Topic: Newbie with Apache 2

[ccwking]

Hi.
I am a newbie to Apache 2, and finally got it running on my (old) Dell Server, 1ghz processor, 103gb drive space (8 x 18gb scsi), Windows Server 2003. Its now running Apache 2, MySQL, phpMyAdmin and PHP fine.

What I want to learn is how to set up the server so it allows users to host their web sites off it, its all connected to my router, the virtual server http 80 in my router is redirecting fine, as is the domain name which points to my router.
What I need to do is:
a) set up the server so it maps the url to their folder with their html code, i.e. <www.domain_name>/username/index.html
b) I do have a 250gb caddy with full FTP support which also sits on the router with its own static IP address and the FTP port open for access (using username/password for access), so was wondering if I can get the server to point to that for storing the files?

For example: Server is on home network IP 192.168.0.60, caddy is on 192.168.0.210.

Since I know nothing about setting Apache up for web hosting, any useful tips and help would be great!!

[tdonovan]

re: "a) set up the server so it maps the url to their folder with their html code, i.e. <www.domain_name>/username/index.html "

If your users all have different host names - you want virtual hosts.
The Apache 2.2 docs for virtual hosts are at http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/vhosts/

If your users all share the same host name, you can just name the subdirectories under \htdocs to match their user names
- or else use the Apache Alias directive to point elsewhere on your system for each user.

re: "b) ... can get the server to point to that (ftp server) for storing the files? "

You can use the Apache module mod_proxy_ftp to do this.
If you want to serve all requests from your ftp server, you would use directives like this:

Code:

LoadModule proxy_module modules/mod_proxy.so LoadModule proxy_ftp_module modules/mod_proxy_ftp.so ... <IfModule proxy_ftp_module>     ProxyRequests Off     <Proxy *>         Order deny,allow         Allow from all     </Proxy>     ProxyPass / ftp://192.168.0.210/     ProxyPassReverse / ftp://192.168.0.210/ </IfModule>

Be sure to read the Apache mod_proxy docs carefully, in order to keep your server secure.

-tom-

[ccwking]

[ccwking]

[ccwking]

[tdonovan]

You might be making it harder than it needs to be with UserDir.
That directive is useful for hosting a large number (100's, 1000's) of users - but really not necessary for a few users.

Also - you normally use forward-slashes in httpd.conf, even for Windows.
If you must use backslashes (i.e. in your media-server name) you must double them.

For example: if you have two users named Chris and Bob, you could create two directories on media-server:

\\media-server\Public\Apache\Chris
\\media-server\Public\Apache\Bob

In httpd.conf, set you DocumentRoot to "\\\\media-server/Public/Apache".

You would normally set permissions like this:

<Directory "\\\\media-server/Public/Apache">
Order deny,allow
Allow from all
</Directory>

This would make both directories (as well as the root directory) visible to everyone via a browser,
although presumably Bob and Chis would need their ftp passwords to change anything in their own subdirectories via ftp.
Whether they do depends on your ftp config, not your Apache config.

Your statement "...so each user cant see the others folders/directories..." is a little confusing.
Do you really mean that only Chris can view Chris' web directory and only Bob can view Bob's web directory?
Web sites are usually world-visible. Browser requests are pretty much anonymous unless you set up Apache passwords and require all visitors to log in before viewing the web site.
If you do this, you can control who sees which directories - but I'm not sure that's what you mean.
For example: it's not clear why Bob would want to create a web site that only he can see.

-tom-

[ccwking]

[tdonovan]

re: "does this code go in the http_userdir.conf file?"

No - Your DocumentRoot and the <Directory> block which describes it go in httpd.conf.

-tom-

[ccwking]

[tdonovan]

If you use the module mod_userdir, and you have a UserDir directive - you do so in in extra\httpd-userdir.conf and Include this file from httpd.conf.

If you are not using mod_userdir (...I presume you are not...) - you don't edit extra\httpd-userdir.conf and you don't Include it from httpd.conf.
You can also comment out the LoadModule userdir_module modules/mod_userdir.so directive in httpd.conf.

mod_userdir is helpful if you have so many users that you don't want to deal with them individually,
but need them to become available whenever you create a new directory.

I'm guessing that for your installation mod_userdir is more confusing than helpful.

-tom-

[ccwking]

[ccwking]

[tdonovan]

You can do this with the Alias directive, which is described in the Apache docs here: http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/mod/mod_alias.html#alias.

For example:

[ccwking]

[James Blond]

you can create an index.php in that folder.

[ccwking]

[James Blond]

Do you mean status and info?

http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/mod/mod_status.html

http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/mod/mod_info.html

[ccwking]

I seem to have solved my index problem now too .... good learning curve!!