What information do I need to enter when installing Apache on my computer?

[Jameson]

Sorry to keep posting on the same point, but I still have some things I can't seem to figure out. When I install Apache on my computer, I have to enter information such as Network Domain and Server Domain. If I'm running this off of my own computer, what do I put for these? Do I have to register my own DNS server?

Also, does anyone know of a nice program to manage the Apache, PHP, MySql trio for Windows?

Thanks,
Jameson

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Use FoxServ:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/foxserv/

 

[dduardo]

Network Domain is going to be: yoursite.com
Server Domain is going to be: computername.yoursite.com

No, you don't need your own DNS server. There are a ton of free dns hosts. Just do a google search for: free dns. You'll basically give the dns host your Network's IP address and your domain name and they will give you two ip address. You'll take these numbers and go to your domain name provider and enter the numbers under the dns info.

Managing Apache involves editing httpd.conf. There is plenty of documentation within the file and if you need any additional documentation you can find it here:

http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.0/

You install php once and forget about it.

You can admin mysql either through the command-line or through phpmyadmin:

http://www.phpmyadmin.net/home_page/index.php

 

[Jameson]

Thanks to both of you.

Greg - on the FoxServe website, it says the latest release date was Jan., 2003. It is going to be outdated?

I'll work on setting my server up and I'm sure I'll have more questions. Thanks again to both of you guys.

 

[dduardo]

Yeah, FoxServe is really outdated. Your better off getting the packages straight from the developers.

 

[Jameson]

Do you know of any free domain name services, such as .tk extensions? What do you think of these? Do they have popups?

 

[Jameson]

So I'm installing Apache and now I need to enter some information. Here are what the defaults suggest...

network domain tallah01.fl.comcast.net
server domain pcp655024pcs.tallah01.fl.comcast.net
administrator email admin@tallah01.fl.comcast.net

Should I keep these defaults? I have Comcast as my ISP, but is this information specific to me? Please help... I really don't want to get in trouble with my ISP.

Thanks

 

[dduardo]

The free .tk domain only offers redirecting. If you don't mind being identified with you IP address I guess you can go with this choice.

I suggest you buy a domain name. 1&1 offers domains at $6 a year.

Network Domain is going to be: yoursite.com
Server Domain is going to be: computername.yoursite.com

Unless you own the comcast domain don't use it.

 

[Jameson]

So I've got my Apache server up and running! Now I'm trying to install PHP and MySQL. I have downloaded and unzipped PHPMyAdmin, but there seems to be no GUI that I was anticipating. Am I missing something? Also, I downloaded PHP and MySQL, but have no idea what folder to put them in. Thanks so much for the help! I'll let you know when the site is up!

Jameson

 

[dduardo]

Back away from the computer, you might hurt yourself trying to find the any key.

Php: Pick a mirror any mirror:

http://us2.php.net/get/php-5.0.5-installer.exe/from/a/mirror

Then double click on the icon that appears on your desktop and follow the installer

Mysql: Pick a mirror any mirror:

http://dev.mysql.com/get/Downloads/MySQL-4.1/mysql-4.1.14-win32.zip/from/pick#mirrors

Then unzip the file, double click on the exe and follow the installer.

Phpmyadmin: Pick a mirror any mirror:

http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/phpmyadmin/phpMyAdmin-2.6.4-pl1.zip?download

Then unzip and stick the folder in your htdocs folder or wherever you stick your server files on windows. It's htdocs on Linux, and it might be the same on windows.

 

[Jameson]

When I installed PHP, I clicked that my server was Apache and then a popup came up that said "File to configure PHP for Apache has not been written". So how do I do this manually?

 

[dduardo]

http://www.php.net/manual/en/install.windows.apache2.php

 

[Jameson]

Thanks for all of the help dduardo. I have a security question now. I have two computers. I am going to run my server off of one, but there internet connection is the same for both. Will this increase the chance of someone breaking into my computer for the computer that the server is not on?

Thanks

 

[dduardo]

No it won't. Just don't foward any ports to that computer. Only servers need router port forwarding.

 

[Jameson]

dduardo - I really appreciate all the help you've given my for this Apache stuff, but I have a confession. I've purchased a paid plan. I registered the domain name through 1&1.com, and the web host is bigbytes.net.

I have a couple more questions for you. I have an account with 1&1, but the site says its still "applying" for my domain. How long will this take? Also, on bigbytes.net they use cPanel. I want to edit the main page, but do not even know where to find it. Under FileManager, there seems to be no "index.html" file, or anything like that. Any suggestions?

Also, I'll be installing phpBB soon, so I'm sure I'll need help with that. Thanks so much for everything!

EDIT: Another thing, my plan has only 2 GB data transfer per month. Do you forsee this as being a problem? I plan on having a fairly active forum...

Jameson

 

[loseyourname]

I have a couple more questions for you. I have an account with 1&1, but the site says its still "applying" for my domain. How long will this take? Also, on bigbytes.net they use cPanel. I want to edit the main page, but do not even know where to find it. Under FileManager, there seems to be no "index.html" file, or anything like that. Any suggestions?

Use the index manager rather than the file manager. The files themselves should be under /home/user/public_html/(I'm not sure).

Also, I'll be installing phpBB soon, so I'm sure I'll need help with that. Thanks so much for everything!

phpBB is very easy to install. Once it is installed, you hardly even need to use cpanel any more if your aim is just to host a forum. The admin section of phpBB is straightforward and easy to use, and support is good (anything you can think to ask about has already been answered somewhere). Unless you plan to install hacks or templates, the only thing you should need to use cpanel for after you've installed phpBB is changing permissions for your images folder to allow users to upload their own avatars.

 

[loseyourname]

By the way, there is a cpanel User Manual at http://www.cpanel.net/docs/cpanel/.

 

[Jameson]

Thanks a bunch! I got it working.