Running a server from home cable connection

[ITASOR]

Does anyone here run a 24/7 server from their regular home cable connection? I'm running a web server from my Power Mac G4 right now, and it seems to get decent speeds (around 60kb/s). That's plenty for HTML/images, which is all it's serving.

I'm wondering if this is bad for my overall network though, as I've had complaints that the internet is "slower" since I've set it up, however they don't know what they're talking about, because no one even would know to visit the server.

Basically what I'm asking, is: If it starts to get busy, not super busy, but a few visitors a day, you know, would that really make a big difference with browsing, etc., or would it only affect my upload, not download?

I know home cable connections aren't really made for servers in the slightest way, so that's why I'm asking.

 

[cgratti]

Does anyone here run a 24/7 server from their regular home cable connection? I'm running a web server from my Power Mac G4 right now, and it seems to get decent speeds (around 60kb/s). That's plenty for HTML/images, which is all it's serving.

I'm wondering if this is bad for my overall network though, as I've had complaints that the internet is "slower" since I've set it up, however they don't know what they're talking about, because no one even would know to visit the server.

Basically what I'm asking, is: If it starts to get busy, not super busy, but a few visitors a day, you know, would that really make a big difference with browsing, etc., or would it only affect my upload, not download?

I know home cable connections aren't really made for servers in the slightest way, so that's why I'm asking.

Define busy... 100 users a day? 1000 users a day? Downloading files off your site? unless we have more info we really can't help you.

 

[Benjamindaines]

Either way I don't suggest running a server off your home internet connection, it is most likely a violation of the TOS and you run the risk of getting your connection shut off.

 

[ITASOR]

Define busy... 100 users a day? 1000 users a day? Downloading files off your site? unless we have more info we really can't help you.

Yeah, that might help, sorry.

Say, 50 users a day, not downloading anything, but say, visiting a really simple forum (not phpbb, probably vanilla) and a few HTML pages with light images.

Really just wondering if anyone does this and how it works out for them. I have a real server in a datacenter, so I don't need this, but it would be a fun project to continue.

And my ISP doesn't mind.

 

[Doctor Q]

Basically what I'm asking, is: If it starts to get busy, not super busy, but a few visitors a day, you know, would that really make a big difference with browsing, etc., or would it only affect my upload, not download?

No, it should not make a big difference. Since visitors to your server would likely be receiving much more than they send, it would be "uploading" from your point of view. Your upload capacity is probably much lower than your download capacity, so you wouldn't have the bandwidth to serve a lot of visitors, but a pace of a "few a day" I don't think it would make much difference on your network.

 

[ITASOR]

No, it should not make a big difference. Since visitors to your server would likely be receiving much more than they send, it would be "uploading" from your point of view. Your upload capacity is probably much lower than your download capacity, so you wouldn't have the bandwidth to serve a lot of visitors, but a pace of a "few a day" I don't think it would make much difference on your network.

Cool, thanks Doctor Q.

 

[theappleguy]

Running a server off a broadband connection isn't recommended. The speeds are slower, you have to leave your computer on the whole time, you don't have backup power etc. If it is a really small site, then you can get away with it, but personally I don't think it's worth it when you can get pretty decent hosting for $30-$60 per year.

 

[desenso]

Running a server off a broadband connection isn't recommended. The speeds are slower, you have to leave your computer on the whole time, you don't have backup power etc. If it is a really small site, then you can get away with it, but personally I don't think it's worth it when you can get pretty decent hosting for $30-$60 per year.

I agree

check out http://www.asmallorange.com and have a look at their Small or Tiny plans. It's trustworthy, ultra-cheap hosting. $30! That's less than you'll spend to power your computer 24/7 for one year.

 

[ethen]

yeah most of provider will cap your upstream anyway, so it just hard to keep hosting it at home

 

[Mechcozmo]

I host a website and an FTP site on an old Quicksilver. Takes a bit to load, but hey, you can get your files from ANYWHERE!

And it hasn't seemed to slow down the internet for the rest of the house too much..

 

[MacDonaldsd]

Can some one explain something to me
Do you have to dedicate the computer as a server ?
Or just by having the computer connected to the internet can it opperate as a server as well as a computer

 

[mikemodena]

Can some one explain something to me
Do you have to dedicate the computer as a server ?
Or just by having the computer connected to the internet can it opperate as a server as well as a computer

Well, if you install a unix operating system such as FreeBSD or even Linux without a GUI.. it's quite hard to use it as a regular PC, since there is no GUI. I had made myself a frankenstein PC a few weeks ago and done that, but just recently installed XP Pro on it and I also installed Cerberus FTPd. I use it as my personal fileserver (mServe, as I like to call it ) I upload/download any of the websites I work on, along with anything else I want. I recently put a TV tuner card in it and now it functions as an entertainment center as well. My next thing for it is 5.1 surround sound

 

[MacDonaldsd]

Basically i just want have access to my some files (download, upload) from the net.

Im getting a mac mini as a media centre, so it will be on all the time. So I was wondering if i could just pull files on and off that ?

Over-wise I have a pentium 3 500mhz laying around somewhere

 

[ITASOR]

I know that it's not a good "idea" to run it off a cable connection, but I already have real hosting, and a full server at a datacenter.

I figured this would be a good addition to my servers to host personal files to get from school, and it has been.

 

[ethen]

if for personal use you can, but you might really want to see your isp's term of use, usually if they find out you are hosting files, they might terminate yoru connections.

 

[ITASOR]

if for personal use you can, but you might really want to see your isp's term of use, usually if they find out you are hosting files, they might terminate yoru connections.

I already said that my ISP does not mind/care if I run a server.

 

[mrichmon]

Basically i just want have access to my some files (download, upload) from the net.

Im getting a mac mini as a media centre, so it will be on all the time. So I was wondering if i could just pull files on and off that ?

Over-wise I have a pentium 3 500mhz laying around somewhere

I use a last gen G4 mini as a media player/server, file server, DHCP, ssh, CVS, http and wiki server without any problems. The cvs and http/wiki doesn't have many external users. If you hook up external drives to the mini be sure to turn of spotlight indexing if you don't need it on those drives to prevent them from spining up periodically.