mac pro server?, mac pro server for website? Options

[Maccabee]

So I heard that you can get a mac pro that is like a server?

How can you use this to host your own website?

And even if you dont use a mac pro if you but a server how do you use it to host your site?

[mipadi]

You can really use any computer as a "server", you just have to have server software. In the case of a website, you just need to install a web server like Apache. (Mac Pros come with Apache pre-installed, as do all Macs.)

The Mac Pro makes a decent server, but there's no special server configuration.

[Maccabee]

You can really use any computer as a "server", you just have to have server software. In the case of a website, you just need to install a web server like Apache. (Mac Pros come with Apache pre-installed, as do all Macs.)

The Mac Pro makes a decent server, but there's no special server configuration.

I mean if you wanted a dot com and had a mac pro would you still have to have a host?

[kryogenix]

You could try hosting from your house, but I don't think your ISP will like that.

[mipadi]

I mean if you wanted a dot com and had a mac pro would you still have to have a host?

No. But as the poster above me noted, most Internet service providers won't let you host a website on a residential Internet connection (or, at least, they frown upon it...a lot).

But no, in theory, if you have a Mac Pro running as a web server, then you don't need a host.

[fixtatik]

not only do most ISPs frown upon it (there's always a way around blocked ports, though), you'd also need a crazy fast connection. most ISPs cap you out at 1MBps uploads, and even then that's considered good in most cases. at speeds like that, it would mean your site would run extremely slow. also, especially if you're on a cable connection, speeds can drop if a lot of people in the same area are online at the same time.

if you manage to work around the ISP problems, there's always the issue that using your home computer as a server is an extremely high security risk. for having a domain name, you'd need to get a DNS host name redirected to your house, which does cost money, unless you opt for a preset free one, which usually ends up being a sub domain.

if you want a site to be successful, i wouldn't suggest doing it from home. but if you have the money and and time just to learn about it, then it's fun.