Looking at setting up my own server. What do I need?

[bernse]

The folks have retired to the Carribean and have built their retirement house with 3 extra suites for rent (right on the beach in Belize if anyone is interested... )

Anyhow, I want to start a website for their business. You know, so people can see it, rates, email/contact info, yadda.

What do I need to accomplish this? I have never designed a webpage before but I am somewhat computer literate. I intend to learn as I go making one.

1) Can someone recomend some software for me? The webpage will not be elaborate by anymeans. How about easy to use shareware/freeware if such a thing exists. If not, how about other commercial software?

2) I plan on actually having a server myself in my own house. One of the reasons is I may (if tax laws make it worthwhile) start a small business with this and take advantage of some tax breaks (even though I will probably have only 1 customer!)

What do I need on the hardware end of it for the "server?" Would a small PC be good enough? (Say, P3-500)? I doubt it will be a very high traffic website. Hardware firewall as well? What about hard drive(s)? Remember, I suspect this will be a very small site... I'd be suprised if the whole site will be larger than 2MB or so and traffic won't be "massive".

3) Internet connection. I am assuming a "business/server package" of some sort with my ISP that'll give me a static IP is needed?

What else is required?

 

[rudder]

many webhosting places have templates you can use. Start there then play around with a free editor like 1stpage2000.

EDIT: and many cable companies will charge more for business use of their bandwidth. They probably wouldn't notice just one site though.

 

[Skiddex]

for a easy to setup and manage webpage, check out www.opensourcecms.com requires setting up apache, php, and mysql, but there are so many tutorials to do this. search "LAMP" on google and there are some good sites. Linux Apache Mysql Php is what the acronym stands for.

 

[MattCo]

Set up the server in Belize and put a gambling operation on it.

-MC

 

[DaveSimmons]

2) I plan on actually having a server myself in my own house. One of the reasons is I may (if tax laws make it worthwhile) start a small business with this and take advantage of some tax breaks (even though I will probably have only 1 customer!)

Trying for a profit or (what it sounds like) a big paper loss?

Unless you're making a profit or really know what you're doing, this is an invitation to an audit and some penalties. The IRS looks hard at anyone with a home business that's always losing money, and most/all of your losses can't be applied against your other (non-business) income anyway.

You're probably better off just getting them some very relaible hosting at www.pair.com for under $20 a month.

 

[Warthog912]

I'm goin out on a limb here-

I would say number one needed thing
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Electricity?

 

[damiano]

Originally posted by: MattCo
Set up the server in Belize and put a gambling operation on it.

-MC

that sounds cool
if you offer the server open the company there and provide an ISP
i will do the programming

 

[bernse]

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons

2) I plan on actually having a server myself in my own house. One of the reasons is I may (if tax laws make it worthwhile) start a small business with this and take advantage of some tax breaks (even though I will probably have only 1 customer!)

Trying for a profit or (what it sounds like) a big paper loss?

Unless you're making a profit or really know what you're doing, this is an invitation to an audit and some penalties. The IRS looks hard at anyone with a home business that's always losing money, and most/all of your losses can't be applied against your other (non-business) income anyway.

You're probably better off just getting them some very relaible hosting at www.pair.com for under $20 a month.

Opportunity for a tax write offs more than anything. It'd be a nice bonus if on paper I could turn a smalll profit, but realistically, since they'd be the only customer it'd probably be $100 year if I was lucky.

I'm not in the US, but I suspect Revenue Canada would put a business that continually loses money under a microscope too, so it might not be the best idea.

"Whaddya mean you never expected to make money" they'd say?