Setting up a server over a network

Brian_McCoy

Hi
I am working on setting up a small Apache/PHP/MySQL server on my computer. However, my computer is over a network and cannot be viewed by anyone else. How would I set it up so others outside of my network can see my site? I am running Windows 98SE and my host is running Windows XP Home Edition if it helps..

Merve

You have to configure Apache a certain way. I'm sure it's somewhere in the documentation. Sorry I couldn't be of more help 🙂

flashgc

You don't really say it in your post but it sounds like you can access the server OK from the other PC on the LAN but nobody can see it from 'outside'. You also don't specify what you're using for a router. Are you using Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) on one of the PCs or do you have a seperate bit of hardware for that function?

The key phrase you're looking for is 'port forwarding'. Web requests typically are addressed to port 80 though it can differ in some circumstances. You have to configure your router to forward any requests addressed to port 80 to the IP address of your server.

Another consideration is domain name. Is your WAN IP address registered with Domain Name Servers? If not, then anyone on the outside will have to know explicitly what your WAN IP address is to send the request (that is, by typing your IP address into the address bar in their browser).

That's about all I can do with the information provided. Hope it helps.

LordShryku

As a side note, most reegular ISP's won't allow you to run a web server from your home line. May want to check with them first.

piersk

Originally posted by LordShryku
As a side note, most reegular ISP's won't allow you to run a web server from your home line. May want to check with them first.

Although, unless they actually have some sort of port blocking in progress, who's going to know 😉

Note that I don't condone having servers that go against your ISP's T&Cs

LordShryku

Well, port blocking is not really prohibited I don't think. At least, not in the states. But port monitoring is. Seeing HTTP traffic requests to an ISP subscriber's box is a good indication. Cox is fairly quick with that. I ran mine or anout 10 minutes one day, and they shut me down. Da bastads! 🙂

flashgc

... since it doesn't take long for a web server to eat up everyone elses reverse bandwidth. DSL is less sensitive to it since subscriber bandwidth is dedicated back to the switch.

Merve

Originally posted by piersk
Although, unless they actually have some sort of port blocking in progress, who's going to know 😉

Note that I don't condone having servers that go against your ISP's T&Cs

Rogers wouldn't even let me set up a test server on my computer. So I switched to Sympatico and now me is happy. There is a certain IP configuration for Apache that would allow you to do this; I'm sure of that, I just don't know what exactly it is.

piersk

Originally posted by LordShryku
Well, port blocking is not really prohibited I don't think. At least, not in the states.

Huh? Whats that got to do with the price of fish? What I meant was that the ISP might be blocking incoming packets on port 80.

Personally, my ISP is great (Plus Net) if you're in the UK and interested. My household (i.e. me and 3 housemates) pay £34.99 a month for 1MB download. V nice and they don't care about you running servers. They specifically say that if you want your email for @.plus.com forwarded to your own mailserver, then they will set up the MX records for you! how cool is that?

Brian_McCoy

I don't use a router. The cable goes from NIC to NIC

flashgc

Originally posted by Brian McCoy
I don't use a router. The cable goes from NIC to NIC

OK, that describes how the two PCs are networked together. Now, how is that network connected to the internet? Does one of the PCs have two NICs and using ICS?