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How to host webpage from my computer...

H

homestarmy

Diamond Member
So I got a domain name for free, and I have a dynamic DNS service set up that I have been using for some time (for remote desktop mainly). I have also told it to forward my dynamic dns address. What is the next step? My girlfriend is learning to make webpages, so that is not the issue, but rather, what program do I need to have running on my computer to be able to serve a page? Will I need to set up any port forwarding on my router, what do I need to set up as far as DNS is concerned?

Or if there is a good guide on how to do this, please point me to it, thanks!
 
You have to run a web server such as Apache and forward port 80 to your PC. You don't need to do anything more with DNS.

It seems like you don't know much about the internet though, so if you just want to learn how to make websites you might want to get a free/cheap account with a hosting company instead, for ease of use and security reasons.

 
As Atheus notes, you really should consider just using an inexpensive external host. There are good hosting services for $10 per year (using Linux servers). Godaddy.com will give you a Windows host (if you need .ASP) for $50 a year. All of these services also include free email hosting, so you can use that domain name for your email, too.

Hosting from your own PC is fraught with complications. First, most ISPs block the necessary inbound Port 80 communciations. Second, hacking web servers is a favorite passtime of bored hackers.

Otherwise, yeah, find some web server software (Apache or IIS (if you have XP Pro)). Forward port 80 to your router (if it isn't being blocked by your ISP, which it likely is). Open up any firewalls you have on your PC to allow inbound Port 80 packets. Establish a public NameServer for your Domain and configure it to forward mydomain.com and www.mydomain.com traffic to your dynamic IP address.
 
I wouldn't go as far to say I don't know much about the internet, but obviously I don't know anything about hosting a page.

I am thinking of setting up a secondary server to dl my torrents and supply me with something to remote into from work without kicking my girlfriend off of my computer. She is very interested in being able to host from there also. I will have to check into whether or not Port 80 is blocked by my ISP. I am using earthlink currently through the Brighthouse Networks network in Central Florida if you guys might have ran into that previously.
 
Well, if you don't need to host a PUBLIC web server, you can always have your web server listening on a non-standard port, which won't be blocked by your ISP. There are also ways to automatically redirect web requests from port 80 to a non-standard port. They have some limitations, but if you only need to host a single web site, the automatic redirection can work.
 
I might look into that. My girlfriend might want to use it from school. However, she could always remote desktop (though she is working on macs most of the time - that may not be an option).

If she wants to make a real page, I do have 500MB hosted, and I have confirmed that forwarding her domain, redzazel.com, to it works. I just put up a simple test page and it was able to load.
 
Originally posted by: homestarmy
I might look into that. My girlfriend might want to use it from school. However, she could always remote desktop (though she is working on macs most of the time - that may not be an option).
Click to expand...
You can't use Remote Desktop from a Mac. There ARE other (not free) solutions.
 
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