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i have an extra pc...should i buy a domain name and use it for a server???
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drunkatuw:
This is a DIYer board, so I vote for making your own webserver.  I had extra time while in college to learn a lot of the details of hosting a website, so I find it pretty easy to handle now.  I have an old celeron 533 running linux and apache.  My cable company blocks port 80, so what I did was use www.dyndns.org to create a domain name and then forward that domain with :81 tacked on the end to my real domain www.drunkatuw.com and I use masked url name and pass subdirectories so now it's just like I had it on a "real" server.  I also run a small program called webalizer which tracks the stats of my website, so I can monitor if I'm using too much bandwidth which might alert the cable company.  Another trick I use is to host larger pictures on the 10MB webspace the cable company already gives me and just link to those in my website.  I haven't had many problems hosting my own site, I just use it to host pictures from family events or going to the bars.  I also host the website for my upcoming wedding.

If nothing else, you get to learn more about linux (unless you use MS crappy IIS server) which is fun but can be frustrating and time consuming.
photorock:

--- Quote ---Because they want you to buy a "business" grade account.  Also, if you're on cable internet, you're sharing your bandwidth with your neighbors, so they don't want kids setting up warez sites on the cable connection.
--- End quote ---

           That makes sense! I haven't used a cable modem since 97 (transfer rates started at about 3MB and ended up at about 21 KB in the end, terrible) and to be honest with you I'd never go back to it again (rather use AOL, it's just as fast at times). We've been using DSL since then and it's fast (apx. 300 KB down). Sometimes it's a little unreliabable, but the last time I checked (2 yrs ago) Port 80 was open.
            Perhaps location plays a factor!


--- Quote ---If nothing else, you get to learn more about linux (unless you use MS crappy IIS server) which is fun but can be frustrating and time consuming.
--- End quote ---

            I've used both in the past and kind of found it the other way around. I liked IIS (hate Microsoft though) and didn't care to much for Unix. Never used Linux though. Are they using a GUI now or is it still on stone tablets....  ;D
Santoro:
Forgot the URL:

http://order.1and1.com/xml/order

Been using them for 6 months with no problem.

I agree that maintaining a web server is hard work, but mine is running on my main home PC running XP pro and IIS.  I do Windows update regularly and have it behind a NAT firewall with port forwarding.  I can't think of the last time I had a problem or had to spend time fixing it.  It has been at least 3 years.  So for a simple, low bandwith, non mission-critcal site, I say go for it.  It is also fun if you are a gearhead.


Dave



SoundDoc:
I'll second (or is it third?) the vote to build your own webserver.
I run my Domain, 5 Domains for friends, and all their mail, and my file server all off a old P3 500, Shaw Extreme G Cable internet, DynDNS.org for dns redirect, and a linksys router. Its a old machine with 2 IDE 133 controllers in it, so I have 12HD's in it, holding & streaming all our movies, mp3's, and files to our main machines. Even for being such a old machine, it averages about 10% cpu utilization, and has never gotten above 50%, even when I torture tested it throught the internet connection.
Yes, if your going to host a huge site, like microsoft, with tons and tons of bandwidth, you need these huge farm solutions, but for your own site or two, having your own server is nice.
Its not a ton of work to police, all critical service packs apply themselves the day they come out, and the server restarts itself when their done.
It doesn't have a monitor, kb, or mouse, and I last checked on it about a month ago. Just checked it now, and its still fine.

win 2K server for IIS, Merak Mail server, (has a licence kicking around), and free AV. thats all you really need.
Its handling around 15,000 messages a week on e-mail, and averages about 60GB a month for the last couple years, and I've never heard a peep from Shaw yet. (now I just know I'm going to get a call tomorrow.... ;D)

The sort bit is, if you have this new machine, swap it with your oldest relic, and take that old machine and why not throw a server together? If you allready have it built as a file server, its just a IIS component away from being a web server, and a cheap or free mail server away from being your own mail server.

Have fun no matter what you do!

sd
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