Greetings. I am the current owner of CM Tech Support out of Fort Worth, TX, and just ventured into the wide unknown of my knowledge. I am trying to build and run a server using Windows Server 2003 so that I can host my own web page and domain name w/o paying anyone. I am looking for directions on how to do this. Can anyone direct me to a link or does anyone have any knowledge they would not mind sharing with me? I have been doing Computer Repairs and Networking (PC and Mac) for about 8 years now, just never thought about doing servers till now. Thank you all so much. God Bless

If you don't want to pay for hosting, then I guess you don't want to pay your ISP for a static IP address either. That means that you would have to use dyndns or something similar and that's only good if your ISP isn't blocking port 80 and maybe even 8080. Hosting a web server may be against their TOS. Even if they allow it, are you sure that you want your website anywhere near you business LAN? I certainly wouldn't want that for security reasons.

I am not going to have my server at my business. I have a secure place that i have bought just for the servers that i build and use. As far as the paying part, i would not mind paying for my domain name if that is the best way to go, but i do not want to pay for their server space. I already have a server that i am dedicating to VPN remote access, and FTP clients. I just want this one to run my sites so i can, maybe later, charge people for building and hosting sites on my server. In fact i have to build two sites after the first of the year. I am very much a "money maker" and i would do anything for that extra buck. Thank you for your reply. I appreciate the fast response.

You still need a domain name. It's ok to host it yourself as long as you know that it's a lot easier with a static IP and a provider who allows it. I know you want to hustle and make money but don't be like some millionaires I know. One of them just bought a Trac Fone with the idea of saving money by disconnecting his home phone in his $400 rent controlled apartment. Another one wants to buy a Bob Cat to dig around the foundation of his house instead of hiring the guys to do it. Then he wants to do other jobs to pay for the machine. He's in his 60s and the first guy is over 80. Don't get like that.

Thank you for your response. I am not trying to be like those guys, i dont mind spending the money that i have to IF i have to. I am more than willing to do this the easy way, but as you all may know, a hard headed entrepenuer likes to do things the cheap, most cost efficent way. My next question for the forum would be How exactly do I set up my server to do what i need it to do after i get my domain name and things of that nature? As i said in my first post, i am all new to this. Again, thank you for your help on this matter. Each and every response is very much appreciated.

The correct way to do it is to purchase a static IP address from you ISP, register your domain name with a registrar and have their name servers resolve your domain to that IP address. Once that's done, you install IIS or Apache on the server and load your website. http://www.windowsnetworking.com/ar... That's one of many HOWTO sites on IIS with Server 2003. There are others for Apache.