Setting up your own Server
This tutorial teaches you how to set up your own server with PHP and MySQL. Remember, we are using a server package for dummies, not the real server that takes you hours to set up.
Why Set Up Your Own Server?
There are many reasons, first, there are no restrictions such as bandwidth and content with your own server, so you can do anything you want. I uploaded a lots of scripts to my server, that's how I learned so much about PHP and MySQL. Basically you are more accessible to your server, so you can write full of test scripts. This site, UnitedUniverse did not go on hiatus when I'm about to make a new layout because I plan and script my site in my own server.
Setting Up Your Own Server on Windows
We are going to use XAMPP, it's easy and powerful. No money and extra hardware are required. To download XAMPP, visit http://www.apachefriends.org/en/xampp-windows.html. Download the installer and follow the instructions to install.
After installing, you can browse http://localhost or http://127.0.0.1, or type your IP address in the address bar. If the installation is completed, you will see XAMPP Control Panel. Just explore the control panel and change some configuration such as MySQL password and access protection.
To upload web pages to your server, find your installation directory of XAMPP(such as C:\Program Files\xampp), and enter to htdocs directory. If your installation directory is C:\Program Files\xampp, the directory for web pages will be C:\Program Files\xampp\htdocs.
Now you installed your own server, you can play your scripts, don't go on hiatus when you are planning to upgrade and rewrite your website, work on your site locally while keeping the old site.
Comments
Apache FAILED
| Date: February 3rd, 2009 12:35:16 am | Link: (No link provided)
I attempted installing XAMPP. However, Apache did not work (it said Port 80 was occupied). I went onto the xamp-portcheck.exe or whatever, and it said three ports were needed for Apache, 80, 81, and 443. 81 said "free", but 80 and 443 said "SYSTEM". Is this some kind of problem? How do you fix it?
I have Skype and set it so that it never uses port 80 or 443.
RE: Apache FAILED
User: Cultred | Date: February 3rd, 2009 3:48:43 am | Link: (No link provided)
Alright, got it resolved.