Thread: Creating A Web Site

Well, I've got a new (cruddy) job working at a local grocery store.
This means that in about a month, I'm going to be starting work on a new computer to replace this POS.
So, I'm not entirely sure what I'm going to do with this computer.
One option I've considered is converting it to a server. Probably a Linux-based one, since I'm not going to bother with a Windows server for various reasons (mostly financial). Basically, I'm thinking about creating my own website as a resume/web journal (I resent the term blog, as it represents everything mediocre about the internet). Nothing complicated, and it'll be running very low bandwidth.
But I really have no experience whatsoever in the area (which is part of the reason I want to try). I've never hosted a website before, and I don't know what all is involved.

Where should I start? Obviously, I'm going to need a domain name--I was thinking Tsenru.com or something. How would I reserve that, and get it to redirect to the IP of the website/host computer? I know sites like GoDaddy (although I hear they're not worth trusting) will get the name for you for a price, but what exactly do THEY do to reserve the site, and could I do it on my own, for free?
And where would I go from there?
The one thing I'm not particularly worried about is security--I have enough experience there, and I can always turn to the Linux crowd for help if I need it.

Alright. First of all, Domain names. You can reserve/buy a domainname with tons of sites, mostly for about $15 USD for TLDs (so .org/.net/.com/etc). You should look for sites that offer DNS Management.

Once you have the domainname, you change it's DNS Settings to your IP and it will then "forward" any request (Tsenru.com/bla) to yourip/bla.

On your computer, you should set up a LAMP stack - Linux Apache/MySQL/PHP. I know Fedora has a great Yum UI manager where you can just search for software or entire software packages, and hell, it even does most of the work for you.

Once your LAMP stack is installed, you're going to have to edit the config files and set everything the way you want it to be.

You cannot reserve/get domain names for free unless you're an officially registered, licensed and affiliated company with the ICANN (basically the company that manages all the domain names on the internet).

Unfortunately I can not recommend you any site to register your domainname at, for I have no experience with anything but Dutch webhosts. I've done the DNS thing with a domainname of mine though, and it is dropdead simple. I trust you'll make it just fine. The hardest thing is getting a reliable hostname (which I'm sure someone can provide, I think Kaniaz mentioned Site5 a couple of times) and setting up the LAMP stack, which is also pretty eays.

Good luck, and I'm open for questions. QUESSINS.

Alright, thanks. That answered pretty much all of my questions--I was mostly wondering about what went into registering a domain name. That bit about the ICANN was useful, though I must admit, for being such a big power on the internet, they sure have one ugly site.
Anyways, that's good to know about the LAMP stack and all that, and I'll probably be using Fedora as the OS, which should work nicely. I thought about Ubuntu and SuSE, but I don't think they've got what I'm looking for.

I guess all that's left is to choose a site to register my domain name with. I'm looking at that Site5, but I'd like to see some good alternatives before I choose anything. Hopefully Kaniaz, MSG and those folks will show up and shed some light on US domain name services at some point.

Glad I could help, and yeah - my thoughts exactly: ICANN's site is ugly as fuck.

The only domain registrar I've actually used is GoDaddy. Their site is ugly, their domain parking system is ugly, and you have to be very wary of them putting things into your order that you don't want (they are pushy bastards) so I probably wouldn't go with them. Even so they don't steal your domain name or do any particular funny business so they're begrudgingly alright if you can't find anything else suitable.

One registrar I hear good things about and I would trust are register4less.com. $14.95/yr, and they're sponsored by this very old and respectable web comic called User Friendly that I read. They don't do anything nasty and I think they might just suit your needs. Click here for the User Friendly sponsored part of Register4less (it might be cheaper than the main site, I don't know).

Everything TweaK said about setting up a LAMP stack was right on the money. Fedora and the yum package manager would do the job a lot faster, but if you've got time to spend I always find it more rewarding to configure it all yourself - as you really get a feel for how everything ties together. But it can be frustrating if you don't know what you're doing, so, OK, maybe not.

So it's really as simple as:
1. Buy your domain name from a registrar of your choice. They'll point it to any place of your choosing for a year, upon which you'll have to renew or lose the domain name unless you buy a longer subscription.
2. Get it to point it at your IP. If your IP is not static, you're going to need to perform some Dynamic DNS hocus pocus here, since you're hosting this yourself.
3. Get your server working at that IP.
4. Profit.

Originally Posted by Tsen

Where should I start? Obviously, I'm going to need a domain name--I was thinking Tsenru.com or something. How would I reserve that, and get it to redirect to the IP of the website/host computer? I know sites like GoDaddy (although I hear they're not worth trusting) will get the name for you for a price, but what exactly do THEY do to reserve the site, and could I do it on my own, for free?[/b]

Hi Tsen,

For the highest level of domain security (but a crappy interface) I would recommend Moniker.com. For decent security (better than Godaddy), eNom's not bad. I use them for almost all of my names. Godaddy does have decent phone support, though, which is a plus. Just make sure to lock your domain and watch it like a hawk.

BTW it's dangerous to post a domain name to a public forum and not reserve it right away. Given the low cost I'd get your name ASAP.

Originally Posted by Tsen

You cannot reserve/get domain names for free unless you're an officially registered, licensed and affiliated company with the ICANN (basically the company that manages all the domain names on the internet).[/b]

Even officially ICANN accredited Registrars (like Godaddy) have to pay $6/name/year to the Registry (Verisign in the case of .com names), plus an additional $0.25 ICANN fee.

Good luck with your project!

-asher

Kaniaz, You mean

1. Buy your domain name from a registrar of your choice. They'll point it to any place of your choosing for a year, upon which you'll have to renew or lose the domain name unless you buy a longer subscription.
2. Get it to point it at your IP. If your IP is not static, you're going to need to perform some Dynamic DNS hocus pocus here, since you're hosting this yourself.
3. Get your server working at that IP.
4. ???
5. Profit!

Right?

Originally Posted by asher

BTW it's dangerous to post a domain name to a public forum and not reserve it right away. Given the low cost I'd get your name ASAP.
Even officially ICANN accredited Registrars (like Godaddy) have to pay $6/name/year to the Registry (Verisign in the case of .com names), plus an additional $0.25 ICANN fee.

Good luck with your project!

-asher[/b]

Yes, super dangerous! Because people here will just REGISTER it to annoy the hell out of him, muhahahahahhahahahah-- No. We're all civilised folks, we're a close community, and noone here will waste money on a domainname such as Tsenru.com seeing how it means nothing to any of us except for Tsen. If it was some cool fancy hip domainname, then sure. But else, no.

And I know registrars have to pay an amount, I never said it was free, but my point was that he couldn't get a domainname himself directly, without using some sort of mediator (registrar) between him and the ICANN.

Edit
I -did- say it was free, although I misphrased BADLY. I meant to say there is no free alternative of setting up a "DNS server" of sorts (or something) to get a free domain name. Registrars too pay money, or the ICANN would be charity. Charity, I tell you.

Asher is sort of right. If there was some impossibly cool domain name that existed that I could buy - like, gee, I don't know - google.com; I wouldn't announce it to the world in case some guy bought it up from me. Unless you happen to own a trademark or something that guy will have all the rights to the domain name. It's always "first to the punch". Common sense really, I don't think that's going to happen here.

As for "domain security", what?

Well, I don't think I'd be terribly disappointed if somebody stole that domain name, but I will be registering it in a few weeks most likely. Anyway, thanks for the tips, I'll be getting started on all this jazz in about a month if things go nicely, two or three if things don't. I've also got to wait and see--I'm moving out of the dorms soon, so I'll need to see what kind of internet connection I'll be able to get at my new place. That might screw the whole shebang over if I can't get a decent connection.