Setting Up a Web Server

If you're interested to set up a web server to host your personal website or even share your music online, it's possible to set up a web server using your home PC. While setting up a web server can be challenging, it is possible as long as you know what you're doing.

Things You'll Need

• Broadband Internet connection
• PC running Windows
• Apache web server software
• Standards-compliant web browser
• Text editor

Instructions

1. Install the Apache web server software. Follow the installation wizard to complete the automated process.

2. Test the web server software by typing "http://localhost" (without quotation marks) in your web browser. You should see the Apache web server test page. This means you've successfully installed web server capabilities on your computer.

3. Open the web server configuration file using the text editor. The configuration file is stored in C:\Program Files\Apache Group\Apache2\conf\httpd.conf.

4. Search for "#DocumentRoot "C:/Program Files/Apache Group/Apache2/htdocs"" in the configuration file. Under it, enter the following text: DocumentRoot "LOCATION HERE". Replace the capital text with the folder that you would like to share on the server, such as C:/User/My Documents.

5. Search for "#<Directory "C:/Program Files/Apache Group/Apache2/htdocs">" in the configuration file. Under it, enter the following text: <Directory "LOCATION HERE"> Change the capital text to the shared folder you entered in Step 4.

6. Search for "AllowOverride None" and change to "AllowOverride All." Close and save the file.

7. Test your web server by navigating to the server host. You should now be able to access the folder you set to share in the configuration file. Your web server is now set up on your computer.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not publicly share folders that contain music or other copyrighted material.