Setting up web servers??

[equuelus]

Hello guys!

Since i am a newbie, I have been wondering, can we set up our own server? If yes, how? what platform?..

Lets say i would like to run a server that support ASP, do i have to use NT, can't i use linux or somethin'?

Another thing, where is the best resource that i can find setting up servers; mail, DSN, web, ftp and so on.?

help me on this guys??

equuelus, I'm assuming you want to actually be on the net, not just for mucking around with on Saturdy nights, so, if you want to run ASP on IIS you need to use NT server or one of the Win2000 servers. Linux uses PHP. There is a product to serve ASP from Linux called chillisoft, it is very expensive. The best resource getting around is MSDN, it has some excellent articles in it, just search for what you want. If you don't have a subscription it is available online at www.msdn.microsoft.com

[equuelus]

Let's say that I would like to run a web server that runs ASP.Net, so I have to have Win 2000 or NT? And then another question, could i make my web pages saved in my comp. viewable to others, meaning thru the internet? If it is possible, I do hope some explainations. Thank you.

To run .NET you need Win2k running IIS5. To do it on your own computer you need a permanent connection to the net ie ISDN, Cable. You also need a good firewall. Good luck with your mission should you choose to accept it.

[equuelus]

oic...

Okey lets say, I am fully equipt with the equipments and everything, how do I configure my web server so that people could view my web pages? and another thing, the ip address... it will be permanent for me only when i register for a ISDN line, are my right?.. So when the others want to connect to my web server all they have to do is type in my ip address? Is that right.?

Well I am for sure somebody on this board dveloped a app which created a web server????? - If I find the person which produced it I shall PM you or post a message here.

[JoshT]

If you are running a web server and you are connected to the internet, then your site can be accessed by typing in your IP address. I've set up Personal Web Server on my Win98 machine at home. If the service is running and I'm dialed in to my ISP (prodigy), then if someone where to guess the IP address I was currently using and type it into their web browser they would get my site. However, you would need a static IP address in order to consistently give others access to your site.

Josh

[equuelus]

Any idea how could i detect my current IP address??

Just go to DOS and type ipconfig and hit enter to find your IP. For people to be able to access your site by URL instead of IP you need a DNS server, this translates the URL to a specific host.

[equuelus]

Okey, I get it, now the question is, how about security? Is it posible internet users can hack my comp.? How do I allow people to view my website only without going to other files and dir?

About the DNS server, I have to register the domain name first before hosting it, is it true?

Which platform do you prefer? Win2000 or linux?

[kurtsimons]

Steps to starting a web site off your computer at home.

I assume you have a static IP address, if not you need to look into url forwarding (i have never)

1. register your domain name
http://www.names4ever.com
$30 a year

2. set up a web server on your computer
to see if one is there navigate to
http://127.0.0.1

what type of OS. I wouldn't do anything but Linux
its free
i am running apache, Php, perl, and MySql for my Db engine
all for free

3. once your server is up you need to tell people that www.mysite.com is at your computers address w.x.y.z this is done via DNS

there a 2 free DNS services that I know about
www.zoneedit.com
www.granitecanyon.com

you need to map www.mysite.com to w.x.y.z

------------------------

as far as security
-------------------------
the biggest concerns are not the http server, its the network config itself especially on Linux where remote users have so much more contol over the system.
when you start a web site on your computer you say "hey i'm doing something here"
which attracts people to your computer.
A sleeping dog lies I guess.

How easy is it to set up a web server???? - I have Linux, but can Windows do the same job????

[kurtsimons]

let put it this way,

i run 2 computers

1 set up linux
http server
mail server
mysql server
pop server
default gateway for my home network
PHP
who knows what else

all without rebooting the computer
all without paying a penny

it runs on a P233 with 32MB of RAM

I would like to see Windows 2000 Server and IIS5 do that.

Apache is also the #1 http server on the market.

it is more difficult in the beginning,
remember how hard windows was when you first saw it? same thing except now because you know windows you expect to learn linux in a week.

Sounds great - What version of Linux (Red Hat, Mandrake, Suse???) - Is there a tutorial in setting up a linux web server anywhere?? My knowledge of Linux is very basic and have only realy used Kde and Vi for Pascal programming.

Thanks

[equuelus]

That's really cool. But i really want my website to run ASP. How could i do that with linux, yea I know Madworm said using chilisoft, but is there another free way to do that. ?

[kurtsimons]

I heard that ASP wasn't that good on Linux.

If you are going to run linux run PHP, it is basically the same thing, inline tags etc.

[Sillysoft]

First off, I am pretty sure ASP is Windows only. JSP is for Linux platforms as well as other platforms. So if you want to run ASP like programs, learn JSP. Second of all, webserver is easy to configure depending on what you use.

For Windows I recommend IIS, even though the Code Red Virus only looks for that. But a good firewall setup will stop everyone. IIS is simple, good to start with and dont degrade Apache by using it on Windows.

For Linux use Apache. I currently use Apache with Mandrake 8, though will use Slackware soon. Apache is optimized for Linux use. Very good, very fast and reliable. Simple to run, if it comes with the cd just install the package and as long as you have internet connectivity, it works.

To find out just open Konquer or whatever browser like Netscape, type http://127.0.0.1 then hit enter. You should now see the Apache main page. Your all set, just copy your html files into the main root under www/html.

I still use windows to create the html pages then transfer them over to my Linux server. I havent seen a good Web Page Editor yet for Linux. I was sure Dreamweaver was available for Linux, guess not.

But someone of your experience, just run Win 2k and run iis just to get your feet wet. Once you get an idea, then switch and upgrade to linux using apache. It is always fun to put a webpage up stating your upgrading the OS to linux.

- Silly

[kurtsimons]

I'll argee with what you said except for 1 thing...

an ASP programmer is not going to like JSP...

the world of Java is very, very different then the world of BASIC.

Learn PHP, it is as simple if not simplier than ASP... I love it to the bone, JSP is just a mess!

PHP is also the largest growing web scirpting language.


p.s. there was a company working on ASP for linux, I heard as they progressed they realized the linux world's interest in ASP had dwindled... not sure what happened

[[Digital-X-Treme]]

Well I am for sure somebody on this board dveloped a app which created a web server

I've created my own web server in Visual Basic. Kind of easy to set up, but adding advanced features takes a little more time...

Anywayz, all you do is set up a socket listening on the specfied port (web servers usually listen on port 80), then, when you recieve a request from a client, you parse it, and send the info back (complying with the HTTP Standards detailed in RFC 2616... )

Out of all protocols, SMTP is probably the easiest to implement. HTTP being a little bit more complex. Hope this helps.

Laterz

[Sillysoft]

Chilisoft makes ASP for Linux I believe. Other than that, PHP is nice but so is Perl.

Making a webserver with vb? This guy is new man. Give him something easy to start. We need to LEARN how a webserver works. Once we have the basic concept, then you should be kosher. Dont through him out to the wolves, as I was and man it was harsh. Though I learned, learning fundementals from the beginning would of been better.

Sometimes if you skip fundementals, you create bad habits.

JSP isnt going even more since Microsoft decided to dump them in XP. I myself have become anti-microsoft since the Code Red Virus came out. I only use MS OS now for using Web Page Editors. Sometimes notepad just isnt enough.

Anyone know any decent Web page editors for Linux? I got to stop using Frontpage. I love Dreamweaver but they dont have it for Linux!!

[JoshT]

There's a ASP intrepreter for *nix written in Perl on the net somewhere. I've seen it once but I haven't been able to find it again.

Emacs is a decent Linux editor.

I myself have become anti-microsoft since the Code Red Virus came out.

Why? It's not MS's fault. I had applied the patch to my servers long before there even was a Code Red virus. People who got hit must have LAZY administrators or something...

[filburt1]

Originally posted by equuelus
Hello guys!

Since i am a newbie, I have been wondering, can we set up our own server? If yes, how? what platform?..

Lets say i would like to run a server that support ASP, do i have to use NT, can't i use linux or somethin'?

Another thing, where is the best resource that i can find setting up servers; mail, DSN, web, ftp and so on.?

help me on this guys??

If you don't want to do ASP (I haven't read all the replies but JSP and PHP are surely to be popular), use Apache on Linux for HTTP traffic. If you want to do PHP, you can use mod_perl; if you want JSP, you can use Tomcat.

[Sillysoft]

It goes deeper than that. First off their patch does not work. Second of all this goes deeper. The code red virus was the tip of the iceburg.

And your standing there asking why anti-MS? Blue screens, phantom Dr. Watsons, MS telling you what you can use and cannot. The over price software. I can go on and on. Like I said, it goes deeper. The code red virus just got me mad. I am tired downloading patches to FIX a problem that doesnt improve the system. There are tons of fixes you need to dl because someone has a hack for it.

Yes Linux has hacks, but not that great as MS hacks. Yes they have a new download almost ever other day, but thats to improve the OS and or apps that come with it. Microsoft has become user friendly, yes. That doesnt improve the OS only to be dummy proof.

All I am saying is every since running Linux, it has been more stable and a lot faster. As many people say, MS is the AOL of software. All the beginners use it. Dont get all butt hurt, there are people out there that know MS in its more complex forms. But there are far few.

And unfortunetly those LAZY admins, which was not me, bogged my network down. I use my cable provider for my connection and those morons who didnt do the proper steps in stoping the spread has caused great dimishes in our connection speed.

I did my part, noone else did. I stopped using that resource hog you call IIS and went to Linux.

But we can swap talk all day long, but just like cable vs dsl, it is all a matter of opinion.

[JoshT]

Yes Linux has hacks, but not that great as MS hacks.

No, but the all time greatest hacks have been on Unix. I'm no MS lover, but I don't like it when people bash MS for the sake of bashing it, and this is a VB/ASP forum after all.

[Sillysoft]

I kinda figure you would say that. Typical. As I will say it now, I am not bashing Microsoft. To sit here and talk about fact of what MS does is not bashing.

Linux has it's ups and downs. Yeah its cheap for support is far less not to mention it isnt user friendly. But I am giving my opinion on MS, I am a long time user of MS. Just stopped using it for the sole fact that I use Linux and have no problems.

It IS a free country ya know.

The fact is, someone mentions Linux, I came across it and well, here we are.

[Sillysoft]

And yeah maybe there was some GREAT hacks on Unix, but they have to be more elaborate. Meaning you need skills to hack unix, where else Windows it is easy. Simple vbs ext for a user to open via email is just one of many to hack a system.

I mean a regular user does not know what to do, so they open the attachment, thus making windows easy to hack thus making windows the aol for users. Yes viruses is a hack.

Thats why windows is a easy target. I am sure if Linux became just as easy, hacks would increase. Hackers mainly attack window systems because users dont know better and a majority still use windows based systems. So it would get the most attention.

[Sillysoft]

Yeah kiddie hacks, hence the word GREAT hacks. Your saying there are great hacks from "kiddies" using pre made scripts for hacking? Nope. What is so great about that?

Actually no, I dont have anti - virus software running on my linux box. It is just a test box that helps increase my administration knowledge. I might want someone to hack my system, good experience. I am sure someone has something better to do though than to hack one linux system where theres easy targets sitting there learning how to double click in Windows.

[Sillysoft]

But anyway I dont have all year. This is a matter of opinion, thats it. I like Linux and you dont like Window bashers. Which I am not. But whatever floats your boat.

So lets end it here. The topic was about setting up a web server. For a beginner needs to get their feet wet, something easy and something that will help them learn more to move on to something more complex.

So, I recommend WINDOWS 2000 advance server running IIS. MAKE sure you have the patches to counter the Code Red Virus and firewall software if not hardware.

[squirrelly1]

Everywhere I go, I see that just need to map my ip address to the domain name that I get... currently tcpc.us , but I cannot seem to find information on how to do this...

Can any1 please tell me?

thanx,

Squirrelly1