Adding a server to a LAN

[Force Flow]

Could I set up a personal web server on a LAN that is already connected to a web server? I'm assuming I have to set an IP address and register it somewhere, right? If so, what are the steps I need to take to register it?

[Dave22]

You can run as many web servers as you have resources and/or machines. Just because other web servers are on the LAN doesn't mean you can't run another

Yes, it will need an IP address.

Will it be for public viewing? Is that why you're asking about "registering" it? Do you want it to resolve to a name (eg: www.somedomain.com)?

[Force Flow]

Yes, it will be for public viewing. And yes, I would like a domain name to be recognized so that it points to the server.

[Dave22]

The basic steps...

#1: Register a domain name. I like register.com but there are tons of places. Just make sure you find one that you can create and edit your own DNS records unless you have a pair of public authoritative DNS servers available to you.

#2: Set up your web server. Be sure to install all the pertinent security patches and OS updates.

#3: Make the necessary changes on your firewall or router to point web traffic to your new server. You didn't mention how you're connected to the Internet. If you give details, I can be more specific. Especially for #4...

#4: Create a DNS "A" record that points to your web server's IP address.

[Force Flow]

I would be connecting with a T1 or higher.

[Dave22]

You didn't specify, but I assume you are NATing w/ a firewall? In other words, you have private IP addresses on your LAN (??)... looking something like these:

192.168.x.x
172.16.x.x
10.x.x.x

Take one of your allocated public IP addresses, assign it to your firewall, and then forward it to your new server's internal address. You also didn't specify whether you have DNS servers at your disposal but either way, that public IP address will be the "A" record.

[Force Flow]

Whoa! That's getting over my head.
When you're talking about a firewall, do you mean a hardware firewall? What are DNS servers? What's the "A" record?

[Dave22]

DNS server: A server that resolves/converts names to IP addresses. For instance, when you type www.pcmech.com, that request goes to a DNS server and the DNS server returns the IP address back to the browser so it can connect to the web site. Remember, networks and computers don't understand names - they only understand numbers (addresses). DNS makes it possible to give human-friendly names to network addresses.

An "A" record is a line in the configuration of the DNS server that specifies this "friendly" mapping. Some domain registrars give you a nice web-based front end to add this (assuming you use them for your DNS).

This might be "too much information", but here's an example of an "A" record (notice the letter "A" in there):

www.somesite.com. IN A 207.34.23.56


The firewall may or may not be hardware-based. If you don't even know what kind of firewall you have, you're gonna have a tough time configuring it.

You say your connection is a T-1 and from the sound of it, I'll assume this is at a business or a school campus. You'll need to get permission to run a server on the network since it will be the network administrator who will have to take care of the firewall.

Please clarify if I'm incorrect here.

[Force Flow]

So would the DNS server be the server that I register my IP address and domain name to?

You are correct in your assumption. It will be on a campus network.

[Dave22]

Yes. The DNS servers will likely be located where you register your domain name. Just make sure you have the option to create your own DNS records wherever you register your name. There may be a lot of low cost domain registrars out there but they may not give you the option of doing your own DNS. I like Register.Com but there may be others. Someone else on these boards may be able to point you somewhere cheaper. Register.Com is $34.99 (US Dollars) per year.

Good luck getting your network admin to open the firewall to your box. I hope you have friends in that department!

[Force Flow]

Thanks, Dave22!

[glc]

www.godaddy.com is a dirt cheap registrar - around $8 a year - and I believe they let you do just about whatever you want. They will park your domain free until you are ready to set up the DNS.

[Xayd]

DNS service is one of the few things that you can still get for free, so that's not a problem really .

I've been using this one...

http://dns.widge.net/faq.jsp

For about 6 months, haven't had a any problems/outages at all.

[Force Flow]

It's really free? Wow!

Would it still be free for a business, Xayd?

[Xayd]

http://dns.widge.net/terms.jsp

ctrl-F, "business", not found, I think you're ok .

If you're getting tons of traffic, though, it would be prudent to do DNS on your own servers.

Depending mainly on the amount of traffic, I suppose.

[Force Flow]

I wouldn't be planning on tons of traffic... not yet, anyway.

So, how would I assign a unique IP address?

[Dave22]

You're going to need a public address (and probably a private address) from the network administrator.

Basically the public Internet address goes on the firewall and then the firewall needs a mapping to whatever your web server's private address is. Whoever administers the network and/or firewall will need to assign you those addresses.

Like I said, I hope you have friends in that department.

[Force Flow]

Thanks again