How to setup a personal website

EBJUSTIN · 08-04-2004, 01:02 AM

I would like to make a website about the carputer and don't know much about setting up a site. I tried dinking around with the free personal webpage that my ISP provides and find it too basic. I've downloaded some webpage builder software and have started to make a page but I don't know how to register for the site address and where to host it. Please advise

deadweasel · 08-04-2004, 01:11 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by EBJUSTIN

I would like to make a website about the carputer and don't know much about setting up a site. I tried dinking around with the free personal webpage that my ISP provides and find it too basic. I've downloaded some webpage builder software and have started to make a page but I don't know how to register for the site address and where to host it. Please advise

Usually, your ISP will provide free webspace (usually 10mb) and possibly some website building tools. The space is what you're looking for. Contact them for info on how to point to the web address, and how to connect to the webserver to dump your site to it.
For example, when I was with WideOpenWest, my username was Deadweasel. So, my webpage address with them was www.wowway.com/~deadweasel

Not all ISPs format their URLs the same way though. Yours might be different.

As for actually creating the site, you're going to need to learn some basic HTML skills, so that you can create one of your own more readily. Macromedia makes a great program called DreamWeaver that is the bee's knees to be sure. There are others out there, all cost some money unless you have back-channel connections.

It's pretty simple, but your ISP is the place to start asking some questions. For more free online space, you can also try GeoCities (Yahoo). There are other free online hosts too, but be aware that they will place ads on your site when you pipe it to them, in return for the free hosting.

frodobaggins · 08-04-2004, 01:12 AM

Open up notepad, and find a tutorial.

W6-Ryan · 08-04-2004, 01:32 AM

you could always contact me, I host quite a few sites for memebrs here

Spaghetti · 08-08-2004, 02:41 PM

Yeah learn html. That's your basics there. Then you might want to learn about style sheets etc. After that, ditch notepad and use Dreamweaver!

P.S. Your library will have a lot of stuff for free. Internet's good, but I find it distracting and I prefer books.

If you really want something slick, you can buy your own domain name for pittance, and webhosting is pretty cheap everywhere.
I always find the free hosts to be slow anyway

djXternal · 08-16-2004, 07:34 PM

I've learned HTML, CSS, ASP, And PHP... Then I Run My Own Webserver On My DSL Connection...

Best Way To Go If You Have The Know How Or Assistance

deadweasel · 08-16-2004, 11:58 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by djXternal

I've learned HTML, CSS, ASP, And PHP... Then I Run My Own Webserver On My DSL Connection...

Best Way To Go If You Have The Know How Or Assistance

Two problems with that:

1) Most home-level ISPs frown on you running a webserver on their account, unless you're springing for the business package.

2) Running a webserver isn't the easiest (or smartest) thing to do if you intend to run IIS. If you're running Apache, then excellent. IIS is fraught with holes that will let some asshat jump into your box and mess with it.

The only other complaint I would have about that method is that if you need the bandwidth for some reason, and your site is popular, you're either going to have to put up with stupid slow transfers for whatever you're trying to do, or your web viewers are going to have stupid slow load times.

IMO, you're better off hosting with some other company then springing for a business-level package anyhow, and they are better equipped to handle the load you could potentially create. Hell when I posted the demo vid for ALEXIS, I got 1,400 unique hits for it, in TWO DAYS. That would have either killed my bandwidth at home, ticked off Comcast, and given a 404 error to a good many people all at the same time.

djXternal · 08-17-2004, 12:28 PM

Yes well if ur having enough traffic to slow your connection then ur ISP will def be talking to you, but if your site doesnt have very many consecutive hits normally then u should be fine, and NEVER use IIS Apache is the way to go