How do I host my own web site?

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QUEsTIONS:
do i need to apply to get a static ip?
how do i get a domain name?
is my dsl connection good enough at 256/128?

You'll need to contact your ISP about the static IP address.

Domain names can be purchased at registrars including simpleurl.com, godaddy.com, and many many others.

256/128 is probably not good enough, but it really depends on what kind of traffic you expect. If no one visits, it'll be fine. If you get hundreds of visitors a day, or if you're hosting lots of pictures music files and the like, it most definitely won't be.

I have everything ready and installed and activated on my server, as well as an owner of a domain name. Where should I go from here to get my website online with my server as the host?

I'm also wondering how to do this, im at the same stage as kingkabuz

I have a domain name www.adamcsmith.org
my server is setup
internet ready etc

where do i go next?

can you recommend a good connection? Do I need a T1 for my small business? I've been researching for hours and I don't seem to be finding the answers I want. I want my own server - http, email (smtp/pop3), and a MySQL database. What ISP should I get?

I can't really answer that, because there are too many variables. for a small, low-traffic site, hosting on a DSL or cable connection can work. A T1 might be required, or it might not be nearly enough. This website, for example, started out on a server in my closet on my residential DSL. As traffic and my sites have grown, I found that I needed much more bandwidth, so moved to a hosting company. Options there include shared hosting (you share a server with others) or dedicated (you have the entire box.) It also depends on your own level of technical proficiency is. Some hosts offer very little support, but have a great price, others offer much more support and hand-holding and cost appropriately more. My recommendation would be to call up a couple of ISPs and Web hosting companies and discuss their offerings with you. Make sure it's clear exactly how much you'll be expected to do yourself.

To answer your question Adam. You need to link your website name with your server. so it can accept requests. If you have a dynamic ip(you have to specifically buy a static ip from your isp) then you will have to use a program to link your domain name to your ip. I used zoneedit.com It works like a charm. You have to setup your server so that it knows what to display when that url is requested. There should be tutorials on manufacturers website. I used apache and there is alot of help for that.

I understand.
I think, for now at least, I can host on my cable connection here at home. My problem is, though, that my ISP, Adelphia, blocks some incomming connections, including 80 and 21 for sure, and possibly SMTP and POP3.
I have contacted BellSouth about their DSL service (as well as other small business packages) and will deal with current web hosting company untill I figure out how much they charge.
thanks for your help!
-mpoer

To host a website, your going to need a:

-Server
-Fast Internet Connection
-Router (obviously if you have a network)
-I'd recommend hardwired connection
-Server software (IIS, Apache, mySQL, php, active perl, ect)
-OS

For the server, it depends on what you plan to host. If it's going to be just static webpages, then you don't need a very powerful server, or extremely fast connection. Standard DSL/Broadband will work. Also remember, that even if you have a server with 2 Processors, 2GB of RAM, it will still only get the information to your users at the speed of theirs, and your connection.

Setting up the software:
You'd point your domain name to your IP address (can be found at: www.whatismyip.com), then configure your router to point to your Internet server IP (it's IP address on the LAN), afterwards, you'll configure your server software to accept connections on the port that your router forwards the data too. I'd recommend firewalling all ports EXCEPT the one you'll be hosting on.

http://www.yourdomain.com will point to your IP (it'll actually be saying: http://255.255.255.255 (your IP))

Sends to your router, your router says, send to (internal LAN IP) 192.168.X.X.

That server's software says, this request is coming in, so I'll send back page.html.

I this is A one time post. All you guys need are A simple program.
The easit way to go is www.tzo.com and get there webserver program.

Or for advance like ftp upload etc

www.planetdns.net

Any ways thats all.

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