Trouble with FAQ: #48 - How my server can be shared over an Intranet or Internet connection?

Hi,
I'm sorry if this is the wrong place to post this, but I'm not 100% sure where else I can. There doesn't seem to be a functonal link in the FAQ: How my server can be shared over an Intranet or Internet connection? Can somebody point me to the link?

I'm driving myself crazy and am finally needing to ask for help. I figure if there is prewritten help it would be better for me to read that, than ask a bunch of nob newbie questions in this forum. :)

On the otherhand, if that help isn't available, I'll be more than happy to spill my guts here in the hopes of help and helping others.

Thanks!
-Ben

You need to edit your httpd.conf.

Line 58 is first, if you want your server to be accessible by all network connections on that server then you can just type in:

Listen 80

where 80 is the port apache is listening on (the usual http port). You will need to make sure you don't already have another application listening on that port though!

Would be good to change ServerName on line 217 however its not necessary (for instance mine is set to 127.0.0.1:80)

Then you need to modify any directories and/or VirtualHost declarations that contain an "Allow from 127.0.0.1" rule.

You'll probably want to use the CIDR format to specify address ranges that can connect to the directories/virtualhosts, see [en.wikipedia.org]

One of my virtual directories has the following config that allows any computer on my local network to connect:

Allow from 127.0.0.1 192.168.0.0/24

Use a space to separate values, the example above allows 127.0.0.1 and the range 192.168.0.0 - 192.168.0.255.

This is a quick start. You really need to read the apache documentation for each configuration value, especially if you are going to allow internet access to this server. Considering you are asking how to do this simple configuration, I would strongly advise you don't allow internet access to your server until you learn more about configuring and securing apache. Please don't take that as an insult, its meant as a warning, I don't want you to get hacked.

Russel,
Thank you so much for the intro! It has proven very usefull. I've learned several tricks that I didn't know. After tracking down a dns issue on my end, it is now working. I'm thrilled.!!! Do you have a favorite resourse for configuring and securing apache for the internet?

Sorry I don't have a specific resource for hardening Apache. Other than the Apache site, you're going to have to trawl the internet. Don't just concentrate on Apache though, PHP will also need hardening (as will pretty much everything on the server, once a single program is exploited it can lead to attackers gaining access to everything)

I let hosting companies sort out the security of Apache and the OS for me, which leaves me to worry about my application logic :-)