Web Server Set-Up

[erconnor]

I have Server 2003 and want to host my own website with IIS, however, I'm not entirely sure how to do so. My background has primarily been with just building and repairing PC's. I've been messing around with the o/s to familiarize myself with it. Is there basic help info anyone could reference me to to get me started or any ideas? Thanks a bunch.

- Eddie

 

[hardrock49]

see if this site is of any use to you

http://www.visualwin.com/

 

[erconnor]

Thanks for the site, it's going to be a good reference for when I get this set up. Ok, so right now I've got my Domain Controller (Active Directory), and DNS set-up. I've set-up a web site and ftp server through IIS. Although I still can't configure it to work at

http://www.xxxxx.com,

it only works (and it may only be locally) with

http://xxxx(server-name).xxxxx(domain-name).com.

I think I may be overlooking a vital step in this Domain set-up process. So am I kind of geared in the right direction or am I just clueless?

 

[SeanAIX430]

Well first things first have you bought a domain name and had them setup DNS to point to your servers IP address. Also I'm hoping the Ip addy of your server is going to be static, correct?

Otherwise depending on your network setup/firewalls etc have you tried to access the

http://www.xx.com

site of your from outside your network? I'm guessing you have private Ip addresses in your lan and therefore you'd have to edit the hosts file on your PC to get to the

http://www.xx.com

site or if your firewall has the ability to staticly translate the ip address for you.

 

[erconnor]

I do have a static IP yes. And that address is running straight to the server, I also have a LAN address from another adapter connected to a router. I would just use the router for my internet connection but it's a POS and I figured it'd be easier for me to use the address assigned by my ISP than a private address from the router. And yes I've tried connecting to it with a computer on a neighboring network, but to no avail. And this is the really naieve part; I was under the impression I could set this up in one swoop without having to register anything. I figured it could be handled with setting up my own DNS server and AD. So apparently I'm going to have to register a domain through a company and it can't be done by myself? Eventually I'm going to host a bunch of friends' web sites on here. And they're all going to have to register their domains and just have me host them, correct? There's nothing I can do about the whole domain name registration part?

 

[SeanAIX430]

You are correct. your DNS server is only available to you and whatever PCs you have it pointing to. Real DNS servers are controlled by ISPs, and they update each other.

Right for anything else buy a domain name and tell them to have the DNS set to your server. although multiple websites on one server is a whole other ball of wax.
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