Make webhost

[Maxim]

Hi everybody out there.
I'm learning PHP and MySQL at the moment, but I'm getting tired of all those webhosts who dissappear after a few weeks...

That's why I decided to make a 'own' webhost. I have an old computer, 'fixed' it a bit, but now I want to make it into a real server...

At the moment, it's using WAMP (windows xp pro / apache 2 / mysql 5 /php 5 ).

Now, the real job.

1. Should I install another OS? I guess y'all say linux, but can you say which one, where to download, how to install? (P.S. It should have GUI)

2. Which (free / opensource) control panel can I use? I can look like DirectAdmin, Cpanel, ... Where to download, how to install, how to use? And is it automated?



I know what you'll say first : It isn't smart to turn an old unreliable PC into a webhost. I know, I shouldn't do this, but I know what I'm doing. Actually, this is a kind of 'practice' to learn how to manage real servers... The webhost will be used by me and some friends, just to 'play'.

Then you'll say : don't use a GUI for a server. I know, but I know what I'm doing. I also want to use this old PC to simply surf on the internet, check e-mail, etc. ...

Then you'll say : it isn't smart to surf on the internet and to check e-mail with a server. I know, but I'm sure that I want this...

So is there anyone who can say, directly to the point, what should I do?

[AMC]

First question, what is your internet connection?

[Maxim]

First question, what is your internet connection?

T3. I have about 20 Gig's upload every month, and 80 Gig download, and if I upload to much, they deduct it from my downloading. But that's not really the point. I'm more into making a private webhost, for me and some friends (to host some games, scripts and forums for me and my friends), simply to test some PHP/MySQL stuff, and to gain some experience, to learn how to manage a server.

[krakjoe]

t3 with what upstream ?

I have a 16meg connection at home, it's still not fast enough, upstream is still only a meg....

[Maxim]

t3 with what upstream ?

I have a 16meg connection at home, it's still not fast enough, upstream is still only a meg....

I'm telling you guys again, all this doesn't matter... I only want to gain some experience, it's not that I'm starting a new company, it's for testing and private usage...

But anyway, I got a 100/10 => 100 mbps download, 10mbps upload, but I haven't found any site yet that can download that fast...

(P.S. All these things really don't care, cuz I only want to test, play, program and chill out ;) )

[krakjoe]

So is there anyone who can say, directly to the point, what should I do?

You seem pretty certain of what you want to do.

Any suggetions I have you have dismissed already...... like you should run a light os, not windows, something like centos server....

[Maxim]

You seem pretty certain of what you want to do.

Any suggetions I have you have dismissed already...... like you should run a light os, not windows, something like centos server....

I do am pretty sure of what I want to do.

Actually I've got everything what I need (I have antother PC running Xubuntu). Actually, I'm more looking for a free (opensource) PHP/MySQL control panel, since I found a lot with using google, etc. ...

So my next question : which is the best (open-source) free control panel that only uses PHP and MySQL... No .exe's , .rpm's or .deb's, cuz I want to use it on both Windows and Linux...

(I only do it for testing, so I'm not going to pay for such a thing ;))

[AMC]

I am not sure what is free and what is open source, i thought Direct Admin was free but.... i dont think Cpanel is free ,even though that is the best

[Maxim]

I've used ZPanel and Syscp. Both those are very good and available for free...
They both are only a bunch of PHP files that use MySQL...

Now, I'm looking for a light-weight server with a GUI. Anyone who can help me?

[Starcraftmazter]

Servers shouldn't have GUIs, really. How much RAM do you have on that box? Because a GUI will each up a significant portion of RAM, and once you run out of RAM, your server will crash.

I would recommend CentOS or Fedora Core as an OS.

For a free control panel, I highly recommend zPanel (http://www.thezpanel.com/), which is open source as well.

Now, once again, if you REALLY want to learn how to manage a server, you need to learn it using the command line, and not the GUI.

Most of the stuff you'll be carrying out using the shell anyway, so it's pretty pointless wasting precious ram on a gui you'll rarely use. There are plenty of online resources to help you.

Now, I get the impression that this is not your main computer, so why do you need to surf the net and look at email using it?

[miahosting]

I do am pretty sure of what I want to do.

Actually I've got everything what I need (I have antother PC running Xubuntu). Actually, I'm more looking for a free (opensource) PHP/MySQL control panel, since I found a lot with using google, etc. ...

So my next question : which is the best (open-source) free control panel that only uses PHP and MySQL... No .exe's , .rpm's or .deb's, cuz I want to use it on both Windows and Linux...

(I only do it for testing, so I'm not going to pay for such a thing ;))

Install Webmin; open source and well documented
I dont like it but it does the job;)