Website Hosting Basics for Newbs!

[Milotic]

Alright. Today, I set out to host a simple site on my computer. I had no idea it'd be such a monsterous task. After 15 hours I give up, I need help. I'm sure many others out there are thinking the same.
So let's make it easy, not in complicated speech, just simple words, how do you do it?
I downloaded Apache, installed it, told my computer to allow port 80, and then attempted to do Port Forwarding on my Westell 6100 modem/router. Where did I go wrong? The port forwarding asked for global ports and base ports and so many things. I even told my computer to make a static IP.
Someone please, tell us step by step how to do it:
How do you make your computer and router able to let people connect to your computer and see your site on your server?

 

[Kharn]

altcom - Guide to Web Hosting Basics and Selection - Ecommerce Solutions hope that help's.

But can I ask do you have a dedicated server or are you using your home computer?

 

[Milotic]

A Home computer.

 

[Milotic]

It's quite discouraging. No amount of work helps.

 

[Kubel]

Apache on Windows

It's incomplete and out of date, but it should point you in the right direction. I don't know when I will ever get around to updating it.

 

[Blind_Arrow]

tell me following:

1: windows version you are using?
2: do you have Domain?

thirdly, even if you don't have domain, are you trying accesing your website using your IP address? even if yes, then are you accessing it from same router? if yes to that too, does your router offer role back?

 

[themaster]

Take a look at BlueVoda (bluevoda.com). Download it, take a look around the program, then you can make pages, upload them to the BlueVoda server and add it to a domain name (which they will give you for free [.com or .co.uk]).

Hope that helps!

 

[TuNiX]

No i have the perfect program for you, i have tried TONS of servers IIS apache and so forth the best one i could find was Abyss web serever in fact im using it right now www.berra-innovaion.co.nr just google abyss web sever and download the X1, and forward the ports on your router, need a free domain? google co.nr free domain name, and there it is , yes when i was first teaching myself all this it was so HARD but ow i have at least 40 hours of experience in hosting your own site.

 

[CntdwnToExtn]

easiest way

1. assuming you're using XP - install IIS through add/remove programs/system componants
2. allow HTTP server on the windows firewall - windows firewall/advanced/select your connection/check Web Server (HTTP)
3. set router for outside access - port forwarding OR port triggering on Port 80 and telling it which IP will be using that port.
4. put your web page into the c:\Inetpub\wwwroot\ folder - i always set my main page as index.php,html, etc...

you can download a program called Xampp which is a program that runs apache if you don't want IIS. basically follow install instructions, do the firewall/router thing and put your web page in the folder it creates

done the IIS and Xampp many times this way

if you use IIS, be sure to update through microsoft