How to set up a webserver

[amdalex]

I would like to know how I could set up a web server on my computer. I will use my ip address for my domain for now. I would just like to know how I could go about making a simple website and then posting it on the internet. At my house we have armstrong cable internet and a network with two computers on it. The computer I would like to setup the web server on is an eMachines with Windows XP Pro. The other computer on the network has windows Vista. If you guys could help with what I need to download, What I need to setup, and how I could go about doing that would be very helpful. Would I have to do anything to setup our Dlink router also. Couldn't I use word to make the web page to also? Thanks for all your help.:)
The specs for the machines and router are below.
Router
Dlink EBR-2310 100mbs router
Computers
1.
eMachines
1.8ghz celeron
1.1gb of ram
40gb hard drive
40gb external hard drive
Windows XP Pro
2.
Compaq
2.2ghz athalon
1gb of ram
200gb hard drive
250gb external hard drive
Windows Vista home premium

[Kareeser]

Setting up a web server is quite fun and very rewarding :)

There are many ways you can go about doing so, due to there being many different web server programs.

Arguably, the most popular is Apache (http://www.apache.org/httpd). It's powerful, and it's free!

Apache is a basic web server. It processes and serves HTML web pages in a specific directory of your choosing (that you specify in the configuration file).

Some people like to bundle different packages of software together, into one easy-to-configure package. One of those is WAMP, which stands for "Windows, Apache, MySQL, and PHP".

MySQL is a database manager (i.e. Wikipedia and all forums store their data in a MySQL database, it's quick and nimble)

PHP is another type of web coding.

It's up to you to decide what you need, and we'll be here to answer every one of your questions.

So feel free to reply back!

P.S. You will need to access your router and port forward port 80 to the server. I can go more in-depth (http://www.portforward.com) if you like.

[glc]

http://www.pcmech.com/byos/index.htm

There's a LOT more to this site other than just the forums.

[amdalex]

I want to know if you guys could point me in the way of a really easy to use webserver. And maybe show me how to set it up. And if I would have to do anything to our router to allow people to access my website because I'm still a little confused. Thanks

[Alaron]

Creating a Web Server: http://www.pcmech.com/show/network/690/

[amdalex]

So now I have installed abyss web server and have a pretty good idea of how to get it running. I want to know how to setup windows firewall to allow me to run abyss.

[glc]

Add it to the exception list.

[amdalex]

So I just add HTTP and port 80 to the exception list plus abyss?

[Kareeser]

That's correct. Windows Firewall should have an option that will allow a web server through.

Windows Firewall -> Advanced -> Select "Local Area Connection" -> Settings -> Check "Web Server (HTTP)"

You may or may not have to add Abyss to the exception list...

Thirdly, you will need to port forward port 80 on the DLink router to the machine hosting the website.

[amdalex]

Thanks. Also would you guys know of a nice free HTML editor that might have some more features than Microsoft word?

[ZeratulsAvenger]

Nvu (http://www.nvu.com/index.php) is a WYSIWYG HTML editor, sort of like Microsoft's FrontPage, but free. I'm sure you could use it to type plain code.

You could also try the Mozilla's editor (http://www.mozilla.org/projects/seamonkey/). (I have a link to the Mozilla suite, since I couldn't find the plain HTML editor)

[Kareeser]

I use Notepad2 (http://www.flos-freeware.ch/notepad2.html). Loading time is the same as Notepad (fraction of a second), and it includes colour coding for lots of languages (not just HTML!)

[amdalex]

I think my ISP which is Zoom blocks port 80 because no one else can get to my website. I also tried port 3363 and it didn't work either. I added exceptions to my firewall and forwarded the ports on our router to. Do you guys have any ideas?

[Kareeser]

Server configuration file may be configured to not let anybody but itself in... check its config files.

[glc]

Read your ISP's terms of service/acceptable use policy. Running a public server may not be allowed to begin with.

[Kareeser]

Ah, that seems to be correct. Armstrong Zoom Cable does block port 80, according to a customer review I'm reading:

http://www.dslreports.com/reviews/2626

If you're using port 3363, then your web address needs to have a ":3363" added to the end of it.