Hi,
I'm trying to set up a web server for hosting my own website using the existing PacBell DSL service. The first problem is that I have to pay PacBell for a static IP. Anyone knows way to get around with that, like can I use the assigned DHCP IP for my web server.

Besides I'm a newbie setting up web server on DSL. Can anyone give me a tutorial on what other hardware and software I need?
A procedure or your own experience is the best.

Appreciate,
Joe

Originally posted by joenq9652
Hi,
I'm trying to set up a web server for hosting my own website using the existing PacBell DSL service. The first problem is that I have to pay PacBell for a static IP. Anyone knows way to get around with that, like can I use the assigned DHCP IP for my web server.

Besides I'm a newbie setting up web server on DSL. Can anyone give me a tutorial on what other hardware and software I need?
A procedure or your own experience is the best.

Appreciate,
Joe

I don't think there is a way around the DHCP thing I think you have to get a static IP.. It should only be a couple bucks though.

Go here (http://www.dyndns.org) and get a free dynamic host name

Then go here (http://www.directupdate.net) and download the direct update program that logs into dyndns.org and updates your dynamic IP.

If you have a router that has DDNS services it most likely will be compatible with dyndns.org's services so you would not need directupdate.net's software.

Works very well, and on pacific bell's sbcglobal service.

Then go here (http://www.phpgeek.com) and download phptriad.

Or go here (http://www.foxserve.com) I believe it is and download their version of the Apache for windows, PHP/MySQL server installable.

Edit your http.conf in c:/apache/conf and you're off and running and all on a dynamic IP

Fast too

Hostbust is right in what he is saying although I have one thing to add on a different aspect.

DSL (ADSL what you probably have) - you can download at amazing speeds, but uploading data (as would be happening if you were serving web sites) will be horribly slow.

If you have more than 2 visitors on at any one time they will probably notice the web page taking ages to load!

Plus, im not sure how long it takes for a dyndns service to update, maybe Hostbust would be kind enough to tell us?

hope this helps

-XT

The update is totally seamless.

Especially with Directupdate, which can the above can even work on Dialup.

Most isp's use RFC caching which essentially caches your web page on their network, so when someone hits your web page, the next person will see a very fast page.

The cache doesnt last long but you would be amazed what a dialup web server can do with a decent ISP with correectly configured RFC

Now, with pacific bell internet services 1500/128 service, and a clean connect speed

www.dslreports.com (Go to tools, then speed tests) you should see 1220/136 to cover the 30 percent of TCP overhead.

This equates to:

135k down, and 15 to 16k up.

That is PLENTY for a personal site and will work fine it configured correctly.

Now, if that server is running on a network that has no users using file sharing programs the upload bandwidth will not become saturated and you can still use the internet at those blazing speeds. Even on dialup it works pretty good.

Once you stick a P2P file sharer in the local network it will kill your server's response, and also your internet browsing as the upload is limited.

I ran a very heavy page dialup web server that would auto dialup, then update directupdate.net as soon as a new ip is gained.

With pacific bell internet services and heavy downloading you are going to see a release of your ip every 22 to 24 hours, but if you dont use it heavly regularly it will keep its ip for up to 3 weeks.

This is not true that it will be horribly slow if two people hit the site =)

I can support 6 people hitting a local message board and still browse the net, im and just about anything else, check my 10 pop email accounts etc.

Read your terms that you signed when getting your DSL!
The guy down the street USE to host.
He moved before his court date.

Just one more comment to help out. I'm currently doing this just for hosting the various sites that I am waiting to develop (I *will* get around to them *one of these days* :) ) After you have a dyndns name and the update working (say blah.dyndns.org), you can get www.blah.com to seamlessly point to blah.dyndns.org using a CNAME record. If your registrar doesn't allow you to do this, you can use www.mydomain.com to do it for free. All you have to do is point your domain nameservers to ns1.mydomain.com, ns2.mydomain.com, etc..., and sign up with mydomain.com to serve blah.com, and then set up blah.com to be a CNAME for blah.dyndns.org.

The long and short of it is, this allows a visitor to type www.blah.com (or blah.com) in their browser and end up loading your web page from your dynamic IP DSL connection, and they'll never know it :)

Later,
Matt

Originally posted by mattr0
Just one more comment to help out. I'm currently doing this just for hosting the various sites that I am waiting to develop (I *will* get around to them *one of these days* :) ) After you have a dyndns name and the update working (say blah.dyndns.org), you can get www.blah.com to seamlessly point to blah.dyndns.org using a CNAME record. If your registrar doesn't allow you to do this, you can use www.mydomain.com to do it for free. All you have to do is point your domain nameservers to ns1.mydomain.com, ns2.mydomain.com, etc..., and sign up with mydomain.com to serve blah.com, and then set up blah.com to be a CNAME for blah.dyndns.org.

The long and short of it is, this allows a visitor to type www.blah.com (or blah.com) in their browser and end up loading your web page from your dynamic IP DSL connection, and they'll never know it :)

Later,
Matt

Matt, whenyou do this does it show domain.com/folder?

(folder)

Nope, it looks completely normal. For example, I have www.mattr.org set up this way (it's just a mostly-blank page, but you'll get the idea).

Matt

P.S. Note, if you get an error, it probably means my computer is off

My question must not have been specific enough and I apologize, but appreciate your reply.

If I can take a moment to clarify can I ask again about it by saying:

When you have a folder on your server, will the domain also show the folder's location? Or will it always be stuck at the domain.com root.

Showing the folder's contents, but only showing the domain name?

I didn't understand your question the first time. The answer is, everything works completely normal and transparently. For instance, www.mattr.org/blah/ or www.mattr.org/Rotating_Circles.jpg
(you can try them) are just files/folders like normal, and appear in the browser just like you'd expect for any other site with URLs like that.

Matt

Perfect!, thank you for the clarification.

Between hostbust's posts, and yours it becomes pretty good information.

Thank you!

i've tryed setting up a webserver on my pacbell DSL and it killed my network.. as soon as i started uploading everything died.. any ideas on ways around this? or am i stuck with not being able to host a simple site on my computer..
thanks.

Try: http://www.dslwebserver.com