There seems to be a lot of confusion on the Internet at large as to how DNS works. This is a quick (somewhat technical) run-down of how a DNS query works. Most of these servers/hostnames do exist, but these delegations aren't necessarily valid, and we know some of this is short-circuited in some configurations. This is explained the longest way possible to convey the most information possible.
So, you want to resolve the IP address of www.dyndns.org. How does your computer talk to ours? Well, that name really doesn't mean anything in and of itself; traffic on the Internet is routed using IP Addresses, which are sets of four numbers, each between 1 and 255, something like 63.208.196.100. DNS simply provides a mapping from www.dyndns.org-style names to 63.208.196.100-style IP addresses. Pretty simple so far, right?
Well, now it starts getting more complex. You're sitting at your computer, and you try to access www.dyndns.org. What happens first? Your computer probably asks your ISP's nameserver, which was configured when you dialed in or got your DHCP lease. It will be doing the rest of the work for you, because it operates recursively.
How does your ISP's nameserver find the answer for you? We'll assume that it doesn't have any information cached - that is, stored from things it's already looked up in the past. Caching can short-circuit some of this process, but we want to go through the whole process to understand it better. At each stage of this process, your ISP's nameserver will be asking for information about www.dyndns.org. Unlike your first query, though, none of these servers will be recursive, so they'll only give a more limited set of information based on what they already know. First, the server will send a query to the root-servers. These are a group of very high-powered servers that know about all the Top Level Domains, such as com, net, org, and all the country domains. So, your ISP's server will ask one of them, say, e.root-servers.net (they're named a through m) what it knows about www.dyndns.org. It'll respond that it only knows one bit of information - org is served by a bunch of other nameservers, the GTLD-servers.
This is a referral; the root server your ISP's server queried will give you the names and IP addresses of the GTLD servers for .org, including, for example, tld1.ultradns.net. Your ISP's server will then follow the delegation and ask one of those servers what it knows about www.dyndns.org. The answer will come back that this server knows a little bit more - dyndns.org is served by ns1.dyndns.org, ns2.dyndns.org, ns3.dyndns.org, ns4.dyndns.org and ns5.dyndns.org.
Your ISP's nameserver will continue diligently following the delegation, and ask ns.dyndns.org what it knows about www.dyndns.org. Lo and behold, it gives you an actual IP address (or an authoritative "that host doesn't exist" answer), which your ISP's nameserver will then return to you, the client. You can then use that IP address to talk to our server!
At each step of this process, your ISP's nameserver will be caching the answers it gets - when you ask it for members.dyndns.org, it will be smart enough to go back to ns.dyndns.org, the server that it knows is authoritative for dyndns.org hostnames. That information is cached for a length of time specified by the TTL of the DNS records, which is part of the information it got in reply to every query it was making earlier in the process.
Friday, June 15, 2007
Why can't I connect to my server?
Ok, you've setup a host in our Dynamic DNS, Static DNS or Custom DNS service. But, you can't connect to this host using a web browser, ftp client, remote access software, etc. What is the problem?
Note: When we refer to a computer in this article, we're referring to any sort of device you might be trying to connect to. This might be a computer in the traditional sense, or it might be a DVR, web camera or some other similar device.
Check the IP address in our Database
The first thing to do is check the IP address which we're publishing for this host. You will this easiest to test while sitting at the computer you are trying to connect TO. Look at the host in your account and look at the value specified as the "IP in Database/DNS".
Is this the same as the IP address assigned to the computer you are trying to connect to (or your router if the computer is behind a NAT router)? If not, then you need to update the host to the correct IP address. If you have not installed an update client, you should do so now.
If you are not sure what IP address we should have for your computer, sit down at that computer, open a web browser and visit our CheckIP server. The IP address that this site shows is the IP address you should have configured for your computer in our system.
Check the DNS
Once you have verified that the IP address we have in our database is the correct one, make sure that you are getting the correct response from DNS queries. You will this easiest to test while sitting at the computer you are trying to connect FROM. We'll assume you have the command line program "dig" available to you (if you don't, get it).
Here's an example of what you might see:
$ dig example.dnsalias.org
;; ANSWER SECTION:
example.dnsalias.org. 14400 IN A 192.168.1.34
In the above example, 192.168.1.34 is the IP address which is being returned by the DNS query. Note the other number in the response, 14440. This is the TTL (Time To Live) of the DNS response. If the IP address in the response is not the same as the IP address we have in our database, the TTL is the number of seconds you can expect to have to wait before a DNS query will return the correct IP address. In the above example we've used a host configured in our Static DNS service which has a TTL of 4 hours (Dynamic DNS and Custom DNS use a 60 second TTL by default).
Check the router and/or firewall
Ok, you've made sure that the correct IP address is in our database and that DNS queries are actually returning the correct IP address. Time to check your router.
If the computer you are trying to connect to is behind a NAT router, make sure you have this router properly setup to route traffic to the computer. In particular, make sure that the specific port you are connecting over is being forwarded by the router to the computer. For example, if you are trying to connect to a web server, the default port is going to be port 80.
For more info on NAT, see our Dynamic DNS and NAT KB article.
Also, if you are trying to connect to the computer from either that same computer or from another computer which is on the same LAN (Local Area Network), you may be running into what is known as the loopback issue.
If you have a firewall (hardware or software) make sure this is setup to allow incoming traffic on the appropriate port as well. Note that some versions of Windows XP come with a firewall installed and turned on by default, so you may have a firewall without even knowing it.
Port Blocking by the ISP
Once you are sure that the IP address is correct in the database, DNS queries are returning the correct IP address and you have your router and/or firewall properly setup, if things are still not working, the problem may be that your ISP is blocking incoming traffic on the specific port you are trying to use.
This is most common for certain well known ports such as port 80 (used by HTTP) and port 25 (used by SMTP), but many ISPs block other ports as well.
If you have access to a command line on a remote machine, you can use the program "telnet" to test to see if the port you are trying to connect to is being blocked. The basic syntax is
telnet hostname port
Here is what it looks like when an ISP is blocking a port:
$ telnet example.dnsalias.org 80
Trying 192.168.1.34...
telnet: connect to address 192.168.1.34: Operation timed out
telnet: Unable to connect to remote host
Notice how the connections "timed out". While other problems can also cause this (such as a firewall on your end), this is often an indicator of the ISP blocking the traffic.
On the other hand, if you see this:
$ telnet example.dnsalias.org 45
Trying 192.168.1.34...
telnet: connect to address 192.168.1.34: Connection refused
telnet: Unable to connect to remote host
Notice how in this example the connection is refused, it doesn't time out. This is an indicator that the problem is on your end and not with the ISP.
Some specific solutions
In the cases of ISPs blocking port 25 and port 80, we offer solutions.
If your ISP is blocking traffic on port 25 such that you are not able to receive email sent to you, our MailHop Relay service can work around this.
If you are using our Dynamic DNS service and your ISP is blocking port 80, our free WebHop service can help solve this
And, finally, if you are using our Custom DNS service and you ISP is blocking port 80, our MyWebHop service (included with Custom DNS) can help solve this.
Note: When we refer to a computer in this article, we're referring to any sort of device you might be trying to connect to. This might be a computer in the traditional sense, or it might be a DVR, web camera or some other similar device.
Check the IP address in our Database
The first thing to do is check the IP address which we're publishing for this host. You will this easiest to test while sitting at the computer you are trying to connect TO. Look at the host in your account and look at the value specified as the "IP in Database/DNS".
Is this the same as the IP address assigned to the computer you are trying to connect to (or your router if the computer is behind a NAT router)? If not, then you need to update the host to the correct IP address. If you have not installed an update client, you should do so now.
If you are not sure what IP address we should have for your computer, sit down at that computer, open a web browser and visit our CheckIP server. The IP address that this site shows is the IP address you should have configured for your computer in our system.
Check the DNS
Once you have verified that the IP address we have in our database is the correct one, make sure that you are getting the correct response from DNS queries. You will this easiest to test while sitting at the computer you are trying to connect FROM. We'll assume you have the command line program "dig" available to you (if you don't, get it).
Here's an example of what you might see:
$ dig example.dnsalias.org
;; ANSWER SECTION:
example.dnsalias.org. 14400 IN A 192.168.1.34
In the above example, 192.168.1.34 is the IP address which is being returned by the DNS query. Note the other number in the response, 14440. This is the TTL (Time To Live) of the DNS response. If the IP address in the response is not the same as the IP address we have in our database, the TTL is the number of seconds you can expect to have to wait before a DNS query will return the correct IP address. In the above example we've used a host configured in our Static DNS service which has a TTL of 4 hours (Dynamic DNS and Custom DNS use a 60 second TTL by default).
Check the router and/or firewall
Ok, you've made sure that the correct IP address is in our database and that DNS queries are actually returning the correct IP address. Time to check your router.
If the computer you are trying to connect to is behind a NAT router, make sure you have this router properly setup to route traffic to the computer. In particular, make sure that the specific port you are connecting over is being forwarded by the router to the computer. For example, if you are trying to connect to a web server, the default port is going to be port 80.
For more info on NAT, see our Dynamic DNS and NAT KB article.
Also, if you are trying to connect to the computer from either that same computer or from another computer which is on the same LAN (Local Area Network), you may be running into what is known as the loopback issue.
If you have a firewall (hardware or software) make sure this is setup to allow incoming traffic on the appropriate port as well. Note that some versions of Windows XP come with a firewall installed and turned on by default, so you may have a firewall without even knowing it.
Port Blocking by the ISP
Once you are sure that the IP address is correct in the database, DNS queries are returning the correct IP address and you have your router and/or firewall properly setup, if things are still not working, the problem may be that your ISP is blocking incoming traffic on the specific port you are trying to use.
This is most common for certain well known ports such as port 80 (used by HTTP) and port 25 (used by SMTP), but many ISPs block other ports as well.
If you have access to a command line on a remote machine, you can use the program "telnet" to test to see if the port you are trying to connect to is being blocked. The basic syntax is
telnet hostname port
Here is what it looks like when an ISP is blocking a port:
$ telnet example.dnsalias.org 80
Trying 192.168.1.34...
telnet: connect to address 192.168.1.34: Operation timed out
telnet: Unable to connect to remote host
Notice how the connections "timed out". While other problems can also cause this (such as a firewall on your end), this is often an indicator of the ISP blocking the traffic.
On the other hand, if you see this:
$ telnet example.dnsalias.org 45
Trying 192.168.1.34...
telnet: connect to address 192.168.1.34: Connection refused
telnet: Unable to connect to remote host
Notice how in this example the connection is refused, it doesn't time out. This is an indicator that the problem is on your end and not with the ISP.
Some specific solutions
In the cases of ISPs blocking port 25 and port 80, we offer solutions.
If your ISP is blocking traffic on port 25 such that you are not able to receive email sent to you, our MailHop Relay service can work around this.
If you are using our Dynamic DNS service and your ISP is blocking port 80, our free WebHop service can help solve this
And, finally, if you are using our Custom DNS service and you ISP is blocking port 80, our MyWebHop service (included with Custom DNS) can help solve this.
Domain Scams
There are a number of scams involving domain names that our customers frequently see. The two most common are:
Domain "renewal" services which are actually domain transfers
"Listing" services or search engine registration services
For each category, there are a number of companies that engage in questionable or predatory behavior. Two companies are better known for each of these scams. These are Domain Registry of America (http://www.droa.com) (DROA) and Internet Listing Services Corporation (ILSCorp). (http://www.ilscorp.net/) Check out what Google has to say about each of these two companies by searching for "droa scam" and "ilscorp scam".
Note, DROA also does business as Domain Registry of Canada (DROC).
Domain "Renewal" Services
DROA monitors domains which are coming up for renewal in the near (but not too near) future and sends out letters via snail/postal mail to the registrants of the domain. These letters look like domain registration renewals, though their fine print is very careful to state that they are in fact transfers (early versions of this scam, before the FTC got involved, failed to state this at all).
Customers who don't notice the fine print (and it is often easy to miss) and who return the form to DROA along with payment for the "renewal" will end up receiving an e-mail from DROA with instructions on how to complete the transfer. Domains which are transferred over to DROA often have their DNS servers changed to list DROA's servers. This is particularly destructive as this often results in a complete DNS failure.
Customers who use our Custom DNS service that get into that situation can, contact our support department to help get things straightened out.
Domain "Listing" Services
ILSCorp. does not even offer something as useful as domain registrations. They sell "listing" in various search engines. Shortly after registering a new domain you may receive a letter from them in the mail. This letter is a solicitation for them to enter your domain into various search engines, but the design of the letter makes it look very much like a bill. If you do get one of these things, put it in the trash, burn it, shred it, whatever, but don't send them any money.
If you are feeling particular annoyed, contact the FTC and file a complaint. Complaints from consumers are what eventually got the judgement against DROA and ILSCorp deserves the same treatment.
DynDNS never sends snail mail to our customers, so if you have a domain through us and get something in the mail regarding that domain, treat with healthy skepticism. And, any email from us will always come from the dyndns.com domain, be in plain text format without attachments, and any links will always point back to our dyndns.com domain. Anything not meeting that description should be handled with the utmost care.
Domain "renewal" services which are actually domain transfers
"Listing" services or search engine registration services
For each category, there are a number of companies that engage in questionable or predatory behavior. Two companies are better known for each of these scams. These are Domain Registry of America (http://www.droa.com) (DROA) and Internet Listing Services Corporation (ILSCorp). (http://www.ilscorp.net/) Check out what Google has to say about each of these two companies by searching for "droa scam" and "ilscorp scam".
Note, DROA also does business as Domain Registry of Canada (DROC).
Domain "Renewal" Services
DROA monitors domains which are coming up for renewal in the near (but not too near) future and sends out letters via snail/postal mail to the registrants of the domain. These letters look like domain registration renewals, though their fine print is very careful to state that they are in fact transfers (early versions of this scam, before the FTC got involved, failed to state this at all).
Customers who don't notice the fine print (and it is often easy to miss) and who return the form to DROA along with payment for the "renewal" will end up receiving an e-mail from DROA with instructions on how to complete the transfer. Domains which are transferred over to DROA often have their DNS servers changed to list DROA's servers. This is particularly destructive as this often results in a complete DNS failure.
Customers who use our Custom DNS service that get into that situation can, contact our support department to help get things straightened out.
Domain "Listing" Services
ILSCorp. does not even offer something as useful as domain registrations. They sell "listing" in various search engines. Shortly after registering a new domain you may receive a letter from them in the mail. This letter is a solicitation for them to enter your domain into various search engines, but the design of the letter makes it look very much like a bill. If you do get one of these things, put it in the trash, burn it, shred it, whatever, but don't send them any money.
If you are feeling particular annoyed, contact the FTC and file a complaint. Complaints from consumers are what eventually got the judgement against DROA and ILSCorp deserves the same treatment.
DynDNS never sends snail mail to our customers, so if you have a domain through us and get something in the mail regarding that domain, treat with healthy skepticism. And, any email from us will always come from the dyndns.com domain, be in plain text format without attachments, and any links will always point back to our dyndns.com domain. Anything not meeting that description should be handled with the utmost care.
Using inadyn With DynDNS Services
inadyn is a C based client used to update DNS entries. This client works with all of our services as well as services provided by some of our competitors. inadyn was written by inarcis. More information can be found at inadyn.ina-tech.net
Download: The most recent version of inadyn we have vetted can be downloaded here.
IP Detection
inadyn supports detecting the public IP address via our CheckIP service.
System Compatibility
inadyn officially runs on Linux, Windows, Mac OS, and OpenBSD.
Configuration File
Inadyn can be configured by command line options or by a configuration file. A default configuration file is /etc/inadyn.conf under Unix systems. The location of the config file can be given to inadyn via --input_file option.
Example 1
inadyn can be run from the command line, through cron, or a similar utility.
inadyn --username test --password test --update_period_sec 600 --alias test.homeip.net
inadyn -u test -p test --update_period_sec 600 --dyndns_system custom@dyndns.org --alias your.domain.tld
Example 2
Here is a basic template which provides the various options available.
update_period_sec 600 # Check for a new IP every 600 seconds
# Enter your DynDNS username and password here
username your-login # your DynDNS username
password your-password # your DynDNS password
# What kind of host is being updated? Choices are dyndns@dyndns.org, statdns@dyndns.org, custom@dyndns.org
dyndns_system dyndns@dyndns.org
alias your-dynamic-host.dyndns.org
alias another-dynamic-host.homeip.net
Example 3
Here is a minimal inadyn.conf file designed to update a single Dynamic DNS host.
# Basic configuration file for inadyn
#
# /etc/inadyn.conf
update_period_sec 600 # Check for a new IP every 600 seconds
username test
password test
dyndns_system dyndns@dyndns.org
alias test.homeip.net
Issues To Be Aware Of
The DynDNS update protocol supports MX, BACKMX, WILDCARD and OFFLINE options, but inadyn does not support these. Entering these options in the inadyn.conf file will result in inadyn failing.
inadyn currently only supports updates via http. Updates over https are not supported at this time.
inadyn only supports updating hosts for one system type at a time. dyndns, statdns, and custom cannot be mixed within the same configuration file.
Running inadyn from the command line is a security risk because your password will show up in the process table. Be careful if you run it on a machine with multiple users.
Download: The most recent version of inadyn we have vetted can be downloaded here.
IP Detection
inadyn supports detecting the public IP address via our CheckIP service.
System Compatibility
inadyn officially runs on Linux, Windows, Mac OS, and OpenBSD.
Configuration File
Inadyn can be configured by command line options or by a configuration file. A default configuration file is /etc/inadyn.conf under Unix systems. The location of the config file can be given to inadyn via --input_file option.
Example 1
inadyn can be run from the command line, through cron, or a similar utility.
inadyn --username test --password test --update_period_sec 600 --alias test.homeip.net
inadyn -u test -p test --update_period_sec 600 --dyndns_system custom@dyndns.org --alias your.domain.tld
Example 2
Here is a basic template which provides the various options available.
update_period_sec 600 # Check for a new IP every 600 seconds
# Enter your DynDNS username and password here
username your-login # your DynDNS username
password your-password # your DynDNS password
# What kind of host is being updated? Choices are dyndns@dyndns.org, statdns@dyndns.org, custom@dyndns.org
dyndns_system dyndns@dyndns.org
alias your-dynamic-host.dyndns.org
alias another-dynamic-host.homeip.net
Example 3
Here is a minimal inadyn.conf file designed to update a single Dynamic DNS host.
# Basic configuration file for inadyn
#
# /etc/inadyn.conf
update_period_sec 600 # Check for a new IP every 600 seconds
username test
password test
dyndns_system dyndns@dyndns.org
alias test.homeip.net
Issues To Be Aware Of
The DynDNS update protocol supports MX, BACKMX, WILDCARD and OFFLINE options, but inadyn does not support these. Entering these options in the inadyn.conf file will result in inadyn failing.
inadyn currently only supports updates via http. Updates over https are not supported at this time.
inadyn only supports updating hosts for one system type at a time. dyndns, statdns, and custom cannot be mixed within the same configuration file.
Running inadyn from the command line is a security risk because your password will show up in the process table. Be careful if you run it on a machine with multiple users.
Dynamic DNS, Apache, and Windows
Overview
Instead of paying for web hosting, you can run your own web server on your own cable or DSL line on your home computer. Since many ISPs do not offer static IP addresses or charge extra, you can setup dynamic DNS through DynDNS to achieve the same result. You can then give your friends or anyone else the hostname and they should always be able to access your website.
Most people use Windows for an operating system but that doesn't mean you cannot run an industrial strength webserver, Apache. Apache is the most installed and popular web server and there is a lot of help out there if you get stuck.
Once you install your web server, you can host your own web site, host your MP3 files, allow friends and co-workers to view documents, share pictures, and plenty of other things.
Dynamic DNS and Custom DNS
DynDNS offers two flavors of dynamic DNS. One is Dynamic DNS (clever name) and the other is Custom DNS. Dynamic DNS allows you have a hostname like yourname.dyndns.org always point to your IP address. Custom DNS allows you to setup a domain, like www.yourname.com to point to your IP address. Custom DNS is a paid service and Dynamic DNS is free. Setup is pretty easy and you can use our Custom DNS How-To or our Dynamic DNS How-To.
Web Server: Apache
Once dynamic DNS is setup, we know the hostname of our web site. Where we use yourhost.dyndns.org, replace that with the actual host you created.
Installing the server
Go to http://httpd.apache.org/download.cgi and download the latest version of Apache using the "Win32 Binary (MSI Installer)" link.
Accept the agreement and use the default location for installation.
Once you reach the screen asking for your server information, enter the information as follows:
Network Domain (e.g somenet.com): dyndns.org
Server Name (e.g. www.somenet.com): yourhost.dyndns.org
Administrator's Email Address (e.g. webmaster@somenet.com): youremailaddress
At the bottom, select for All Users and then click on Next.
Complete the installation wizard using the "Typical installation" setting.
When it's done, open your web browser and go to http://localhost/. If the page you see reads, "If you can see this, it means that the installation of the Apache web server software on this system was successful," you installed Apache.
Storing files in the right place
Let's say you have a slew of pictures from your vacation and you want to share them on your shiny new web server. I store my pictures in C:\RecentPics so I'll use that in this sample.
Configuration
Using a plain text editor like Notepad, open the C:\Program Files\Apache Group\Apache2\conf\httpd.conf file. This is Apache's configuration file. Don't be alarmed. It looks worse than it is and we are only going to change a couple things and leave the rest as their defaults.
In this httpd.conf file, comment out the line that starts with DocumentRoot and add another with your directory, like this:
#DocumentRoot "C:/Program Files/Apache Group/Apache2/htdocs"
DocumentRoot "C:/RecentPics"
Then, comment out the line that starts with and add another with the directory you want to share:
#
Last, about 20 lines below that line, then modify that to read (this allows file listing):
#AllowOverride None
AllowOverride All
When you're done, save httpd.conf.
Start it up
Click on the Apache icon in your taskbar and choose "Restart." If Apache restarts successfully, you edited your the file correctly. Visit http://localhost/ in your web browser and you should see a list of your pictures!
Troubleshooting:
If you can not connect to your server using the addresses above, you need to check the following:
Make sure yourhost.dyndns.org is pointing to the external IP, the one your ISP has assigned you. If not, log in and update it. You won't be able to access the host from inside your network if you are behind a router.
Check with your router manufacturer to see if you are forwarding port 80 properly
Make sure no firewall is blocking access
Contact your ISP to see if they are blocking port 80. If they are, try our HTTP redirection services WebHop and MyWebHop
Instead of paying for web hosting, you can run your own web server on your own cable or DSL line on your home computer. Since many ISPs do not offer static IP addresses or charge extra, you can setup dynamic DNS through DynDNS to achieve the same result. You can then give your friends or anyone else the hostname and they should always be able to access your website.
Most people use Windows for an operating system but that doesn't mean you cannot run an industrial strength webserver, Apache. Apache is the most installed and popular web server and there is a lot of help out there if you get stuck.
Once you install your web server, you can host your own web site, host your MP3 files, allow friends and co-workers to view documents, share pictures, and plenty of other things.
Dynamic DNS and Custom DNS
DynDNS offers two flavors of dynamic DNS. One is Dynamic DNS (clever name) and the other is Custom DNS. Dynamic DNS allows you have a hostname like yourname.dyndns.org always point to your IP address. Custom DNS allows you to setup a domain, like www.yourname.com to point to your IP address. Custom DNS is a paid service and Dynamic DNS is free. Setup is pretty easy and you can use our Custom DNS How-To or our Dynamic DNS How-To.
Web Server: Apache
Once dynamic DNS is setup, we know the hostname of our web site. Where we use yourhost.dyndns.org, replace that with the actual host you created.
Installing the server
Go to http://httpd.apache.org/download.cgi and download the latest version of Apache using the "Win32 Binary (MSI Installer)" link.
Accept the agreement and use the default location for installation.
Once you reach the screen asking for your server information, enter the information as follows:
Network Domain (e.g somenet.com): dyndns.org
Server Name (e.g. www.somenet.com): yourhost.dyndns.org
Administrator's Email Address (e.g. webmaster@somenet.com): youremailaddress
At the bottom, select for All Users and then click on Next.
Complete the installation wizard using the "Typical installation" setting.
When it's done, open your web browser and go to http://localhost/. If the page you see reads, "If you can see this, it means that the installation of the Apache web server software on this system was successful," you installed Apache.
Storing files in the right place
Let's say you have a slew of pictures from your vacation and you want to share them on your shiny new web server. I store my pictures in C:\RecentPics so I'll use that in this sample.
Configuration
Using a plain text editor like Notepad, open the C:\Program Files\Apache Group\Apache2\conf\httpd.conf file. This is Apache's configuration file. Don't be alarmed. It looks worse than it is and we are only going to change a couple things and leave the rest as their defaults.
In this httpd.conf file, comment out the line that starts with DocumentRoot and add another with your directory, like this:
#DocumentRoot "C:/Program Files/Apache Group/Apache2/htdocs"
DocumentRoot "C:/RecentPics"
Then, comment out the line that starts with
#
Last, about 20 lines below that
#AllowOverride None
AllowOverride All
When you're done, save httpd.conf.
Start it up
Click on the Apache icon in your taskbar and choose "Restart." If Apache restarts successfully, you edited your the file correctly. Visit http://localhost/ in your web browser and you should see a list of your pictures!
Troubleshooting:
If you can not connect to your server using the addresses above, you need to check the following:
Make sure yourhost.dyndns.org is pointing to the external IP, the one your ISP has assigned you. If not, log in and update it. You won't be able to access the host from inside your network if you are behind a router.
Check with your router manufacturer to see if you are forwarding port 80 properly
Make sure no firewall is blocking access
Contact your ISP to see if they are blocking port 80. If they are, try our HTTP redirection services WebHop and MyWebHop
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
