Posted: 9/16/2005 7:37:28 AM EDT
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I am wanting to build and run a web server from my home. Any suggestions? |
First, you need a decent network connection (fast enough in the UPLOAD direction). Make certain that you are allowed to run servers - virtualy no cable system allows this, and they WILL shut down your connection if they find one -- yes, they do scan looking for them. Best bet is a DSL connection -- not to the Verizon/Whoever ISP -- they tend to be as bad as the cable companies, but to a smaller third-party ISP. Once you have your connection in place, I would suggest using Apache running on Linux. |
That only applies when running IIS on Windows 2000 Pro (and I think XP Pro as well). You are limited to 10 concurrent connections in that case. There is no limitation for Windows Server versions. And you would not want to run a web server on Windows 2000/XP Pro anyway. |
+1 on Cheap SATA But if you can afford enough bandwidth to need it, then SCSI is still the KING. ( BTW try to find a SATA drive with a 5 or 7 yr warranty, SCSI is built to last under demanding use and you pay for it. ) |
But by moving to a UNIX/Linux platform you reduce the virus/hacking potential. |
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What is the purose of you running a web server? If you want to host a serious site that will get even a low amount of hits then it is not wise to run the web server from home. you'd be better off buying a host, because of the bandwidth limitations of residential internet connections (cable, DSL, ISDN, etc.) which can in no way compete with a OC3 or better line that some internet hosting company would have. If you want to host a personal website for friends & family then check out WAMP http://www.wampserver.com/en/index.php It's great, It's easy, I'm a web desinger and use it daily for website testing (php, cgi, perl, etc.) In any event if you do decide to run a web server from home, you will need a static IP. Otherwise you will not be able to use domain names due to the fact that your IP will always be changing. Hope that helps |
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what sort of web site? If it's just light traffic and static web pages you can do it for cheap on a DSL or cable connection. Usually the DHCP leases are long enough that if you leave your box up 7/24 your IP never changes. That lets you screw The Man out of a charge for a static IP. www.zoneedit.com is good for free DNS. |
SCSI is still the King, but the new SATA 2 (or SATA 3.0Gbs) will give SCSI a good run for it's money. In price comparison, the new SATA 2 will be about half (or 1/3) as expensive as SCSI and will do good for applications like small web servers or gaming. |
I assumed that if he wanted to run a server from home instead of pay for it, that he wouldn't want to spend the $$$ for Windows Server. I run a small website from my home but it's a private one, just to share files with my friends. Password protected and they don't affect my monthly bandwidth on my website I'm paying for with Hostgator. |
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1) For your average home box, disk storage is not an issue - your net connection is going to be much slower than even the cheapest modern ATA/IDE hard disk... RAID is nice for data protection, but you're not going to max out disk or CPU over a DSL line. 2) Unless you need special features such as custom softwae, or full administrator access to your server, it is MUCH cheaper to pay the $6-10/mo to use a hosting service. The only exception is if you get alot of lowspeed or off-peak traffic, which will run up against your monthly bandwidth limit on a hosting service, whereas your ISP won't have a bandwith limit (if they do they're a POS - can 'em) on your home connection.... 3) www.dyndns.org (free) and www.dhs.org ($5/yr) provide a simple, easy solution to the dynamic-IP issue. You can do this with ZoneEdit and your 'own' domain (eg www.mysite.com) too, but that requires a more detailed knowledge of DNS than the ready-made dynamic-DNS services provide for free or near-free... |