How to set up your home pc for an http server and register a DNS: FOR FREE

[ProboardslolV2]

Hello, there, today i will be giving you a BEGINNERS guide on how to create your own home server/website absolutely for free (Minus the price of the extra bandwidth)

[B]Keep in mind, this is all networking, and I can't help you with programming a website, as I have no idea how to do that, I only know how to set up your server to connect with the outside world.[/B]

[B]1: Download and setup[/B]

First, you will need to download Apache. Apache doesn't have much of an interface, and is mostly controlled by what goes on in a .txt file with all your setting, but i'll address that later.

you can get Apache [url=http://httpd.apache.org/download.cgi#apache22]HERE[/url]. Select which operating system you are using, and run the install. I'm not going to suggest an operating system to use, because I don't have any experience with anything besides windows.

Fill out the settings however you want, but at the bottom, you will see these two checkboxes
[URL=http://filesmelt.com/][IMG]http://filesmelt.com/dl/stuph.png[/IMG][/URL]
Leave the top one checked, this is important.

[B]2: Configuration[/B]

At this point, you've installed everything, but just to make sure there were no problems, type "http://localhost" into your URL bar, JUST to be sure. If everything went fine, you should get this page:
[URL=http://filesmelt.com/][IMG]http://filesmelt.com/dl/stuph2.png[/IMG][/URL]

this is just to see if you installed correctly or not. Now for the configuration.

go to your start menu> all programs>Apache HTTP server 2.0>configure Apache server

there will be an option called "edit the httpd.conf" or something along those lines. click that

notepad will open up, and there will be a mess of lines of configuration, all you need to worry about are 3 little lines.

first, press ctrl+f, and search for "htdocs"

you will come across a line that says:

DocumentRoot "C:/Program Files/Apache Group/Apache2/htdocs"

Change this to wherever you want your document root to be, so if you're making an http server so that you can easily transfer files from a folder on your c drive name "Files", you would change this to:

DocumentRoot "C:/files"

ctrl+f "htdocs" again and you will come across a line that says:

<Directory "C:/Program Files/Apache Group/Apache2/htdocs">

change this to the same directory as before, but be sure to leave the brackets in, so using the above example:

<Directory "C:/files">

between these two line you edited, you must look for: AllowOverride. this is located Here:

[URL=http://filesmelt.com/][IMG]http://filesmelt.com/dl/lines.png[/IMG][/URL]

replace the word "none" with "all"

save the file, and close it

restart the server by going to "start menu>all programs>apache http server 2.0>control apacheserver" and pressing [B]restart[/B]

Once, again, in your url bar, type: [url]http://localhost[/url]

if you did the steps correctly, you will see the contents of your folders in your web browser, if done incorrectly, the website will be the same as before.

[B]3: Connecting to your server from another computer[/B]

That's all fun and games, but I know what you REALLY want, you want something you can boast to your friends.

well i know how to do just that, but it requires some careful reading.

[B]Step 1.)[/B] in your browser, type into the URL bar: 192.168.1.1

[B]Step 2.)[/B] When prompted with a login screen, enter your log on information (by default is normally "Admin" for the user name and "Password" for the password. If you're unsure about your username or password, look up your router online.)

[B]Step 3.)[/B] Somewhere on your routers menu will be an option or tab called "Firewall settings". click this option. On mine, it looks like this:
[URL=http://filesmelt.com/][IMG]http://filesmelt.com/dl/likedis.png[/IMG][/URL]

[B]Step 4.)[/B] Look for an option or tab named "Port forwarding". On mine, it looks like this:
[URL=http://filesmelt.com/][IMG]http://filesmelt.com/dl/likedis1.png[/IMG][/URL]

[B]Step 5.)[/B] look for a button named "Add". It's normally near the bottom.

[B]Step 6.)[/B] You will now see a screen like this:
[URL=http://filesmelt.com/][IMG]http://filesmelt.com/dl/likedis3.png[/IMG][/URL]
We'll get back to this later

[B]Step 7.)[/B] You need to determine your local IP. To do this, run CMD.exe

[B]Step 8.)[/B] In The command prompt, type ipconfig

[B]Step 9.)[/B] scroll up a bit until you see this line:
[URL=http://filesmelt.com/][IMG]http://filesmelt.com/dl/likedis4.png[/IMG][/URL]
Your local ip will differ from mine, FYI

[B]Step 10.)[/B] Go back to this page:
[URL=http://filesmelt.com/][IMG]http://filesmelt.com/dl/likedis3.png[/IMG][/URL]

[B]Step 11.)[/B] Where it says "Local host", select the option "Specify address" from the drop down and type in your local ip next to it.

[B]Step 12.)[/B] For the box marked "Protocol", select "User defined" from the drop-down box. It will take you to a new screen

[B]Step 13.)[/B] you'll be at a screen called "Server ports". you'll see an option named "add" or "Add server ports". click that.

[B]step 14.)[/B] you should be at a screen like this:
[URL=http://filesmelt.com/][IMG]http://filesmelt.com/dl/likedis5.png[/IMG][/URL]
Change your settings to match mine, and press apply

[B]Step 15.)[/B] Now you'll be at this screen:
[URL=http://filesmelt.com/][IMG]http://filesmelt.com/dl/likedis6.png[/IMG][/URL]
At the top, name the application whatever you want. Im going to name mine "Server"
Click apply

[B]Step 16.)[/B] Your settings should now look like this:
[URL=http://filesmelt.com/][IMG]http://filesmelt.com/dl/likedis7.png[/IMG][/URL]
Click apply

[B]4: Accessing the website[/B]

you now have a complete home server. but wait! is it really working?! You're at home on your own router so you don't KNOW if other people can see it because YOU'RE NOT OTHER PEOPLE!!!

Fear not, a simple proxy will help you test.

first, you need to know your external i.p address. To find this, go to [url]http://whatismyipaddress.com/[/url] and find your ip address. simple as that.

next, go to: [url]http://www.hidemyass.com/[/url] and in the url bar near the middle left, type in: [url]http://YourIPaddressHere[/url]
(obviously replacing "YourIPaddressHere" with your ip address.)

if all goes well, you should be connecting to your very own server.

[B]5: DNS services FOR FREE[/B]

You know the saying "No such thing as a free lunch?" Well it's true.

While you're still getting a free lunch, you're getting this lunch with a stamp on it and an ad at the top.

go to [url]http://www.dyndns.com/[/url], register an account, and create your free dns there.

Simple as that.

And VOILA! YOU HAVE YOUR OWN SERVER!!!

[B1N4RY!]

Thanks for posting this

<3

[Ibutsu]

Thank you for this.

[compwhiziitothe]

Most ISPs block port 80

[mdakin]

Like mine, thats why you use DMZ and utorrent :D

[ProboardslolV2]

[QUOTE=compwhiziitothemax;19973191]Most ISPs block port 80[/QUOTE]

You could try this tutorial.

I haven't tried it because Verizon doesn't block port 80

[url]http://www.no-ip.com/support/guides/web_servers/isp_block_port_80.html[/url]

[DJ Biscuit]

Don't forget about port 443 if you have any secure stuff. ([url]https://)[/url]

[ProboardslolV2]

Some of you MAY or MAY NOT know this, but if you put an html file named "index.html" in the directory you're hosting files from, it'll automatically start with that file.

[nivek]

[QUOTE=compwhiziitothemax;19973191]Most ISPs block port 80[/QUOTE]

Some do, but I wouldn't say [B]MOST[/B] do...

[MetricMoose]

I prefer Abyss Web server since it's easier to set things like PHP and Python up. You also get a web interface instead of having to edit a config file, which I always tend to mess up some way or another.

[n00bmuffin]

[quote=benjgvps;19980792]i prefer abyss web server since it's easier to set things like php and python up. You also get a web interface instead of having to edit a config file, which i always tend to mess up some way or another.[/quote]

xampp.

[nivek]

Wamp5 server is a very simple way to setup apache and mysql.

[cas97]

[url=http://www.apachefriends.org/en/xampp.html] XAMPP[/url]
XAMPP is an easy to install Apache distribution containing MySQL, PHP and Perl. XAMPP is really very easy to install and to use - just download, extract and start.
For linux, mac, solaris, and windows

STEP 1: extract/use installer to C:\
[img]http://www.apachefriends.org/images/5509.jpg[/img]
STEP 2: run setup. Setup is opened automatically if the installer is used
STEP 3: open control panel and click START for Apache
[img]http://www.apachefriends.org/images/5515.jpg[/img]

[cas97]

and [url]http://www.000webhost.com/free-domain-hosting[/url] looks like they don't put ads on domains, though I've never used it before

[KSI]

[QUOTE=cas97;20034698]and [url]http://www.000webhost.com/free-domain-hosting[/url] looks like they don't put ads on domains, though I've never used it before[/QUOTE]Good host, they don't have ads, and they have free mysql.

[ShaRose_]

I only use dyndns's for stuff like ssh and remote router hackery.

[turby]

Real men setup their own DNS servers and write a Perl script to automatically update their home IP address every 10 minutes.

[mdakin]

But we aren't real men, we are nerds.

[turby]

/sigh

[compwhiziitothe]

[QUOTE=Wipmuck;20057332]But we aren't real men, we are nerds.[/QUOTE]

you're not funny

[ReCreate]

[QUOTE=turby;20056951]Real nerds setup their own DNS servers and write a Perl script to automatically update their home IP address every 10 minutes.[/QUOTE]

Fixed.

[turb_]

What??

That's exactly what I wrote

[Maccabee]

Btw, it's basically the same in a linux command line.

sudo apt-get install apache2
Files are stored in /var/www
Go to your modem control panel, and I made mine a dmz computer.
Go to cmyip.com
enter that in the address bar, it should say It Works!

[editline]05:18PM[/editline]

Also, a good free dns is afraid.org.

[_._oct]

[QUOTE=Maccabee;20251171]Btw, it's basically the same in a linux command line.

sudo apt-get install apache2
Files are stored in /var/www
Go to your modem control panel, and I made mine a dmz computer.
Go to cmyip.com
enter that in the address bar, it should say It Works!

[editline]05:18PM[/editline]

Also, a good free dns is afraid.org.[/QUOTE]
That's the easiest way, but far from the most optimal.