Loads of people have recently asked do I know where they can host their sites for free. The answer is no. But they do, and they don't know it. So here I'll explain how they can host their own web sites from their PC, in simple steps WITH pictures.
Firstly, the requirments:
Firstly, the requirments:
- BroadBand at least
- Apache Instant Server software
- Powerfull System
- No-IP DUC
- Windows O.S (98 and higher)
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If you got all this then carry on. If you need some thing like Apache server soft ware, goto the bottom and download the links.
After Downloading them all run miniportal.exe and install to the default directory.
Once installed, you'll have a basic server all ready set-up under 127.0.0.1. Down in the task bar corner (by the clock) you'll now see a ! or a !. If it's green, its already done set it self up on your IP and is running. To make sure its your IP put your mouse over it and it'll say MiniPortal Running: IP ADDRESS HERE.
For e.g:
If its running on 127.0.0.1, you proberbly got a problem and should refer to the help guide, or your not connected to the net. Other wise carry on here...
Once it's running on your IP, we need to get a domain. Best place for a domain is No-ip.com. Go there and click on sign-up free! Fill out the form giving your real details. The only fields you should fill out is: First Name, Last Name, E-Mail address and how did you hear about us. Once filled in submit. In the e-mail generated which is sent to the e-mail supplied, it will give you a password. Go back to no-ip.com and sign in.
Once logged in click on ADD located under Hosts/Redirects. Then fill out the form. If you require help, simply follow this help guide to the fields:
Hostname - This is the main part of the domain e.g: MjsHub
DropDown Box - Select a domain, yours will be a subdomain, but acting like a real domain.
Hosting Type - leave it as DNS Host (A)
IP Address - Leave it as it is, this will be changed by the DUC.
Assign to group - Leave Blank
Allow Wilcards - DONT TICK
MX Records - Leave.
Once filled in click Create Host. This has now created a domain pointing to your IP. So, we need a site uploaded dont we. So lets get into the stuff.
Theres two ways of making a site, HTML hand coding it or using PHP or wat ever OR use a coder (Dreamweaver, front page etc.). This is entirly up to you, and I won't be the boss on that one.
Theres also two ways of uploading it. Both ways will get you familiar to useing this hosting system. So we'll do the one way, and then the other.
WAY 1
goto http://127.0.0.1/admin, your AdminCP for this hosting system.
Click on the + next to web server to expand it and then goto Accounts. This should show this:
This is a list of all your accounts that can access your default web hosted account. Click on NEW and in the first box, type Admin. Then select ALL from the drop down box and type in your password in the box bellow.
Then in the 3 radio boxes, select Admin and Autor for all of them (may be admin or autor) and leave the directory as it is. So it looks like:
After all that hard work, you can connect via FTP Client. FTP Server being your url (username.choosenextention.com or wat ever, mine would be mjshub.no-ip.com for http://mjshub.no-ip.com). Username being Admin and your choosen password being your password. Then simply upload and it appears on your site.
Way 2
If you have choosen the default path to install Apache ISServers to, then it should be in Program files/Instant Servers/MiniPortal/. So goto C:\Program Files\Instant Server\MiniPortal\Apache\htdocs\. This IS your web site, people upload here. So simply copy and paste your site files here.
After all this, open the no-ip DUC and log-in. Select your domain(s) and it will automaticlly update the IP given to them...
Also, It turns off when your PC turns off...
This is just a guide on setting up and running IS Mini Portal. This guide is also at http://mjshub.no-ip.com/ and there are more in the writting.
Hope this helps and enjoy
Oh by the way, If you go into hosted web sites, don't charge for it unless you got like a 2meg line or maybe a 5meg line... Popular sites uses band width, painfull...
Thanks for reading...
LINKS - APACHE SERVER SOFTWARE
MiniPortal (Site Broadcaster) - 5.14 MB (5,394,785 bytes) CLICK
PHP Compatable Plug-in - 5.88 MB (6,167,837 bytes) CLICK
MySQL Compatable Plug-in - 12.4 MB (13,079,816 bytes) - CLICK
Web Mail Plug-in - 9.44 MB (9,901,978 bytes) -CLICK
Mail Plug-in - 2.50 MB (2,622,150 bytes) - CLICK
Phorum Plug-in - 1.16 MB (1,220,904 bytes) - CLICK
PHPBB Plug - in - 1.58 MB (1,657,019 bytes) - CLICK
LINKS - OTHER
No-IP DUC - 619 KB (634,368 bytes) - CLICK
-Written by NeoPuma