Periodically I get asked whether or not it’s a sound idea to run a web server from your own home. My answer to this is always flat-out no for three primary reasons:
First, in the United States the vast majority of ISPs have it written in their TOS (Terms of Use) and/or AUP (Acceptable Use Policy) “no servers” in very plain English for consumer-grade accounts.
Second, any web site you run from your home will be slow as molasses because the connection will choke on a frequent basis.
Third, your server will be an open target.
TOS/AUP
In the early days of ISPs in the United States there were acceptable and non-acceptable uses of a running a server from your consumer based internet connection written in the TOS/AUP. But since the advent of broadband, many (if not almost all) changed the usage terms to basically state “If you run a server on a consumer-grade account, and I mean any server, bucko, your account will be terminated without warning.”
The only option available is to upgrade to a “business-class” ISP account which does allow server use. It’s usually the exact same type of connection as a consumer-grade, save for the fact you pay double to triple the cost (or more) per month just for the “privilege” of being able to run a server without having the banhammer dropped on you.
Some US-based broadband ISPs still do allow servers on consumer-grade accounts, but not many.
If you know of any, feel free to chime in with a comment or two on that as I’m sure some would be interested. Be sure to list the location of where they are if you know one or two or more.
In other countries (Canada being one of them), the ISP TOS/AUP rules are usually not as strict concerning home public web servers, but in the US they are. That is unless Canada has decided to tighten up their TOS/AUPs too.
Slow-as-molasses web server connectivity
Even if you are allowed to run a public web server from your ISP account, it will be slow to the internet public. This is because you have only one data “pipe” connecting the server to the internet with no backup connection. Web host providers (good ones, anyway) have several pro-grade data pipes with redundancy to ensure all their servers serve sites quickly – but you don’t have that, nor can you afford it. And even if you can, you could have the fastest fiber optic connection money could buy and it still wouldn’t hold a candle to pro-grade data pipes.
Your server box is an open target
Running a public web server on the internet is not Happy Fun Land. You’ll find this out in short order when you’re DoS‘d or DDoS‘d for the first time. And because you only have a single data pipe, your server box is basically dead at that point until the attack is over.
It absolutely does not matter how many times you upgrade and/or lock down your Linux or BSD server OS, because eventually someone (or a group of people) will find a way to break thru. This is a universal immutable truth.
It’s not worth it just to save a buck
Most people think they can save a buck or two by running a public web server from home and attaching their domain to it using something like No-IP. This is a bad idea.
If you can’t afford the 5 bucks a month it takes for basic virtual web hosting, running a box out of the house isn’t going to serve you any better.
I agree with you… home connection is very slow so it won’t able to receipt million request at once
I have been running web servers for years from home. I might have the “BanHammer” dropped on me one of these days, but i am not running anything more than a family news sites. (no p0rn, warez, etc…) no large download-able files, 8MP pictures, or anything of the sort. The sites run fine. If I were to place large files to DL that would be a different story.
I have never experienced any DoS or DDoS attacks, however; it is possible. Someone [hacker] or a group of people [hackers] have much better targets to hone in on than some random ISP users server. Perhaps these rogue home servers are looked at as a good training ground for black hats, but nothing more IMO.
I buy hosted sites for business and large file transfers, but for the small stuff, a home server is the way to go.
Keep up the good reads.
bkilinski – Your I.P. has been traced and forwarded on to the appropriate authorities/ISP.
*j/k*
Please enjoy your server while you wait for a knock at the door!
I run a small webhosting project from my server, and, AFAIK, my ISP has no rules against servers, last time I checked – though I’m using a business-grade connection (the best my ISP has to offer, in fact).
I’ve ran plenty of tests, and pages on my server load up fine. I host several sites for people, mostly small community forums. Nothing major. I’m also not making any money off it – I started it because free hosting without ads is very hard to find, especially hosting that sticks around longer than a few months at best. I’ve been doing it for about two years now.
I occasionaly use my home computer as a server. I use it for a game I play…a ship simulator game. I only use it as a server for a few hours typically, not 24/7. My internet connection is typically around 15000kbps to 17000kbps (Comcast high speed internet) Is there a problem with this?
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