Topic: Establishing Website

[markinca]

Ok, this is very very basic, so I apologise in advance for the simplicity of this question. I have properly installed Apache and have been running it from my laptop (localhost). I am trying to share my webpages with others, but the page are not found. I used my IP address that is in my IPCONFIG. The URL I have setup is: http://192.168.15.101/getmessage.htm.

I think there is something that i am seriously not understanding. Do I need to register my IP address? What could cause the the link above work from within my network(Intranet), but not work outside my network(Internet). Is there a switch I am missing in my Apache setup? I have scoured my httpd.conf file and don't see anything that I have missed. My application is installed under Windows XP/PRO.

Many thanks for your patience and your help.

Mark

[Steffen]

What do you have as Listen directive in httpd.conf ?

You can try:

Listen 80

Firwall not blocking port 80 ?


Steffen

[markinca]

maybe i should just turn off my firewall and try it. here is my abbreviated httpd.conf (without most the comments). I will shut my firewall off and see if that helps. I do have Listen 80.

My httpd.conf file is below. If you see anything obvious, let me know.

Admin Note;
Do not post your httpd.conf, we removed it, see forum rules

[Steffen]

When you type http://127.0.0.1/getmessage.htm on you server box, is it working then ?

Steffen

[markinca]

When I type http://127.0.0.1/getmessage.htm from my computer the web page comes up perfectly. What now?

[pnllan]

Are the other users on the same subnet? If not, there's your problem.

192.168.*.* in other words all subnets of 192.168, are - for a lack of phraseology - reserved for local networks. The IP you need to refer them to is the one assigned by your ISP. You can double check this by clinking on this link:

http://checkip.dyndns.org/

Then whatever IP they show, is what you should have others link to and not the 192.168.15.101 address. Also, your IP address will change if you disconnect and reconnect to your ISP unless you have a static IP (you would not likely have this - if you did you would know because you usually pay more for it) . Which means that you will have to update that IP address or you can use one of these two popular sites to establish a dynamic DNS record:

DynDNS - http://www.dyndns.com/services/dns/dyndns/
&
No IP.com - http://www.no-ip.com/services/managed_dns/free_dynamic_dns.html

both are free.

Let us know if this bring success.
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[markinca]

You definitely found identified my problem. Now the elusive search for what my IP address is. I did the http://checkip.dyndns.org/, and it returned Current IP Address: 206.170.51.104. Now when I go to 206.170.51.104 it points to my wireless router (I have Cable Router hooked to a wireless voIP Lyksys box). When I go to 206.170.51.104 it brings me to the Lynksys admin screen for my router.

I agree, I probably don't have a set IP address.

So here is a summary of where I am. When I go out on the net my IP address is what is assigned to my Lynksys box. I guess I will try to disconnect my lynksys box, and work directly with my Cable Modem. There must be a way to address my system from the Internet even with the Cable Modem and the Lynksys voIP router in line.

Any other suggestions would be great. I wonder what you get when you go to 206.170.51.104/getmessage.htm? or just to 206.170.51.104.

Thanks again for the help.

Cheers, mark

[pnllan]

For reference:
Internet IP is the IP that we (everyone connected to the WWW) can see (in your case assigned by your ISP).

Local IP is IP assigned by your local network (in your case this done via Windows IP setup and Linksys router)

Leave your router connected...it will protect you since most have built-in firewalls now.

Go to the Linksys configuration and set up to forward incoming Port 80 (if you need https then forward 443 too). I do not use Linksys, but essentially somewhere in the 'admin page' (router configuration) there will be a page (I think linksys calls there's Application/Gaming Forwarding - or something like it) where you can enter a port number (80 is for http) then forward to necesssary local IP address (the local address - 192.168.15.101). Check the router manual.

Simple example:

Port 80 ---> Port 80 @ 192.168.15.101

Also, in the configuration, there should be a way to not allow your router configuration from being accessed from the Internet. You should not allow that - it's a major security risk. Once you do that, you still can reach the router config via the local network. Most likely you can just enter the local IP of the router in your web browser. I would think that your router's local IP would be 192.168.15.1 or 192.168.15.10. Check the router manual, and get to know it by heart. It will save your butt in the long term.

Hang in there you are almost home.
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[markinca]

Ok, it looks like i got as fas as I can. Thank you for your help.

The diagnosis went like this.

I had no problems with Apache. My problems were in trying to have Internet users access my internal network address (192.168..), which never worked. Once I got the correct web address that I am using, and then had my router forward port 80 to my internal address, I discovered the biggest problem of all. My ISP is blocking all traffic incoming on port 80, as their way to control content being delivered. I now am looking for a ISP. I guess I didn't read the fine print on the agreement I had with the ISP where they don't allow their customers to host web pages.

Now I need a good idea where I can find an ISP that will allow me to host my domain.

Thanks again for all your help!
mark

[pnllan]

Where do you live?

I'm familiar with most ISP in the U.S., but not much else.
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[markinca]

I am in Northern California, in Auburn, California. I am using Starstream Cable. I am considering moving to SBC/Yahoo DSL, but am still looking for options for an ISP. What I did as a temporary move for my web server is listen on port 1600, which is a good work around for me. I just give my web address to those I want to have it. I don't care about being searchable.

I still want to find a good ISP.

thanks for anything you may be able to suggest.

[pnllan]

Mark,

Your work-around was one of the next I ws going to give. I'm not sure about DnyDNS, but NO-IP.COM offers a work-around very similiar to that.

Per ISP: SBC/Yahoo DSL is good...in some cases great! With DSL of any kind, how far you are from the CO (central office) is everything. Too far away, and you cannot even get it...Just a few blocks away and you can get some extremely good possibilities.