ADSL & running a web server?

niallsmart · 14-09-2001 5:22pm #1

Hi,

Does anyone know if you can run a http/ftp server over the i-stream solo service? i.e., are they using network address translation or a firewall to stop incoming TCP connections?

Thanks for any info,

Niall

Bard · 14-09-2001 6:14pm

I imagine it's possible to do, but would most likely be against their terms and conditions of service.

E-Hub · 14-09-2001 6:15pm

well without a static ip that would be hard, but i could think of cheaper way to host a webserver, remember your paying 2.6p per mb download and probably uploaded

Bard · 14-09-2001 6:21pm

Originally posted by E-Hub
well without a static ip that would be hard

You don't need a static IP to host a web site.

You would, however, need your ISP's approval.

chernobyl · 14-09-2001 6:27pm

Eircom would never allow webservers on their lines.
anyways, you have a big *cap* stopping that kinda fun.

dahamsta · 14-09-2001 7:12pm

Just to be picky...

Eircom would never allow webservers on their lines.

Legally, yes, realistically, no. I guess they could block incoming port 80 traffic, but then all you have to do is change ports. (How about 443, might as well keep it secure while you're at it.)

anyways, you have a big *cap* stopping that kinda fun.

Again, not necessarily. If you want to set up a file server or a high-traffic site, sure, but most personal websites tend to draw very, very little traffic.

Again though, I'm just being picky. You could come at it from the other angle too, and say that if you *did* set up a personal website on your DSL line and added something remarkably interesting, you could use your allocation in a half hour.

adam

E-Hub · 14-09-2001 7:33pm

i just said it was hard vard, i didnt say you couldnt do it,
ive allready had a long talk with hubson about this, so please dont put words in my mouth

chernobyl · 14-09-2001 7:33pm

were talking webservers here [ie] running your webpage off your own machine.

what browser looks for a webpage on anything other than 80/8080, how could you run the site with another port unless you told ppl that your site would be

"http://dynamic ip:port/index.html"

anyways, the dynamic ip screws with everything, making it to much hassle.

Urban Weigl · 14-09-2001 8:40pm

The only reason why providers in the UK for example do not want you to run a server is because they do not limit bandwidth, and don't want individual users running up hundreds of gigabytes of data transfers. Eircom, on the other hand, is charging ridiculously high prices for bandwidth. As such, it is actually in Eircom's interest for their users to run servers. So I doubt they'd want to stop you from doing that...

infomat · 14-09-2001 8:49pm

I thought that the cap only applied to downloads

cmkrnl · 14-09-2001 8:50pm

In the UK, the Consumer BT openworld service is USB & NAT'd into RFC1918 space. The end user is never aware of the public address of that their outbound traffic is source NAT'd to.

Also I believe they do by default drop inbound packets on the USB slug with the SYN bit set to stop people hosting servers.

However the more ingenious users are throwing out the USB PoS. & installing a proper ethernet router sourced from elsewhere. This then has a dynamically allocated (but visible to the end user) public address & can then with port forwarding be used to host any server you want on port 80.

There is a LOT more detail w.r.t on http://www.adslguide.org.uk/

With dyndns its easy to have an FQDN pointing to your webserver.

greg

E-Hub · 14-09-2001 9:13pm

Originally posted by infomat
I thought that the cap only applied to downloads

wouldnt bank on it

dahamsta · 14-09-2001 10:08pm

[Note: This has very little to do with personal bandwidth and caps. Personal usage is very different to server usage. I'm just proving a point, because I hate it when people talk out their rear orifices. Also note that there's no point in bitching and whining in response, because I won't see it, I won't be here.]

Just FYI for the doubters when it comes to the traffic a webserver generates - I've been running two web/ftp/email servers for years, one in the US and one in the UK. Recently I went for a cheaper bandwidth allocation in the US, because I wasn't using all of the available bandwidth.

All of our internal and client email is piped through the US machine, and it also runs a few client sites, and all of our internal, personal and portal sites, including Foot.ie, which isn't a heavy hitter but generates a fair wedge of traffic nonetheless. All Irish and UK client email is also routed through our UK machines and that also runs numerous client sites (as well as some IrelandOffline media files!

).

Both machines now have 5GB allocations, and I've never been charged an overage, not once.

adam

PS. Good luck against the Evil Empire while I'm away. I'll be refreshed, footloose and fancy-free when I come back, ready to take over from someone who needs a break!

E-Hub · 15-09-2001 11:29am

hmm, seems like a pretty big and expensive operation, thats takes alot of work, so tell me what are you doing sitting on your arse here all day

Bard · 15-09-2001 1:31pm

Originally posted by E-Hub
i just said it was hard vard, i didnt say you couldnt do it,
ive allready had a long talk with hubson about this, so please dont put words in my mouth

It's Bard, not "vard"... although that's a simple typo...

I didn't disagree with the fact that it would be 'hard' to do it. I haven't put any words in your mouth. I just said that a static IP isn't necessary to run a web server, and Eircom would probably not allow you to do it.

Originally posted by E-Hub

so tell me what are you doing sitting on your arse here all day

This is kinda rich coming from someone with about 6 times as many posts per day.

Posting a few well thought out and intelligible posts a day does not constitute "sitting on his arse all day", Joe. It would be easier, based on statistics, to accuse you of that.

E-Hub · 15-09-2001 3:18pm

i dont manage an ftp/email/porn server half way around the world, now do i!

chernobyl · 15-09-2001 3:21pm

chill out E-Hub.
you do have lots to contribute to this forum but if your gonna be so reactive you will quickly find yourself completely isolated.
seriously there is an *ignore* function with these boards.

peace.

Bard · 15-09-2001 5:01pm

Originally posted by E-Hub
i dont manage an ftp/email/porn server half way around the world, now do i!

Perhaps it's just me but I don't see what the hell that has to do with anything in this discussion.

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ADSL & running a web server?

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