Hosting a small web server using IIS???

[Jeff7181]

I was wondering if anyone could kinda point me in the right direction to getting a web server started for myself and my friends.
What I want to do, is build web server that will allow each user to log in and modify his or her own page... and I want the page hosted on my computer. My friends are willing to chip in to get me an internet connection capable of hanlding 5 to 6 web pages with no trouble, so that's not a problem.
I just figured out how to set up a basic FTP server, and I'm not too sure about the web server... can could someone explain how that would work?
BTW... I'm using Windows .NET 2003 Server for now... just got a beta copy from Microsoft through their CPP. But I'll probably buy a full version when I'm ready to actually get the server up and running.

 

[dawks]

You go to Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs > Add/Remove Windows Components > IIS (check the box). It will probably ask for the CD.

You will then get IIS Admin Panel in your 'Administrative Tools'. That will allow you to administrate websites. And FTP users.

To control users, you Right Click on My Computer, Choose Manage, go to Users. There you can add/remove users.

Make sure you visit windows update regularly, and keep your eyes open for patches please!

 

[jhu]

why windows 2003 server? why not something cheaper?

 

[dawks]

Windows 2003 Web Edition is only $399. Not too expensive... :sun:

 

[Nothinman]

Windows 2003 Web Edition is only $399. Not too expensive...

And downloading Debian or FreeBSD costs a few hours of time, a lot less expensive.

 

[TheOmegaCode]

$399 is a hell of a lot of money, well at least to me. Especially if you're just going to serve up a few web pages. I mean I know a lot people have a big beef with learning a new operating system, but c'mon. I'd much rather spend a few hours learning how to setup apache and proftpd on RedHat before I dish out $399...

 

[Jeff7181]

I'm using the beta version of .NET 2003... I don't plan on buying the full version... what I meant was A full version... either Windows 2000 or Windows XP.

I have a few distro's of Linux... but I'm not very good with Linux, and I was told if you don't know what you're doing, a Linux server can be less secure than a Windows server.

I don't really know what I'm doing, I'm just throwing around the idea and trying to learn what I can.

I've set up a Web Server... and tried to allow users to edit their own page by going to my ftp site... but I can't seem to set it up so that one user, and only one user has the ability to edit his own folder, and only his folder. Seems like it's either all or nothing.

Someone was talking about setting up NTFS permission... but I don't know what they're talking about.

Do any of you know of a web site or something that would have the information I'm looking for?

 

[Powersupply]

Hello!

Firstly you have to create limited accounts with passwords for all your users in the Control panel -> User Accounts.

In ftproot you create bunch of folders all corresponding to a username. Then set the permission so that only the admin, IUSR_COMPUTERNAME and the corresponding user may access that folder (full permission for admin and whatever you want for the user and read for IUSR_COMPTERNAME). Now, when users log on with their username and password to your ftp they will automaticly start in the folder corresponding to their username.

Then create virtual directories in computer managment -> IIS ->Web Sites - > Default Web Site -[right click] -> New -> virtual directory... (name it username and let it point to the username folder)
The web address will be [your ip]/username. If you want som sort of name instead of your ip go to www.no-ip.com or www.dydns.org.

A problem with this solution is that all users have to have access to you ftproot, which means that all of the users may see what other users are on the server (although not acessing that folder if you got your permissions set right).

I also really don't know how secure this solution is.


Reply if you got a problem
/ Pollux


[edit = spelling]

 

[jhu]

what I meant was A full version... either Windows 2000 or Windows XP

ok, that makes more sense. xp should be stable enough for a web server.

 

[dawks]

XP is more then stable enough for a webserver. I running a webserver on this box, and still use it everyday on average for 6-7 hours.. and its been up for 67 days now.

One thing to note, if your using 2K Pro or XP, with IIS, your limited to 10 conncurent connections.. If you plan on more traffic, you'll want to consider apache, or Windows 2000/2003 Server with IIS/Apache. Otherwise users will be getting 'Server too Busy' errors..

 

[Nothinman]

I have a few distro's of Linux... but I'm not very good with Linux, and I was told if you don't know what you're doing, a Linux server can be less secure than a Windows server.
...
Someone was talking about setting up NTFS permission... but I don't know what they're talking about.

Sounds like you don't know either system very well, setting up either one will require a lot of learning. The difference being that it's alot easier to think you've set things up properly in Windows when you really havn't.

 

[spyordie007]

Originally posted by: Nothinman

I have a few distro's of Linux... but I'm not very good with Linux, and I was told if you don't know what you're doing, a Linux server can be less secure than a Windows server.
...
Someone was talking about setting up NTFS permission... but I don't know what they're talking about.

Sounds like you don't know either system very well, setting up either one will require a lot of learning. The difference being that it's alot easier to think you've set things up properly in Windows when you really havn't.

This is really true, you should stop and spend some time reading about how to set either up before you get started, otherwise it will get compromised, unstable, insecure or otherwise.

Windows 2003 server is nice in that many of it's packages (including IIS) are much more secure "out of the box" than any of the prievious versions of windows simply because they have it set to not install quite nearly as much "extras" during a "default" install. If you are planning on using 2K or XP for your server I would recomend starting there rather than 2K3 because it will give you a false impression of how to use IIS on 2K/XP.

Also if you dont know what NTFS permissions are than I would recommend learning before you install IIS on any box. Lastly (and this goes without saying) please please please make sure you patch it completely (Windows updates will do this for you) immediatly after you install IIS.

-Spy