DSL, static IP addresses, and computer servers

[N1LAF]

I have a new internet provider, ATT DSL, and have one of theirs plans that offers 6Mbps download capability, for $25/month.

After 12 months, it reverts back to the pricing schedule:
$30 for 1.5Mbps
$35 for 3Mbps
$40 for 6 Mbps

I am running CAT 5e from the phone box to the data filter. dslreports.com speed test indicates I am averaging around 2.5Mbps download, 625 Kbps upload.

The ip address is dynamic.

After one year, I have some choices to make. There is a local DSL isp that will provide service, alternative to AT&T. It is 99main.com, and their offering is $40/month for 1.5Mbps download and a static IP address.

So I am thinking - static IP, maybe it would be something to look at, static IP for Echolink, and maybe to put up a computer to act as a web/email server.

Am I thinking right here?

So, what OS should I use (I think I will be hearing LINUX...) and what software do I need?
Router settings?
Then when service is place, point a domain address to my static IP...

Am I on the right track? Host my own Email service?
How about a phpbb3 blog site?

Will 1.5Mbps be fast enough?

[N1LAF]

Also add on a chat service...

[N1LAF]

I would also need Windows emulation to run some custom programs I have too... Net-aware types...

[KC2UGV]

Easy answer first: I would recommend Linux for any front-facing service. Be it web, ssh, telnet, or anything else. For the stack, Ubuntu Server + LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP); which is what most web packages use. For remote admin, openssh server.

For the pointing, it's as easy as you said. You create an "A" record pointing the domain to your IP address. Can you run email? Maybe, you'll need to look at the TOS. Same with any other service you run. Typically, it's business class customers only who can run servers from their line.

Is it fast enough? Depends on traffic. I know one smallish webhoster who runs about 70 sites on their 1.5 DSL line, and it's peachy keen. For a blog, or a smallish-medium forum, it would work great. I did so for about a year prior to Verizon getting smart, and turning off port 80 :)

Do you need a static IP? That's something only you can answer. You don't need one for EchoLink. For a webserver, you don't need one, per se, but it's a pain to not have. And just the static IP doesn't mean you are allowed to run services. Read the fine print from the TOS.

[KC2UGV]

I would also need Windows emulation to run some custom programs I have too... Net-aware types...

Which apps? If you plan on serving a website or something like that, a dedicated box for just that would be best.

[kf0rt]

What's their TOS say about running servers on their lines? Most "home" ISP's don't allow it (but many users do it anyway).

Static IP: May not be a big deal. I'm on a DHCP service with Comcast and have had the same IP for-evah.

I do all my "hosting" stuff offsite -- probably not the best option if you want to play with stuff, but it's pretty cheap to rent it all, get some *serious* speed and let someone else hassle with the DNS stuff. And, they got 24/7 staff to keep it all running. :)

[WX7P]

hey, good to see you back, Paul.

Sarah and I are in Tulelake right now and just hooked up the intertubes.

Got laid off 6/30 and looking for employment.

[N1LAF]

Hi Dave, good to see you, and sorry to hear about the layoff..

The TOS does not make any prohibition to: http://99main.com/tos.shtml

[W4GPL]

What's their TOS say about running servers on their lines? Most "home" ISP's don't allow it (but many users do it anyway).

Static IP: May not be a big deal. I'm on a DHCP service with Comcast and have had the same IP for-evah.

I do all my "hosting" stuff offsite -- probably not the best option if you want to play with stuff, but it's pretty cheap to rent it all, get some *serious* speed and let someone else hassle with the DNS stuff. And, they got 24/7 staff to keep it all running. :)DSL often uses PPPoE, which almost guarantees a new IP address with each reconnect. However, a using a hostname with a really short TTL works pretty well for these sort of applications. If it's not a commercial service that he's offering, the static IP is probably a waste.

And my experience with ISP TOS is they use them to cover their ass, they don't actually care if you do a little bit of hosting. Though some do block standard inbound ports such as 80, 25, 21..

[KC2UGV]

Hi Dave, good to see you, and sorry to hear about the layoff..

The TOS does not make any prohibition to: http://99main.com/tos.shtml

This is the part that can bite you:
"Do not use the service for inappropriate commercial use. The personal accounts that are available to subscribers are designed for non-commercial, casual use. If a more extensive plan is needed to meet certain business requirements, subscribers are asked to contact the 99main support staff for help."

ISP's have a funny way of determining non-commercial, like Verizon says remote access is "commercial"...

[n2ize]

Static Ip is only nessesary... if you need it. If you plan on running a daemon that needs to hold onto a fixed address 24/7/52/365/ year after year then static is worth it. If you only need access to the daemon on occasionally (i.e. not critical) then you might be able to get away with a dynamic ip using Dyn DNS or something similar.

Case and point, I occasionally have enabled a few people access to a daemon on my server by simply giving them my current ip address + daemon port. Unless I shutdown my router for a few hours the dynamic ip lease (allocated via DHCP) stays the same for months on end (or unless I or Verizon changes it).

Every now and then it will get bounced and I'll get a new lease, but that happens maybe 1 or 2 times a year. Not enough to cause any noticeable problems. Then there is always Dynamic DNS.

Also, check your providers service. Often providers will block incoming traffic into standard ports on non-commercial accounts, (like port 80, 25, 110, etc.) For example Vz blocks incoming traffic on port 80. So, if I wanted to give someone access to Apache I'd have to put it on a nonstandard port. In some instances this may be a royal PITA. Also , as suggested above, check your TOS. Some providers may piss and moan if they suddenly see large amounts of incoming traffic on a non-commercial account.

[n6hcm]

Will 1.5Mbps be fast enough?

typically residential DSL is ADSL (where the A stands for Asymetric), so your download bandwidth will be higher than your upload bandwidth. your upload bandwidth will be the upper limit on how fast internet users will be able to get data from your servers. if your blog is low-traffic and you don't have that many readers (and your content is small) then this will be fine, but if you get popular then this will suck big-time.

it sounds like 99main is aiming exactly at consumers like you propose to be ... there is a big difference between providing content and running the infrastructure--most content providers choose, wisely, not to run their own infrastructure for a variety of reasons ... the most important reason, imho, is security: each service you offer this way is, essentially, inviting the public into your home. want to run more services--you're increasing your risk. crackers run software that "walk" through the internet probing hosts which answer at IP numbers for open ports ... once they've identified the open ports (many of which will be on well-known port numbers) the crackers will try to intrude using techniques that are appropriate for the services which are usually open on those ports ...

so: think small now and see how you feel about it all. start with using Dynamic DNS http://www.dyndns.com/ ... sign up for the free service. it's easy to use and, of course, the price is right. this will give you a host name that will (most of the time) map to your dynamic IP address and give you the basis for establishing services that could be used from the internet.

you want a blog site? start at blogspot, blogger, or somewhere similar and see how you feel about keeping a blog in a few months. can you really run a better web server/email server/... than someone who does this for a living?

keep control of the right stuff: make sure you can make changes to your domain name registration and dns service whenever you need to and you can repoint services/names at will.

ok--i've rambled enough.

[N1LAF]

typically residential DSL is ADSL (where the A stands for Asymetric), so your download bandwidth will be higher than your upload bandwidth. your upload bandwidth will be the upper limit on how fast internet users will be able to get data from your servers. if your blog is low-traffic and you don't have that many readers (and your content is small) then this will be fine, but if you get popular then this will suck big-time.

it sounds like 99main is aiming exactly at consumers like you propose to be ... there is a big difference between providing content and running the infrastructure--most content providers choose, wisely, not to run their own infrastructure for a variety of reasons ... the most important reason, imho, is security: each service you offer this way is, essentially, inviting the public into your home. want to run more services--you're increasing your risk. crackers run software that "walk" through the internet probing hosts which answer at IP numbers for open ports ... once they've identified the open ports (many of which will be on well-known port numbers) the crackers will try to intrude using techniques that are appropriate for the services which are usually open on those ports ...

so: think small now and see how you feel about it all. start with using Dynamic DNS http://www.dyndns.com/ ... sign up for the free service. it's easy to use and, of course, the price is right. this will give you a host name that will (most of the time) map to your dynamic IP address and give you the basis for establishing services that could be used from the internet.

you want a blog site? start at blogspot, blogger, or somewhere similar and see how you feel about keeping a blog in a few months. can you really run a better web server/email server/... than someone who does this for a living?

keep control of the right stuff: make sure you can make changes to your domain name registration and dns service whenever you need to and you can repoint services/names at will.

ok--i've rambled enough.

Thank you for most excellent post! You hit on things that I had not yet thought about. Anything I do would be personal, and static IP would not be necessary, such as have my home bound server post a blind page linking back to its current IP, and anytime the IP changed, it can update that blind page to my site on another host. Feel free to ramble, I learned a few things in the process.