[Bobocop]

I want to do a new Slackware 10.2 Install. I want to use It to host a Website and a Forum,
I have a Domain Name that I paid for from when I was paying for web space and It's still valid for 7 more months.

I was wondering If someone can help me with 2 things before I start this Install.

1 - For me to point my Domain name to my computer (that I'm setting up) Do I need to set It up with a static IP address or can I just choose DHCP.?

The reason I'm asking Is because I have tried 2 other installs (Slackware) and I can't get my Internet connection to work when I set It up with a static IP.
But It works fine (localhost and FTP) when I choose DHCP.

2 - Can I use 2 hard drives for this Installation, One for the Install and have the other one to host my website and forum.?
Or will this (having 2 hard drives) be complicated for a beginner ?

Thanks

[Kojak]

1. You will need a static IP. If you are using a router, you need to change the settings in the router to static IP, too.
2. Sure. It is imho the best solution. One harddrive for the system and storing important backups and a second drive for the /var/www stuff. It isn't really complicated. You only need to make sure that you set correct mountpoints at the installation, so fstab is in tip top shape. The other solution would be to use the first drive for everything (also hosting) and the second drive as a backup drive.

When you run a server, don't forget to make backups at periodic times.

[Bobocop]

Hi Kojak

1. You will need a static IP. If you are using a router, you need to change the settings in the router to static IP, too.

I'm confused on this
I was getting help on which apache to use (on another forum) and asked this same question (about Static or DHCP) and I got this anwser just before you posted

A domain may be redirected to an IP/Server... no matter if the IP of the server is static of DHCP... as long as both IPs match it will work.

[Kojak]

as long as both IPs match it will work.

That is the important thing! IMHO it is a bit problematic to have identical IPs when using DHCP as DHCP will give you a random IP every time you reboot. But maybe I am mistaken and there is some trick to it that I am unaware of...

[Bobocop]

But maybe I am mistaken and there is some trick to it that I am unaware of...

No, just about everything I've been reading on this since my post does say that DHCP changes the ip's, that is why to go with static on a server machine.

I'll just have to figure out how to set It up with static when I do a new Install.

Thanks for your time Kojak

[Kojak]

For static IPs you will have to configure the ifconfig-eth0 file and the router/modem, so both match.

[Bobocop]

I just finnished my new Install and I took my time reading a setting It up with a static IP.
And at first boot everything worked I didn't have to edit anything.
I clicked on Firefox and It opened then I typed localhost and the apache page poped up.

I didn't know what to enter as a staitic IP the last couple of times, (I just made one up)
But then I remembered that my windows computers IP hasn't changed since I bought my router about a year ago and I turn It off every day (must already have a static IP) so I went by that and just changed one number and It worked.

Thanks for your help Kojak

[SweetLou]

You can use a dynamic IP to host your site, but you will need another company to point your domain to your dynamic IP address. The most famous one is http://www.dyndns.com/
It is free if you use one of their domains. If you want to keep your domain, there is a yearly charge. You will need to choose the "custom DNS" option. You might find other companies that will do this also.
You can't choose to use a static or a dynamic IP address. Unless you have a very nice ISP. You have to use what your ISP gave you, most likely a dynamic IP address. But, if your ISP gave you a static IP address, then you won't need the other company.
Now, my pc's have static IP addresses, because I set them up that way. But these are local network IP addresses for my LAN. My router knows which computer has which IP addresses, but my router's IP address changes every so often, not sure how often. If I was connected directly to the modem, then I would need to change to a dynamic IP address on my PC to connect to the internet. That is probably why you couldn't connect to the internet when you tried to use a static IP address before.

Ok, you are behind a router, but your router most likely has a dynamic IP address.