Internet connections (sorry this is probably a bit simple)

[yoshie]

I've spent the day delving deeper into how the internet functions (great as the net is, finding info is not easy!)

Anyway, I've come across something I don't quite get. I relaise now that the ISP I use is probably in a hierarchy of ISPs eventually ending in someone operating a 'backbone' service. Then when I phone up my ISP i use a BT phone line to access the ISP, which then routes my requests through succesively faster and bigger cables (which I take it are actually physically different cables than phone lines??) until I get the page I want. Thats fine, but what about all these standalone servers that contain say a small buisness' homepage? how are they connected - they surely can't afford to lease anything other than a phone line connection but then how are they permanently conneted and open to requests for the page? Do they do as I do and dial up with a modem and simply leave it on or does the ISP to which they subscribe phone them or something??

Basically what I'm asking is how serves stay open to requests whereas I dial up every time?

Cheers for any help

[Jade]

You yourself can make your own webpage. Launch it from your computer, shut off, and let your homepage run from somewhere else in cyberspace. Unless you pay, you will have to let ads run around your page. It's not that complex. Forgive me if I misinterpreted your question.

[yoshie]

Thanks for the reply however thats not really what I was getting at - I know about hosting and uploading my page to an ISP server but what I want to know is this - to run a server that holds my webpage do I need a special connection to the net, or can I just dial up my ISP from the server and then a two way connection is established through which peaple can access my site - its not that I want to do this - its just I want to know how all this works!

Also the issue of permanent IP addresses confuses me... I've read that if you run a server, to be allocated a permanent IP adress is very expensive however when I recently registered a domain name I was given an IP address?! are they not the same thing??

Say I wanted to run a site http://www.mysite.com from a server in my front room, what connections would I need to it and who would I get these from?!

Cheers again

[bob]

You need a permanent IP address and regester your domain name for the Ip address. Your ISP needs to allow the 2 way traffic. A leased line can be bought at speeeds from 56K to as fast as you want to pay. Frame relay would be cheaper.

There may be some cheasy low cost methods but I am not sure.

[glc]

Most small businesses (mine included) use a commercial hosting service that's connected to the internet all the time with dedicated lines. I just dial into my ISP and upload my pages to the host. For $15.95 a month for hosting my domain and website, and giving me 10 e-mail boxes, it's the most cost effective for my level of business. I can't see anyone paying $800 a month for a T1 line until they become more than a "small business".