Do you host a web server at home? • Hacker News Board

Re: Do you host a web server at home?

#21

Post by cantbecool » Tue, Apr 10, 2012, 6:08 PM UTC

jff wrote: post #8

I do. I've run FreeBSD on a SunFire and on an old Thinkpad, and I currently run a Go web server under Plan 9 on that old Thinkpad. It's easy, just start the server and point your domain name at it. Since I've got a dynamic IP, I have a cron job to update it every day--it's just a personal page, so it doesn't really matter if it's unavailable for a little while every few months.

Nice, I'm thinking about running it off an old laptop too. I was going to set up a cron job also to fix that whole dynamic ip issue.

Re: Do you host a web server at home?

#22

Post by dholowiski » Tue, Apr 10, 2012, 6:39 PM UTC

pastaking wrote: post #2

I'd be interested to find out how to host from home. All these VPSs are getting expensive and I've noticed most of my side projects don't need all that.

It's easy. Find an old laptop with 512mb ram or more (you should be able to obtain one for free). Install a Linux OS (I like CentOS) Fire up apache/mysql or your server software of choice Point your domain name at your IP address.

I have a business internet connection at home. Even though it's mostly for personal use, it's a couple of extra dollars a month (not much) and I get 2 static IP addresses, and I'm explicitly allowed to run servers.

It's an excellent learning experience. But if it's for business, pay the money for a VPS!

Re: Do you host a web server at home?

#23

Post by jff » Tue, Apr 10, 2012, 9:31 PM UTC

cantbecool wrote: post #19

mmx wrote: post #16

I currently run an entire startup in my garage, this includes routers, webserver, database servers, UPS's, etc, all hand built by the way. I work on it with 3 other guys who live 45 minutes to 4 hours away. We've bootstrapped this thing in a way that I'll have to write about once we're funded. I'm currently located in Virginia, and there is a mountain behind my house thats on fire about two miles away. I've been batt…

Awesome, I'm going to run it off of Comcast's network as well. I hope the fire shortly stops, mmx. Sounds like you're in a rock and a hard place right now. We just need Mother Nature's intervention.

I mentioned my setup in another post; I'm running on a residential Comcast line, and since my traffic is low I can get away with it. YMMV :)

Re: Do you host a web server at home?

#24

Post by jff » Tue, Apr 10, 2012, 10:36 PM UTC

cantbecool wrote: post #21

jff wrote: post #8

I do. I've run FreeBSD on a SunFire and on an old Thinkpad, and I currently run a Go web server under Plan 9 on that old Thinkpad. It's easy, just start the server and point your domain name at it. Since I've got a dynamic IP, I have a cron job to update it every day--it's just a personal page, so it doesn't really matter if it's unavailable for a little while every few months.

Nice, I'm thinking about running it off an old laptop too. I was going to set up a cron job also to fix that whole dynamic ip issue.

The good thing about a laptop is that it has a built-in UPS :)

Re: Do you host a web server at home?

#25

Post by cantbecool » Tue, Apr 10, 2012, 10:57 PM UTC

akr wrote: post #13

I host my Blog on a SheevaPlug from home. Additionally it runs an IMAP Server and some development stuff. In combination with the ARM Port of Archlinux it works pretty well - even with the small uplink my 2Mbit connection offers.

Awesome, I'm getting pretty reasonable response times from your blog too, and I found out about Conky from your last blog post.