Web server setup for dummies?

[snief]

I am a lowly web design guy and trying to set up multiple web sites so i can test them on the local machine (running server 2003)

I can create the sites easily enough in IIS, but I have no idea how to get to them with the browser. Is there any baby steps tutorial for this? All I need to do is be able to have multiple websites. I don't have a domain, I could reach the default site with 127.0.0.1 but I deleted that site so now i can't reach anything.

 

[cydud3]

Since you don't have a domain, the only way you can separate separate website is to assign different ports for each site. This way you can access one site as

http://127.0.0.1:8080

and another maybe as

http://127.0.0.1:7000

You maybe use this site as a guide.

 

[Stevehewitt]

Or if you install a handfull of NIC's you can tell IIS only to use certian interfaces on certian websites.

 

[bofhrevenge2]

You could install DNS and then use host headers.

http://www.visualwin.com/host-header/

 

[snief]

thanks for the tips folks! i had already installed DNS, but it was a little stupefying as to what to do after i installed it. i know i need to enter things in there too, i just have no idea what or where. the port thing works great, i'm using that now. thanks


but it would be sweet to be able to type in something like:

client1.mysite.com

 

[bofhrevenge2]

Go into DNS and in the forward lookup zone create a CNAME (alias) record e.g.

website1 192.168.0.1
website2 192.168.0.1

and so on then when you type website1 in IE IIS routes the request to the appropriate web site.

The link below will tell you how to create CNAME record.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308201&sd=tech#6

 

[snief]

i'm still having trouble just setting up the DNS server.

my computer name is GAZETTE, the workgroup is HOME.

when i go to the dnsmgmt tool, and click Connect to DNS Server, i choose "This computer"

that creates under DNS a server named GAZETTE.

It's after this step I get lost. I don't know what the next step after this is, so I think everything else I try to do doesn't work because of this?

 

[bofhrevenge2]

Try following the steps in this article it should get you up and running.

http://www.simongibson.com/intranet/dns2003/

 

[snief]

actually, i found that page thru google already and i must still be missing something, because i can't get it to work following that step by step.

i don't think the computer is using the DNS server. i went to my network connection (I only have one) and put 192.168.0.10 as my DNS server (same local IP as the computer) and with that as the only DNS server and no forwarders in the DNS setup I can still surf the web.

 

[bofhrevenge2]

Type NSLOOKUP at the command prompt that will tell you what name server it's using.

 

[snief]

Default Server: unknown.local.lan
Address: 192.168.0.10

 

[bofhrevenge2]

Odd, you could try reinstalling DNS.

 

[Bent4U]

If you're the only one accessing these "webs" then use your PC's Local Host file for in-house access. The file is called "hosts" and is in the "WINNT/system32/drivers/etc" directory. Open it with "notepad" and add the host header from the web site and the servers IP Address down at the bottom of the "hosts" file after all the "#" marks. Much easier than learning DNS.

Or if you have one working web site, you could just create "Virtual Directories" off your primary site and map the Local Path to another directory on your server.

 

[snief]

unfortunately, i deleted the default website in IIS (i didn't know it was going to be this tough to set up multiple sites) and have zero working websites on the computer now. going to 127.0.0.1 just gives me a 404 now.

would the virtual directories thing work as if each site was at the root? that is the reason i wanted to figure out DNS. with my old system, i had to move a site in and out of that default website folder to get paths to get paths to work right.

 

[snief]

update!

well, seems i've been banging my head against a brick wall. not sure why, but after running out of other things to check, i peeked into the web service extensions in IIS and ASP was prohibited. allowing it here, now my DNS stuff is working (I still get UNKNOWN in nslookup, but it does it's job anyway)

thanks again for the help, this has made my work a lot easier. before, i was just using XP and had to jump thru hoops to test different sites.

 

[bofhrevenge2]

That will cause problems, if you had mentioned you we're using ASP then i would of suggested that.

Glad you sorted it.
Cheers.

 

[snief]

yeah, i should have i just didn't think of that, because what other reason would there be to have a windows web server???

thanks again for all the help, folks! i've even got it set up now so that my wireless network can access the sites, which i was beyond what i was hoping for.