Hello I have an Apache server running that I can make PHP scripts work on. What do I need to make it so others can get to it through a domain name? Is web hosting what I need? If so then can I write my own scripts for them to run? This particular package says that it has PHP support is that what I need? Is there anything else I should learn before I get a site going? I probably won't do one soon I am just trying to figure out what I need to know to start. Sorry for all the beginner questions at once. Thanks for any help.

Thanks!

Quote:Original post by Sander
You need to have a static IP addres,

How do I know if I have one or not? I found some web hosting that comes with a "dedicated IP" is that the same?

So if get web hosting it usually comes with everything I need to build a website? Then would all I need to do start building scripts? Also what does Transfer per Month mean?

Quote:Original post by In_Yack_Mode
So if get web hosting it usually comes with everything I need to build a website?

Depends. Check what they offer. They'll have everything you need to serve up basic HTML, and probably a number of packages for scripts, but if you need anything outside of their stock features, then you'll either need to spring for premium or pursue some form of dedicated hosting.

Quote:Also what does Transfer per Month mean?

It means the total amount of data your site can serve per month. Say your home page is 3KB of data, is the only page on your site and is served to 1000 visitors in a month. Then your transfer for that month is 1000 * 3KB, which is approximately 3 MB.

Your total transfer will be the sum of the size of each page multiplied by the number of times it is served up that month.

I personally have used dreamhost for years now. They are very well priced, offer great features and great service. You even get full shell access to your account complete with cronjobs and everything.

Just click the link above to check it out.

Quote:Original post by ractoc
I personally have used dreamhost for years now.

I've always wanted to ask: how much control do you get over Apache? i.e., is it a shared instance, or are you free to restart httpd/apache2 at whim?

Ok so with web hosting would I still need an Apache or what will happen with that?

Quote: It means the total amount of data your site can serve per month. Say your home page is 3KB of data, is the only page on your site and is served to 1000 visitors in a month. Then your transfer for that month is 1000 * 3KB, which is approximately 3 MB.

What if one month I have more people than expected and go over the limit? Is there a fee, does it vary from plan to plan or would they just shut off my site?

Thanks for all the help I know these are basic questions

Quote:Original post by In_Yack_Mode
Ok so with web hosting would I still need an Apache or what will happen with that?

The host is already running either Apache or IIS, which are web servers.

Here's a quick overview: When you type a URI (e.g. http://www.gamedev.net) into your web browser's address bar, it examines the protocol (everything up to the :// - HTTP in this case), then determines the fully qualified domain name (www.gamedev.net) and makes a DNS request for the numerical address of the specific machine(s) bearing that address (216.185.96.234). If a port number is specified, your browser then attempts to connect to that port. Otherwise it connects to port 80, which is the default port for the World Wide Web.

What accepts the connection on the other side? A web server, like Apache, IIS, Google Web Server, lighttpd, etc. So in order for someone to provide web pages to others, they have to be running one of these pieces of software. Generally, commercial web hosts are either running Windows with IIS, or Linux/BSD with Apache.

Quote:What if one month I have more people than expected and go over the limit? Is there a fee, does it vary from plan to plan or would they just shut off my site?

Excellent question! It shows you're really thinking about this stuff. [smile]

Policies vary. Some hosts will just charge you overage. Some will shut your site off. Some will give you a small allowance and notification, giving you a chance to increase your bandwidth. Some hosts are specifically designed to accommodate sudden, unusual spikes in traffic, like Joyent. Pay close attention to how much bandwidth the host provides, what restrictions are present, if any (daily limits, for instance), and what the consequences of exceeding the daily, weekly and monthly limits are.