apache for a newb

[ndsbass]

hello i am extremely new and dont have very much expierence so please be patient. I dont know if this is the right forum to post in but i didnt know where else to post. I have a few questions about apache and hosting a web server off my computer

1. Apache can be used to host a website off my computer right?
2. I would need to write the page in html?
3. How does it work? Is there an website that will help me figure out what im doing? I checked the faq online but it doesnt really help
4. can i use the dns that is supplied from my isp?
5. the website would be in www.___.com form, right?
6. Will the ip assigned by my isp always stay the same?
7. If my ip from my isp were to change, would people still be linked to my page?

 

[EVILISCIOUS]

1.If you use Windows, its much easier for a beginner to host a website using IIS rather than apache.

2.You can author static pages in HTML, this is the most basic form of web designing.

3. Consult man's best friend- Googlebot

4.Its advisable that you use a 3rd party dynamic DNS service if you are hosting the website off of your own computer.

5.Yes your website would be domain.com/.net/.whatever

6. You need to check with your ISP. If you have a dedicated IP address, then most definitely YES.

7.In theory yes, but its not advisable as DNS propogation throughout the internet (13 international domain root servers) takes 24 to 48 hours. That means everytime your IP changes, it could take 24 to 48 hours for all visitors to access your website.

 

[Computergen1]

Just do this....download wamp5...use google. Make sure u install on the partition windows is on.

Go to dydns.org and register with either a dynamic or static ip...depends on ur ISP. make sure port 80 can be forwarded...and BAM!

 

[ndsbass]

thanks for the help

Thanks for the help everybody im just a little confused with the dns. first of all what is its purpose? Do i have to buy a dns in order to host a site? my isp provides a dns, but i cant host using it? im not really sure what dns is lol

thanks again

 

[EVILISCIOUS]

LOL. The internet as we know it wouldn't exist without DNS!

DNS stands for domain name server/system(s). The DNS system is what points your domain name to the server your website is hosted on! Without DNS, people would have to enter whole IP addresses into their web browser rather than a domain name.

Heres some in-depth information
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domain_Name_System

 

[ndsbass]

lol i thought it had something to do with routing you to the correct ip but i wasnt sure. thanks.

edit: so the dns that i get from my isp is really the ip of the dns server? or something? lol anyway i still have to buy a domain name, correct? Even if im running the server? sorry im such a newb lol just trying to get some free hosting for my band that i can run and to also learn a little bit about the networking/internet side of my computer.

edit 2: ok i think im starting to get this. so you can register your domain name for a fee? could i still use my computer to host this domain? if so how does the domain site i register with know where to find my server? (do i give it my ip address?)

 

[^Mike^]

yes you still must register a domain name. (oops i just now relized this is a ancient thread sry for Resurrecting it)

 

[-Paul-]

can you use appache without registering, i justwant to put pictures up there and my friends to view them, so they could just type in my IP

 

[Rugmuncher]

To be honest mate, i think the best option for you would be to go and BUY some hosting.

It will save a lot of your issues, and your webhost can give you a lot of answers related to your questions.

It isn't the best thing to do, to run a web server on a home computer on a residential connection. Most ISP's do not allow you to run servers on the residential address, as they usaully state in there terms and conditions that you are not allowed to run web servers on your internet connection to them.

With a webhost, your website is on 24/7 on a high speed connection with backup systems in place.

The good things about having your own web server on your pc;

You can edit the page live.
You manage the web server.

The bad things about having your own web server...

You can get hacked in a matter of seconds.
Your PC cannot handle thousands of requests.
The connection is most likely going to crumble if you get a DDOS attack.
The dns system is not ideal.

Go and check out some prices for webhosting, some ofthem offer deals with free domain names.

You should be using google a lot more, and wikipedia. You could have found a lot of these answers on the forum already.

Good luck ^.^