I am in a real pickle. I have all my needed programs setup right and my forum setup right. It can be accessed via the localhost, but I haven't any idea how to get it set so I can use an internet address so all my members can access it. I've read the info in the Apache manuals but can't for the life of me figure it out.
A little info that you may need to help would be:
my personal copmputer ip address: 24.161.108.161
the name of the fourm program is: wbblite
what i want is to be able to access this via the internet with say an address like: www.CSF-Forum.net

can anyone help me please? Oh also I would need a step by step instruction including what control panel, if any, or file, that I will need to use and the syntax in writing here. Sorry but I really am a newbie. It took me two weeks to figure it out this far.

thanks
Pookieh

    Do you realise what you are taking on, hosting anything on the internet from home these days?
    To have a domain name that people can just type into their browser your domain name needs to be set up so that internet DNS servers point to your IP address. To do this you need to register the chosen domain name (there is a fee for this) with a registry: go to ICANN to find out more. You also need to pay a host for the DNS server service.
    You can find hosting packages that provide the lot including webspace, domain name and email for not a lot more than the name registration and DNS fee.

      Thank you for your reply, but this is not what I needed at all. You were kind to reply but, I don't want to go and pay for a name or a site or a server. I have the server on my PC. (cable modem)
      I have some friends that I trust and we all want to be able to access the forum from my computer. If I can't use a name then can I use the IP address? I know I have been able to do this with other forum servers that were not PHP , they run like an ftp server, but I would like to use the PHP forum.

      Originally posted by Roger Ramjet
      Do you realise what you are taking on, hosting anything on the internet from home these days?
      To have a domain name that people can just type into their browser your domain name needs to be set up so that internet DNS servers point to your IP address. To do this you need to register the chosen domain name (there is a fee for this) with a registry: go to ICANN to find out more. You also need to pay a host for the DNS server service.
      You can find hosting packages that provide the lot including webspace, domain name and email for not a lot more than the name registration and DNS fee.

        OK. I mistook your "address like: www.CSF-Forum.net " to mean a wider audience. Are you already running a webserver you can access from another PC at home, or do you need to set that up first?

          ok here is what I have:
          Apache2Triad, ( includes: MySQL , Apache2.0.52 - other items such as mail etc) . I also have a forum server called wbblite. All my coding is correct for all the items and the forum is accessable form local host only. What I want is for my friends to be able to log in to the forum via the www. I know I need to make a virtual host to do this but the instructions does not tell me where the info needs to go ( into the php.ini, the MySQL database etc ) It also is not clear as to what I should put in as the address. I assume now that the IP address would be what I would use. I was hoping I could give it a name and not just a number. This can be address by using a 'jump to' address that one can get from 'No IP Address' and they will forward it to the IP address given. Think that covers it a little better if not I can try to be more specific.
          thanks
          Pookie

            You setup vhosting if you want to host more than once site, most forums install as a subdirectory. Is that how yours is?

            Like mine is www.domain.com/vbulletin

            Two things you need to be aware of.

            One if you host on cable, you may need to run the site on a different port other than 80. My cable company blocks incoming 80. Most registrars will forward domains to an IP and port. But if you choose this method then you dont need to use vhosting, since you would setup every different site on a different port (That is if your incoming port 80 is blocked).

            If incoming 80 isnt blocked, then vhost would be the way to go. I wouldnt recommend domain name forwarding to your IP and port, unless you are using a free dns name.

            If you own a domain name, register it with a DNS host (I can host DNS for people) and then have it directed to your IP. Then you enter the correct nameservers (provided by the DNS Host) in your registrar. Sorry if I mentioned more than what you were looking for, but I've been in your situation already.

              ok here is some info maybe this helps explain better:

              APACHE:
              info:

              Server Version: Apache/2.0.52 (Win32) PHP/5.0.2
              Server Built: Oct 4 2004 20:45:47
              API Version: 20020903:9
              Hostname/port: localhost:80
              Timeouts: connection: 300 keep-alive: 300
              MPM Name: WinNT
              MPM Information: Max Daemons: 64 Threaded: yes Forked: no
              Server Root: E:/apache2triad
              Config File: E:/apache2triad/conf/httpd.conf

              then also this info:

              Module Name: mpm_winnt.c
              Content handlers: none
              Configuration Phase Participation: none
              Request Phase Participation: none
              Module Directives:
              ListenBacklog - Maximum length of the queue of pending connections, as used by listen(2)
              Listen - A port number or a numeric IP address and a port number
              SendBufferSize - Send buffer size in bytes
              ThreadsPerChild - Number of threads each child creates
              ThreadLimit - Maximum worker threads in a server for this run of Apache
              Win32DisableAcceptEx - Disable use of the high performance AcceptEx WinSock2 API to work around buggy VPN or Firewall software
              Current Configuration:
              ThreadsPerChild 150
              Listen 80

              MYSQL
              info:

              This will be passed to all mysql clients

              [client]
              port=3306
              user = XXXXXX (erased for security)
              password = XXXXXX (erased for security)

              and

              The MySQL server

              [mysqld]
              port=3306
              skip-locking
              default-character-set=latin1
              set-variable = key_buffer=16M
              set-variable = max_allowed_packet=1M
              set-variable = thread_stack=128K
              set-variable = flush_time=1800

              slave-load-tmpdir = e:/apache2triad/temp
              tmpdir = e:/apache2triad/temp
              basedir = e:\apache2triad\mysql
              datadir = e:\apache2triad\mysql\data
              character-sets-dir = e:\apache2triad\mysql\share\charsets
              log = e:\apache2triad\mysql\logs\myaccess.log
              log-error = e:\apache2triad\mysql\logs\myerror.log
              pid-file = e:\apache2triad\mysql\logs\mysql.pid
              log-warnings
              bind-address = 127.0.0.1

              Now what I need is all the syntex to add the forum as a VHost and where to put it etc. As you can see the Apache listens on 80. Dunno if that will mess things up or not. The Apache has set it that way.

              Thanks
              Pookie

                Id suggest using Linux for this to be usable to the outside PORT 80 will need to be unblocked and you should check your ISP TOS to make sure you do not get flamed for hosting a site, no matter how small the traffic will be some ISPs check to see what PORTS are open and recieving data.

                  Apache, IIS, all listen on port 80 by default. But that doesnt mean it will work. They all can be changed to different ports, and different sites can listen on different ports as well.

                  The way to test it is, have someone type your IP address in their browser. This has to be someone not using your internet connection. If you have a router, then use your routers WAN IP not the LAN IP. Also, the ports must be forwarded (in the router) to the IP address of the computer on your network. (that address must be assigned statically to your PC).

                  If you have a router and it is passing through port 80 and someone cannot reach your site, then go to httpd.conf and add port 81 and see if they can hit your site using port 81. Like 1.1.1.1:81

                    what I am using is a NT system and this what triad is setup to do,use the NT system. so linux is out thanks though. I don't want to use linux, I have it (bought it awhile ago, don't like it)

                    Why would it make any differenc if I am letting my friends access my PC in a fourm environment rather than a wsfp or some other ftp program . I pay for my cable modem and an extra IP number as well.

                    Originally posted by planetsim
                    Id suggest using Linux for this to be usable to the outside PORT 80 will need to be unblocked and you should check your ISP TOS to make sure you do not get flamed for hosting a site, no matter how small the traffic will be some ISPs check to see what PORTS are open and recieving data.

                      Originally posted by pookieh
                      what I am using is a NT system and this what triad is setup to do,use the NT system. so linux is out thanks though. I don't want to use linux, I have it (bought it awhile ago, don't like it)

                      Why would it make any differenc if I am letting my friends access my PC in a fourm environment rather than a wsfp or some other ftp program . I pay for my cable modem and an extra IP number as well.

                      For the same reason they block port 80. Unwanted traffic! Use of bandwidth!

                      But before you setup VHOST, we still need to know are you even capable of running a server on port 80 and have people connect from the internet????????????????????

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