Help setting up home IIS 7 Server (Web hosting)

Admetos

Admetos

Admetos

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I’m trying to host a number of low volume websites on a home server running Windows Webserver 2008 R2 64bit (IIS 7) and wondering if anyone could kindly give any advice.

My background is software development and although I have configured IIS websites, I’ve never done the full process of setting the DNS’s up.

This is the situation

1) As mentioned I’m running Windows Webserver 2008 R2 64bit.
2) My home ISP is O2 (Be24) and I have a single static IP.
3) My domain names are hosted at www.simplynames.com
4) My router is a Thomson SpeedTouch 780WL (first generation rebadged O2 router)

At simply names there is a control panel to set DNS’s up, however this is the point I really need some help. Is it simply a case of pointing the domain names to my static IP address?

Any help on above greatly appreciated.
 
Yes, configure your external DNS to point to your static IP address.

You then just need to configure your router by opening port 80 and forwarding it to the webserver.
 
I understand how to open port 80 on the router for the webserver, however I'm confused with simplynames DNS control panel.

Can anyone help with the following options.

My fixed IP is 87.194.138.49.

dnssetup.jpg
 
It looks like you need to create a new domain in that wizard, then create the DNS entries.

You want to create two A records (typically).

87.194.138.49 yourdomain.com
87.194.138.49 www.yourdomain.com

You'll also need to an in MX records for email - where are you hosting email or is it not needed?

CNAMES records reference another A record, this can be useful but its best avoided for simple solutions and there's also some issues. I suggest for now, stick to arecords.
 
Mr Massey

In the A, CNAME, TXT and NS records section

Change line 1 so that it has your ip rather than 85.233.160.2

Change line 2 by replacing CNAME with A and put your ip where is currently says fwd3.hosts.co.uk

you'll end up with

1. [BLANK] A 87.194.138.49
2. www A 87.194.138.49

It'll take a while for the changes to fully propagate to other DNS servers.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for everyones help.

I've made the changes bremen1874 said, as follows.

However if I view www.yourmenu.co.uk i'm still seeing SimplyNames holding page, guess it could take a while for DNS to take effect.

Currently i'm not bothered about email, this will be the first webserver I have setup so just getting web pages to serve will do for now..

dnssetup2.jpg
 
Last edited:
I'm still getting the simplynames default holding page, it must not have propagated to o2 yet.

I cleared out my cache just in case DNS was cached locally.
 
Thanks for all the help again. I've opened port 80 on my router, and assigned to this server.

I have also setup the site, and opened port 80 (incoming and outcoming) on the Windows server firewall.

If I go to yourmenu.co.uk I'm still getting Namesco / Simply names default holding page.
 
Thanks for that information, at least your getting to my server. You may have noticed I'm a notice at this networking melarky!

What is 8.8.8.8 & 8.8.4.4, I don't understand what you mean to change the DNS to these?
 
Google's public DNS servers are resolving your domain correctly. If you change your network settings to use their DNS servers instead of the ones you are currently using you should be able to see your site.

Otherwise just wait until the DNS servers you are using update.
 
if your router does not support NAT loopback, that would explain why you can't browse your site from inside your network using the external domain name. have look at your router configuration pages and see if you can see anything related to this.
 
marc2003, you pre-empted my question thank you. I did a google search and found my router does support NAT loopback. I followed a guide that said to use Telnet to enable, I have done this and now I'm seeing my website and not the router, so thank you for that tip!
 
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