks roscoe I have a server installed, I really just need to know how to allow people to gain access to it.

[bakedjake]

My question is, what do I need to do to let people or tell people how to access my machine? do I just tell them my ip address and and directory path and that is that?

Sure. You can just give them the IP address, and go. They would just type the IP address in their browser's address window.

Can I point a domain name at the site?

Yes. If the IP is static, you can register a domain. Alternatively, you can set up a free dynamic DNS service; just Google for "dynamic IP service".

[EliteWeb]

Even if its only for a little bit you could still run into problems. I setup a FTP server once to trade stuph ;) and it was blocked within the hour. Id spend 5.00 a month for the hosting of it just to be sure. The 5.00 investment or however cheap ya can get hosting seems more worthwhile than the chance of it going offline. :/

[bakedjake]

I setup a FTP server once to trade stuph ;) and it was blocked within the hour.

Yes, but a high-bandwidth FTP server isn't the same as a message board for 20 friends. ;)

[EliteWeb]

LoL it was setup for 2 friends ;) Just my advise though, if its for nothing serious host it yerself if you put value on it and would be pissed if it was down have someone else host it.

You can point people directly to the IP or setup a page on your site that forwards to your IP address so they dont have to remember it.

:D