Need some advice about hosting my website myself and DDNS

[GJSNeptune]

Currently 1&1 is my registrar and host. I just assembled my web server, so sometime this week I'll be giving them a call to cancel their hosting so I can host my domains myself from home. I'll need DDNS since I don't have a static IP from my ISP.

But here's where I'd like some advice on the best way to go about this. FreeDNS? DynDNS? Should I keep 1&1 as my registrar, or transfer the duty to the DDNS provider? I have only a handful of domains, so I don't want or need anything complicated. Free is good, but if DynDNS is worth paying for, I'm not opposed.

Is DynDNS' $15/yr domain registration per domain or per account?

 

[Dark Prodigy]

First, what platform are you going to use for hosting? Windows..Linux..etc. I host a few websites from home using an old WinXP box with 1gb RAM and a 2.8ghz P4.

I use DynDNS for my domains (since I don't have a static IP either) and you can use up to 5 names without having to open up a premium pay account. My registrar is with godaddy and I simply use the console to point the specific urls to my home server.

i.e.. Say one of my DynDNS account names is : superman.dyndns.org - I'll simply point my .com name - something like supermanisback.com - to the DynDNS name in the godaddy console. Elementary stuff.

If you are hosting more than 1 website I'd advise you to install Apache (free), all the appropriate modules and use virtual hosting (that's what I do) and have each DynDNS account name as a virtual host and your main site as the primary.

Its cool to host your own sites but ...buy a UPS for your server, it will save you some headaches.

 

[GJSNeptune]

Web server specs in sig. It's running Ubuntu 10.10 x64 with Apache2 and all the good stuff.

 

[Lethal]

I'll need DDNS since I don't have a static IP from my ISP.

Don't mean to sound like a killjoy, but if you have a residential account, you would probably be in violation of their TOS by hosting sites. If you get any amount of traffic, they are likely to notice, plus your bandwidth might not be able to keep up with it.

 

[GJSNeptune]

As much as Time Warner harasses me with cold calls, I don't care if they notice and threaten me. I don't like them either. I don't think the little traffic I'd get would bother them though.

 

[firefox15]

Don't mean to sound like a killjoy, but if you have a residential account, you would probably be in violation of their TOS by hosting sites. If you get any amount of traffic, they are likely to notice, plus your bandwidth might not be able to keep up with it.

This is interesting. Has this been a problem in the past? Didn't realize it could be against TOS.

 

[ripken204]

This is interesting. Has this been a problem in the past? Didn't realize it could be against TOS.

it's not that it could be, it is
web hosting is cheap, might as well pay for it if you are any bit serious about your website

 

[GJSNeptune]

it's not that it could be, it is
web hosting is cheap, might as well pay for it if you are any bit serious about your website

On the contrary, I'm so serious about it that I want to host it myself and learn the hosting side of it. I want complete control of it, plus the comfort of knowing it's going to render and behave as I expect it to. If Time Warner throws a fit, I'll try to get a good deal on a business line. If not, someone else gets my business.

Also, I've been paying for it for five years. Maybe you missed the first sentence of the thread where I say Currently 1&1 is my registrar and host.