Setting up a NAS as homepage

[mstrofhz]

Got my home network set-up using a wireless Linksys and their NAS. It mirrors the one in the latest PC upgrade. I've been really impressed with its features and capability but was wondering if its possible to use the NAS as a homepage(s) server instead of relying on third party companies to store them.

BTW..Sorry for the advertising, but Linksys is the coolest

I'm running win 2K pro

[M_Six]

Are you talking about Network Area Storage? As in a storage server that's just hung off your network? I would think you could run IIS or Apache and just point to the NAS for the content.

[mstrofhz]

excuse the absense of info. Network Attached Storage (NAS). Basically it's usually attached to the router and acts as a common point where people on the network can share files. I'm doing this already, but wonder how to configure it for internet access (homepages).

[M_Six]

You'd obviously have to run the webserver elsewhere, but the content of the webpages should easily work off the NAS. Which webserver are you using?

[mstrofhz]

Currently I'm using my ISP for my personal page and Netscape for my club page. Not sure if I follow you about the separation between the webserver and NAS. Are you talking about placing a link on the webserver to pull up the homepage files stored on my NAS? I wonder about the security; isolation ability so that incoming requests could only view a specific part of the NAS where the homepages are kept. Excuse my ignorance about the subject. I guess it would help if I truly understood how requests for webpages lead to the webserver. Time to do some research.
Thanks for the help thus far.

[M_Six]

In most webserver programs you can store the actual html pages and images (content) anywhere on your network. The webserver "serves" all the pages. People accessing your website would not actually be connected to the NAS. They'd only connect to the webserver, which would be pulling content from the NAS.

[mstrofhz]

OK..now the light is coming on. That sounds great since controlling my information is what I really want. You had mentioned Apache and IIS earlier. I went to their websites but I'm still a little hazy on the specifics of their operations as it relates to a home user. Do I simply just install their software and register with them so their webserver knows where to pull pages from? You've been a tremendous help so far. Thanks again

[M_Six]

Do I simply just install their software and register with them so their webserver knows where to pull pages from?

No, no, no. Apache or IIS runs on one of your machines. Essentially, you have to configure a machine to be a webserver. IIS isn't free. Apache is. Apache runs best on Linux, but there's a Windows version, too. If you have a spare machine, take a look at SME Server. Once you download the files and create the boot CD, you just drop the CD in and boot up. Answer the few questions and you're on your way. Just be aware that SME Server needs a dedicated machine. It will wipe out any existing data on that hard drive. But once SME is set up, it's really easy to configure. SME uses Apache, btw.

[mstrofhz]

This is starting to sound a little scary, but I think I finally get the idea. I don't have a spare machine right now to install the SME, so Apache might be the better option. I'm going to do more research and find out exactly if my ideas are too grandiose for my needs.
I appreciate you sticking around and holding my hand through this. Hopefully I'm be able to pass the knowledge downstream.