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Setting up server


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#1
wendy k. walker

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Hi Everyone,

I have two different PC in my house. I'm trying to figure out how to set one of them up as a server so that it can be accessed by the other PC, however, I only want the second PC to be able to access things stored in server part of the first PC.

I hope that I said that right. I have installed the Apache server, and I can get to the page that says that it works. I have also figured out how to modify or edit that index page a little, but my stumbling block comes when the instructions say that I can now remove that page and replace it with some of my HTML.

Can someone explain how to go about doing that? I want anyone using the second computer to have to log in to be able to access the stuff on the server on my main computer too. The machine that I have Apache installed on is running Windows XP home SP2. The other one is running Windows 98.

Thanks for any help.

Wendy
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#2
thenotch

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You are talking about a web page. There is no logging in to view the web page unless you configure the website with a script or some other application (CMS, portal, etc) that allows logging in functions. This is still independent of the actual operating system log-in.

To access the web page, all a person on any computer in the house has to do (assuming that the website is running as you say it is) is to type in it's IP address (whatever DHCP assigns or whatever it is if you assigned it statically) in the browser and voila! the web page shows up (eg. http://192.168.1.100).

AS for editing the index.html file you can use any standard web editing program like Dreamweaver, NVU, Frontpage, etc or even better is to edit it by hand with Notepad (you'll learn more that way even though it'll take longer).

Anything dumped into the web servers root directory can be accessed by the web browser. So if you create a HTML file called readme.html and you open up your web browser and type in http://192.168.1.100/readme.html (again, assuming that is the IP address of the web server) you will see the contents of that document.
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#3
wendy k. walker

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Hi thenotch, Thanks for the reply.

OK, I'm running Windows XP SP2 Home as my operating system. I downloaded, and installed the Apache web-server at C:\Program Files\Apache Group\Apache I'm not sure if that's where I should have it of if it should have gone at C:\Apache Group or if it even matters where it gets installed.

Right now I have it setup so that I can access it from my browser using http://localhost or http://127.0.0.1 That gets me to the page that tells me that it works, so I guess that I did that part right. Though I still haven't figured out how to get rid of that page, and replace it with one of my own.

I did, however, figure out how to get into it and re-wright it. I think that it is supposed to be the main index page for whatever I want to put on the server...is that right?

If that's the main index page then I don't know if it is the one that I want to put a password on or if I should only be putting passwords on the files that would be listed on that page, but whichever it is then that is where I want to stick a password on so that no one can access it unless they have the password or I make one for them.

I think that I can do that from a command prompt like this -->

cd "C:\Program Files\Apache Group\Apache2\bin"

Then create a password file by typing:

htpasswd -c "C:\Documents and Settings\Wendy\my_password_file.txt" wendy and putting my password in

Then make a file with something like this in it -->

AuthType Basic
AuthName "TOP SECRET, please log in"

AuthUserFile "c:\Documents and Settings\Wendy\my_password_file.txt"
AuthGroupFile /dev/null

<Limit GET POST PUT>
require valid-user
</Limit>


name it .htaccess and save it to the web server document root.

Does that look\sound correct to you? If it looks right, then I think that all I need to figure out is how to get rid of that Apache "It Works" page, and make an index page to take its place.

Thanks for your time and help.

♥ Wendy
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#4
thenotch

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This topic really should be in the Web Design area....

You need to read this in regards to the .htaccess file:

http://www.javascrip...htaccess3.shtml

As for the index file, again, ANYTHING in the root directory can be accessed. You could call a file hookillydoodilly.html and type that in and get that files content to display. Apache defaults to index.htm(l) as to what will automatically be displayed if someone types in your URL without specifying a filename. IIS uses default.asp I believe.

The point is your root directory contains the default index.html file that Apache created upon completion of a successful installation. You can edit this, create a new one, change the structure however you see fit. You need only browse to the root of your web server, or FTP into it and make your changes as necessary.

I don't mean to sound harsh, but these are extremely basic things you need to know if you are creating a website. If you don't understand these basics you REALLY need to master them first before you do anything else. It's akin to teaching a child to walk. The kid can't walk if he hasn't mastered standing up first. It's a basic foundation.

I'd suggest going online and doing a Google search for basic web design development sites to learn the basic foundations first.
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#5
wendy k. walker

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Hi thenotch, Thanks for the reply.

Can you move this topic to that other forum, or do I need to start a new topic there? Thanks for that link, I'll be having to do some serious reading over there.

I don't think that you're sounding harsh at all. Frankly I find what you've told me so far to be helpful as I know squat about what I'm experimenting with here. And the way that I look at it is that any help is better than no help at all :) .

Thanks again for your help.

Wendy
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#6
thenotch

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No problem... like I said, get the basics down... they are highly important...
Google is your friend here so do lot's of searches for things such as web server design, web server development, web server configuration, web server basics, etc...

And I am sure the mods will see this and move it to the appropriate area...
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