HOW TO: Build a Windows web server basic steps? - latest tech tips

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HOW TO: Build a Windows web server basic steps?

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In the most basic non-technical language, a web server on your computer is like a software, that allows you to share your computer’s data with other computers through the internet. Well, you can use this feature on your computer in a lot of ways.




Making a web server enables the people or computers you want, to download data from your computer. If you have more than one computer, you can access the one with the web server from anywhere. But an important thing to understand before you make a web server on your computer is that this can be risky without proper knowledge.

Make sure you are up the level of editing textual configuration files and you know that you are likely to expose your computer to the internet through port 80. Learn about it or practice it on your own risk, your choice entirely. To make a web server, all you need is a windows computer and a broadband connection to get started. I’ll break the procedure in steps which will make it easier for you to follow.



1. Disable all running programs:
Stop all running applications including windows firewall before you move on to the next step. We need to stop all server based applications in specific but it is better if you can exit all applications especially messengers, Skype, virus protection etc which might be running in the background.


2. Run a thorough virus scan:

Before exposing your computer’s data from the web, it’s important to clean the computer of any kind of virus or threat. Use the best possible anti-virus and anti-malware software and run a full scan. Delete all the infected files if any.

3. Install Apache HTTP server:
Now make sure all the programs running on your computer are stopped before you try to install Apache. The installation might critically fail if the first step is ignored. Next, download the Apache HTTP server from a trusted location and then start the installation process. Enter your own email and homeip.net as the domain when prompted. Install with typical installation setting.

After the installation, access your internet browser and type http://localhost/ in the address bar. The page will read “If you can see this, it means that the installation of the Apache web server software on this system was successful,” It means what it says.

4. Configure Apache:
Next, open C:Program FilesApache GroupApache2confhttpd.conf using a text editor like notepad. Now enter the destination of data you would like to share eg. If you want to share pictures and they are located in CMarkPictures

Comment out the line

DocumentRoot “C:Program FilesApache GroupApache2confhttpd.conf” and type DocumentRoot CMarkPictures”.

Also comment out the line that starts with Directory “C:Program… and add your own directory by typing Directory “CMarkPictures”

Next, about 20 lines below this you will find

AllowOverride None, change it exactly to AllowOverride All.

Carefully make the changes and then save this file. After that, go to the Apache taskbar and click on the restart option. If you edited the .conf file accurately, it will restart. Go to the address bar and type http://localhost/. It should have your pictures listed.


5. Secure your web server with a password:
Go to the start menu, click run, type cmd (to open the command prompt window).

For Apache bin directory type cd “C:Program FilesApache Software FoundationApache2.2bin”

Then to create your password file type htpasswd -c “C:Documents and SettingsMarkmy_password_file.txt” mark

Replace the path with your password file’s path. Also change mark with the username of your choice. You will be prompted for a password, enter your password and a password file will be created. Next open Notepad, copy and paste the following into it:

AuthType Basic

AuthName “This is a private area, please log in”

AuthUserFile “c:Documents and SettingsMarkmy_password_file.txt”

AuthGroupFile /dev/null

Limit GET POST PUT

require valid-user

/Limit

Next, replace the line “c:Documents and SettingsMarkmy_password_file.txt” with your own password file path created before. Save this file in C:MarkPictures and name it as “.htaccess” (don’t forget the dot before htaccess)

After you are through with this, go to http://localhost/. You will be asked to log in through your username and password. Type the information and you are done.

This is a guest post by Samantha Harper who is a blogger by profession. She loves writing on technology and lifestyle. Beside this she is fond of automobiles. She recently bought a new model of Suzuki Motorcycles. These days she is busy in writing an article on best dog food.

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