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The Guiding Principles and New Rules document is now in effect.
They become associated by pointing you domain hosts nameservers to your website hosting address. Once the nameservers have been updated they'll direct requests for your domain to the correct address.
You certainly can host your own space if you want. One option is to get a dynamic DNS address (through dyndns.org or similar) which updates to point at your current IP address -- if your IP is dynamic from your ISP. If you already have a static IP, it's even easier, because you can just buy a domain and have it's nameservers point to your IP address.
It's not hard really to turn a PC into a webserver. It's potentially as simple as installing Linux, and then installing an Apache package. I have a Linux webserver set up on an old spare computer I had lying around, and have a dyndns domain that points to it. There's a program running on the webserver that updates the dyndns entry anytime my IP address changes.
I'd just like to add that Linux and Apache aren't "required", and even Windows can host a website. Linux/Apache is just a lot better at it.
Erandus on
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amateurhourOne day I'll be professionalhourThe woods somewhere in TennesseeRegistered Userregular
edited September 2008
You can run a website from your own home, you'll need a static IP address and to register a domain name, then link it your your server's DNS, and that's pretty much it. Bear in mind though that your site will rely on your home internet connection, so it will be pretty slow if you have a lot of visitors, and if there's a lot of file transfer and you have comcast, they will cap you.
I've had a lot of luck with Ipower. It's got webmail access configurable through outlook. They register the domain when I buy the space so that there's nothing to configure. It's easy to use, and cheap. I get over a terabyte of storage, 15,000 gigs monthy transfer, all the e-mail addresses I want, e-commerce on the cheap, 25 sql databases, directory listings and google/yahoo ad credits, php/cgi/ssi compatible.
I pay about $30 every three months for that and the domain name included.
You can run a website from your own home, you'll need a static IP address and to register a domain name, then link it your your server's DNS, and that's pretty much it. Bear in mind though that your site will rely on your home internet connection, so it will be pretty slow if you have a lot of visitors, and if there's a lot of file transfer and you have comcast, they will cap you.
Also, please consider the fact that if you run a server on your own PC, any security gap in Apache, php, MySQL, or any script you're running on your website becomes a vulnerability on your computer. It is absolutely normal for even low-traffic sites to be hit with multiple automated hack attempts every day, so please don't do this if you don't know what you're doing (and if you don't know how to register a domain name, you don't know what you're doing. ).
My suggestion would be to go with GoDaddy. They're not the greatest host in the world for enterprise-level stuff, but for your own personal webspace to dick around with, they're fine. You can get a domain from them for $7 (with coupon code OYH3), and their basic hosting packages are only a few bucks a month. For five bucks, you get several gigs of space, a few hundred gigs of bandwidth, php, MySQL, email, lots of pre-installed scripts just waiting to be activated (forums, blogs, etc), and if you end up really wanting to geek out, you can add Ruby or ColdFusion support to your account for just a couple bucks more per month. It's pretty much ideal for an amateur wanting some space to experiment with.
wasted pixels on
0
amateurhourOne day I'll be professionalhourThe woods somewhere in TennesseeRegistered Userregular
You can run a website from your own home, you'll need a static IP address and to register a domain name, then link it your your server's DNS, and that's pretty much it. Bear in mind though that your site will rely on your home internet connection, so it will be pretty slow if you have a lot of visitors, and if there's a lot of file transfer and you have comcast, they will cap you.
Also, please consider the fact that if you run a server on your own PC, any security gap in Apache, php, MySQL, or any script you're running on your website becomes a vulnerability on your computer. It is absolutely normal for even low-traffic sites to be hit with multiple automated hack attempts every day, so please don't do this if you don't know what you're doing (and if you don't know how to register a domain name, you don't know what you're doing. ).
My suggestion would be to go with GoDaddy. They're not the greatest host in the world for enterprise-level stuff, but for your own personal webspace to dick around with, they're fine. You can get a domain from them for $7 (with coupon code OYH3), and their basic hosting packages are only a few bucks a month. For five bucks, you get several gigs of space, a few hundred gigs of bandwidth, php, MySQL, email, lots of pre-installed scripts just waiting to be activated (forums, blogs, etc), and if you end up really wanting to geek out, you can add Ruby or ColdFusion support to your account for just a couple bucks more per month. It's pretty much ideal for an amateur wanting some space to experiment with.
this is just personal experience, but I switched to Ipower from GoDaddy because they had an affinity for charging my card without my permission. Not a big deal because the amounts were low, but you have to specifically tell them to do it, which pretty much means calling them because finding it on the site is a huge pain in the ass. It was more the principle than anything else.
Also, I can't speak for GoDaddy support, but Ipower is pretty good. I had a php problem my first night and did a tech chat, had a support agent with 40 minutes with a full que ahead of me, and the problem was resolved within 20 minutes.
The domain name is easy - find a registrar (i like namecheap.com personally) and buy it. You can use their DNS or point to a hosting company's name servers. Also you can usually get a free domain name when signing up for hosting. Bonus!
Hosting is not as easy, but pretty close. Find out what you want to do with your site. What technology is needed? Ruby on Rails, PHP, ASP, ASP.NET, MySQL, MSSQL, ColdFusion, etc. (PHP, MySQL and even Ruby on Rails are most common these days). I've used Dreamhost before. They are alright, but at the time I used them their servers were pretty slow. 1&1 gave me free hosting for a couple years from some promotion. I don't think I actually used the hosting after the first year because it was just awful, even for a freebie.
Right now I have a client setup in simplehelix and it's pretty decent.
Don't expect your webhosting company to tell you how to make a website, though. I work for one and it really sucks when people sign up for a year of hosting (hundreds of dollars up front) and then call up asking how to make a web page.
Can I host my own space? I've got a spare computer or two, can I somehow make that accessable as "virtual webspace", in that if someone went to my domain name, it would path directly to the PC's storage? I'm sure that involves a good deal of setting up... to make a PC into a web server, I guess.
Most ISP's terms of service (DSL, Cable, etc.) specifically prohibit you from running your own webserver on your plain vanilla home account. Whether or how they enforce this regularly is a different issue. Additionally, as others pointed out above, your IP address is likely to change from time to time, and so you'd need to set up a dynamic DNS thing so your domain name is constantly pointed at your (moving) server IP.
If you want more freedom than most Web space providers give you, consider renting a Linode. A Linode is a virtual computer sitting out there on the public internet that runs Linux. You can set it up however you like, run any software you want on there, etc. You can install just about any distribution of Linux you want. Granted there are (reasonable) limits on bandwidth, and you don't get the terabytes of space you could host from your own server, but you're not violating your ISP's terms of service either.
The little ones (perfect for a personal Webserver) run $20 a month. If that seems unreasonable, consider that leaving an extra PC on all day long is likely going to cost you between $10 and $30 a month in electricity alone.
If you want more freedom than most Web space providers give you, consider renting a Linode. A Linode is a virtual computer sitting out there on the public internet that runs Linux. You can set it up however you like, run any software you want on there, etc. You can install just about any distribution of Linux you want. Granted there are (reasonable) limits on bandwidth, and you don't get the terabytes of space you could host from your own server, but you're not violating your ISP's terms of service either.
The little ones (perfect for a personal Webserver) run $20 a month. If that seems unreasonable, consider that leaving an extra PC on all day long is likely going to cost you between $10 and $30 a month in electricity alone.
I was looking at Linode a bit ago, and I love the idea, but at the moment all I use my webserver for is tinkering and a small personal website, so I can't really justify the $20/month right now.
I have my webserver running 24x7 at my place. My total monthly electric bill is typically $40-50. I seriously doubt that half of that is being used up by that single computer considering I have a bunch of other electronics including two other desktops that are on for 10-14 hours/day.
Though if you do just want a website and aren't really interested in tinkering around with the webserver itself, just get hosting.
Just curious... why do you guys prefer Namecheap over GoDaddy? I haven't noticed that it provides a better user experience or anything, and it seems to cost a couple of dollars more. What am I not seeing here?
Better control panel, faster ticket response, not sure if it does now but GoDaddy didn't let you pay through paypal before, but its mainly the control panel. Its just much more efficient.
Basar on
i live in a country with a batshit crazy president and no, english is not my first language
Better control panel, faster ticket response, not sure if it does now but GoDaddy didn't let you pay through paypal before, but its mainly the control panel. Its just much more efficient.
I actually wasn't too keen on their control panel, but that could well be true about their support. GoDaddy is pretty massive at this point.
But man, GoDaddy has accepted Paypal since 2004. When have you used them last?
Just curious... why do you guys prefer Namecheap over GoDaddy? I haven't noticed that it provides a better user experience or anything, and it seems to cost a couple of dollars more. What am I not seeing here?
Well for one Namecheap probably won't revoke your domain name because some big company sends a strongly worded letter that your website is being mean to them.
Better control panel, faster ticket response, not sure if it does now but GoDaddy didn't let you pay through paypal before, but its mainly the control panel. Its just much more efficient.
I actually wasn't too keen on their control panel, but that could well be true about their support. GoDaddy is pretty massive at this point.
But man, GoDaddy has accepted Paypal since 2004. When have you used them last?
heh, i used them back in college before i discovered namecheap... that was like more than 3-4 years ago.
Basar on
i live in a country with a batshit crazy president and no, english is not my first language
Posts
You certainly can host your own space if you want. One option is to get a dynamic DNS address (through dyndns.org or similar) which updates to point at your current IP address -- if your IP is dynamic from your ISP. If you already have a static IP, it's even easier, because you can just buy a domain and have it's nameservers point to your IP address.
It's not hard really to turn a PC into a webserver. It's potentially as simple as installing Linux, and then installing an Apache package. I have a Linux webserver set up on an old spare computer I had lying around, and have a dyndns domain that points to it. There's a program running on the webserver that updates the dyndns entry anytime my IP address changes.
I've had a lot of luck with Ipower. It's got webmail access configurable through outlook. They register the domain when I buy the space so that there's nothing to configure. It's easy to use, and cheap. I get over a terabyte of storage, 15,000 gigs monthy transfer, all the e-mail addresses I want, e-commerce on the cheap, 25 sql databases, directory listings and google/yahoo ad credits, php/cgi/ssi compatible.
I pay about $30 every three months for that and the domain name included.
Also, please consider the fact that if you run a server on your own PC, any security gap in Apache, php, MySQL, or any script you're running on your website becomes a vulnerability on your computer. It is absolutely normal for even low-traffic sites to be hit with multiple automated hack attempts every day, so please don't do this if you don't know what you're doing (and if you don't know how to register a domain name, you don't know what you're doing.
My suggestion would be to go with GoDaddy. They're not the greatest host in the world for enterprise-level stuff, but for your own personal webspace to dick around with, they're fine. You can get a domain from them for $7 (with coupon code OYH3), and their basic hosting packages are only a few bucks a month. For five bucks, you get several gigs of space, a few hundred gigs of bandwidth, php, MySQL, email, lots of pre-installed scripts just waiting to be activated (forums, blogs, etc), and if you end up really wanting to geek out, you can add Ruby or ColdFusion support to your account for just a couple bucks more per month. It's pretty much ideal for an amateur wanting some space to experiment with.
this is just personal experience, but I switched to Ipower from GoDaddy because they had an affinity for charging my card without my permission. Not a big deal because the amounts were low, but you have to specifically tell them to do it, which pretty much means calling them because finding it on the site is a huge pain in the ass. It was more the principle than anything else.
Also, I can't speak for GoDaddy support, but Ipower is pretty good. I had a php problem my first night and did a tech chat, had a support agent with 40 minutes with a full que ahead of me, and the problem was resolved within 20 minutes.
Hosting is not as easy, but pretty close. Find out what you want to do with your site. What technology is needed? Ruby on Rails, PHP, ASP, ASP.NET, MySQL, MSSQL, ColdFusion, etc. (PHP, MySQL and even Ruby on Rails are most common these days). I've used Dreamhost before. They are alright, but at the time I used them their servers were pretty slow. 1&1 gave me free hosting for a couple years from some promotion. I don't think I actually used the hosting after the first year because it was just awful, even for a freebie.
Right now I have a client setup in simplehelix and it's pretty decent.
Don't expect your webhosting company to tell you how to make a website, though. I work for one and it really sucks when people sign up for a year of hosting (hundreds of dollars up front) and then call up asking how to make a web page.
SC2 NA: exoplasm.519 | PA SC2 Mumble Server | My Website | My Stream
Most ISP's terms of service (DSL, Cable, etc.) specifically prohibit you from running your own webserver on your plain vanilla home account. Whether or how they enforce this regularly is a different issue. Additionally, as others pointed out above, your IP address is likely to change from time to time, and so you'd need to set up a dynamic DNS thing so your domain name is constantly pointed at your (moving) server IP.
If you want more freedom than most Web space providers give you, consider renting a Linode. A Linode is a virtual computer sitting out there on the public internet that runs Linux. You can set it up however you like, run any software you want on there, etc. You can install just about any distribution of Linux you want. Granted there are (reasonable) limits on bandwidth, and you don't get the terabytes of space you could host from your own server, but you're not violating your ISP's terms of service either.
The little ones (perfect for a personal Webserver) run $20 a month. If that seems unreasonable, consider that leaving an extra PC on all day long is likely going to cost you between $10 and $30 a month in electricity alone.
I was looking at Linode a bit ago, and I love the idea, but at the moment all I use my webserver for is tinkering and a small personal website, so I can't really justify the $20/month right now.
I have my webserver running 24x7 at my place. My total monthly electric bill is typically $40-50. I seriously doubt that half of that is being used up by that single computer considering I have a bunch of other electronics including two other desktops that are on for 10-14 hours/day.
Though if you do just want a website and aren't really interested in tinkering around with the webserver itself, just get hosting.
I actually wasn't too keen on their control panel, but that could well be true about their support. GoDaddy is pretty massive at this point.
But man, GoDaddy has accepted Paypal since 2004. When have you used them last?
Well for one Namecheap probably won't revoke your domain name because some big company sends a strongly worded letter that your website is being mean to them.
SC2 NA: exoplasm.519 | PA SC2 Mumble Server | My Website | My Stream
heh, i used them back in college before i discovered namecheap... that was like more than 3-4 years ago.