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1 files changed, 108 insertions, 74 deletions
diff --git a/.md/tutorials/how-to-make-this-site.md b/.md/tutorials/how-to-make-this-site.md index e898828..42bf51f 100644 --- a/.md/tutorials/how-to-make-this-site.md +++ b/.md/tutorials/how-to-make-this-site.md @@ -10,51 +10,59 @@ I got up to hyper linking with the "a" tag until I hit a wall. I don't want to link the exact page since I don't want to get sued, but it basically read: ``` - Web design programs: - - Adobe Dreamweaver - - Adobe Contribute - - Microsoft Expression Web +Web design programs: +- Adobe Dreamweaver +- Adobe Contribute +- Microsoft Expression Web ``` Well, damn. I didn't have any of those. And as a stingy high school kid, I didn't want to buy anything. So I shelved that book and forgot about for a while since making a website seemed too expensive and needed too much flashy -software to make it. I knew nothing about free software at that age, other than -music software like Audacity which is what I was into at the time. - -A few years later I caught a bit of a poetry bug--and maybe a bit of a snooty -college kid bug--and tried to run a blog. At that point, I had learned about -WordPress, which lets you easily make a space for sharing writing, media, -content, whatever really. And it's free as in *freedom* as I understand -since it's licensed under the GPL (if you want to take the time to deploy it -yourself). But they also give out free .wordpress domains and some storage -space. +software to make it. I knew nothing about free software at that age, +other than music software like Audacity which is what I was into at the +time. + +A few years later I caught a bit of a poetry bug--and maybe a bit of a +snooty college kid bug--and tried to run a blog. At that point, I had +learned about WordPress, which lets you easily make a space for sharing +writing, media, content, whatever really. And it's free as in *freedom* +as I understand since it's licensed under the GPL (if you want to take +the time to deploy it yourself). But they also give out free .wordpress +domains and some storage space with a snazzy dashboard to manage it all. I had fun with that one, I don't update it anymore, but it's still up at <a href="https://postquantumpoetry.wordpress.com">postquantumpoetry.wordpress.com -</a>. WordPress got closer to what I wanted, but it still wasn't <i>really</i> -my site; it was WordPress's site unless I wanted to pay the hosting and domain -fee. It's pretty modest, but I wasn't sold on sticking with a .com or .space -domain, or even sticking with WordPress. I was getting tired of blogging -anyway. I was getting more interested in the stuff that made it work; it -seemed a lot more fruitful than writing to no one. - -It's now 2021, five years later, when I write this (and this website isn't even -finished yet). So what led me down the rabbit hole again? It probably started -where the last one left off, when I decided I wanted to switch to more -practical IT things over the academic things I had previously wanted -to pursue. I signed up for a Cybersecurity program, somehow got in, and -eventually managed to land a entry-level SOC role after graduating. At this -point, it was getting a little weird that I had no web -presence--especially after I decided to take down most of my social media -accounts. So I was back at "how do I make a website," again, but this time, I -at least had some understanding of what a server was and how networks work. And -more importantly, I had a better idea of what it meant for a computer to be -*mine*. Even though--let's be real--it *still isn't.* I can't get -high-speed Internet easily which I need to host a server long-term so I'm stuck -using some else's computer, otherwise called a Virtual Private Server (VPS). -Even if I could host at home, I'm still of course at the mercy of my ISP so -even then, I'm not totally free. +</a>. WordPress got closer to what I wanted, but it still wasn't +*really* my site; it was WordPress's site unless I wanted to pay the +hosting and domain fee. It's pretty modest, but I wasn't sold on +sticking with a .com or .space domain, or even sticking with WordPress. +I was getting tired of blogging anyway. I was getting more interested +in the stuff that made it work; it seemed a lot more fruitful than +writing to no one. + +It's now 2021, five years later, when I write this (and this website +isn't even finished yet). So what led me down the rabbit hole again? +It probably started where the last one left off, when I decided I +wanted to switch to more practical IT things over the academic things +I had previously wanted to pursue. I signed up for a Cybersecurity +program, somehow got in, and eventually managed to land an entry-level +SOC role after graduating. +At this point, it was getting a little weird that I had no web presence +--especially after I decided to take down most of my social media +accounts a few years ago. + +So I was back at "how do I make a website," again, but this time, I +at least had some understanding of what a server was and how networks +work. And more importantly, I had a better idea of what it meant for +a computer to be *mine*. + +Even though--let's be real--it *still isn't.* + +I can't get high-speed Internet easily which I need to host a server +long-term so I'm stuck using some else's computer, otherwise called a +Virtual Private Server (VPS). Even if I could host at home, I'm still +of at the mercy of my ISP. Because of that, I think it's important to understand that "running your own website" is not just a *technical* ordeal, but also an @@ -64,12 +72,12 @@ mean it's hard to do, just that there's options. <a id="thepoint"></a> ## What is a web server and how do I run one? -TL;DR a web server is just a program that lets other computers on a +*TL;DR a web server is just a program that lets other computers on a network view files in a chosen folder. All you need to do is download a web server: apache and nginx are popular ones, but you can easily program your own with web frameworks like [Flask](https://flask.palletsprojects.com/en/2.0.x/) or -[Facil](https://facil.io/) +[Facil](https://facil.io/)* You can run a web server for free right now. If you're on windows go download Apache for Windows @@ -84,29 +92,30 @@ Foundation\Apache2.4\ ). You'll see something like the following: ``` <VirtualHost *:80> - ServerAdmin webmaster@localhost - - DocumentRoot /var/www - <Directory /> - Options FollowSymLinks - AllowOverride None - </Directory> - <Directory /var/www/> - Options Indexes FollowSymLinks MultiViews - AllowOverride None - Order allow,deny - allow from all - </Directory> + ServerAdmin webmaster@localhost + + DocumentRoot /var/www + <Directory /> + Options FollowSymLinks + AllowOverride None + </Directory> + <Directory /var/www/> + Options Indexes FollowSymLinks MultiViews + AllowOverride None + Order allow,deny + allow from all + </Directory> ``` For now, you don't need to change anything, so don't worry about what it means. -Note in particular the "DocumentRoot" which may differ for you. This is -where the web server looks for files. So let's put a file there! Put -whatever, a picture, a text file. Run the server, then go to -your web browser and type: `http://localhost`. You'll find a directory -with your files in it! +But do note the directory set on "DocumentRoot," which may differ for +you. This is where the web server looks for files and folders. +So let's put some stuff there! Put whatever, a picture, a text file. +Run the server, then go to your web browser and type: `http://localhost`. +You'll find a directory with your files in it! And you can access them +at `http://localhost/filename.extension` The problem is, only you and others on your home network can visit your site right now. @@ -120,17 +129,38 @@ routers will have some kind of steps similar to this: 1) Click "Advanced" then click "Firewall" -2) Scroll to the add new rule form (if you must, press a button to bring -it up) +2) Scroll to the add new rule form 3) Put in the following values - source/original port: 80 - forward to address/device: your device's local ip -- forward to/destination port: 8000 +- forward to/destination port: 80 You can get your device's local ip by typing `ipconfig` (Windows) or `ip a` (Linux). Typically it is listed first and will start with "192.168" or -"10.0" but it depends on the manufacturer. +"10.0" but it depends on the manufacturer. Here's my output at home for +example: + +``` +1: lo: <LOOPBACK,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 65536 qdisc noqueue state UNKNOWN group default qlen 1000 + link/loopback 00:00:00:00:00:00 brd 00:00:00:00:00:00 + inet 127.0.0.1/8 scope host lo + valid_lft forever preferred_lft forever + inet6 ::1/128 scope host + valid_lft forever preferred_lft forever +2: enp7s0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 1500 qdisc pfifo_fast state UP group default qlen 1000 + link/ether 4c:cc:6a:93:eb:0b brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff + inet 192.168.1.202/24 brd 192.168.1.255 scope global dynamic noprefixroute enp7s0 + valid_lft 74501sec preferred_lft 74501sec + inet6 fe80::4ecc:6aff:fe93:eb0b/64 scope link noprefixroute + valid_lft forever preferred_lft forever +3: wlp5s0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST> mtu 1500 qdisc noop state DOWN group default qlen 1000 + link/ether 82:e2:e4:c2:0c:a1 brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff permaddr 98:de:d0:f3:d6:ea +``` + +The device "enp7s0" is my Ethernet adapter (starts with an 'e') and my +current local ip address for the device is shown. If you use wifi, it +will likely start with a "wl." Now get your *public* ip address at this site https://who.is/ and share it with your friends. Watch in horror as they access all the files in @@ -138,11 +168,14 @@ the directory you launched the server! ## How can make this server available on the Internet *cheaply* and *independently* -TL;DR Expense scales with independence. It's possible to become your own +*TL;DR Expense scales with independence. It's possible to become your own service provider, get IP addresses from ICANN, your own hardware to host it, to host your cat pics; but it's also a lot of time, work and money -to do all that (see [Null]())>. Most likely you'll want to rent someone -else's server, usually a VPS. +to do all that +([this guy](https://hackaday.com/2018/09/20/one-mans-journey-to-become-his-own-isp/) +did it apparently, and so did [Null](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiwi_Farms)) + +Most likely you'll want to rent someone else's server, usually a VPS.* Once you understand the basic installation above, you can now populate your site with content just by adding HTML files to your web directory. @@ -189,23 +222,24 @@ But once you have stuff to share, how do you keep this stuff online? Technically yes, but practically probably not. At least not at a lot of extra cost to you. If you do want to host a small thing at home, like some text or some cat pics, a -[tor hidden service]("/site/tutorial/how-to-host-a-tor-hidden-service.html") +[tor hidden service](/site/tutorial/how-to-host-a-tor-hidden-service.html) is a great option. -I spent a lot of time searching on this (you can find a full list of references -at the bottom), and I've even tested a little bit by hosting game servers and -web projects for code jams, but the problem is twofold. First, if you are in -the United States and not a business, you probably have a standard plan with -one of the major ISPs (Verizon, Optimum, etc.). This limits you in a -few ways. +I spent a lot of time searching on this (you can find a full list of +references at the bottom), and I've even tested a little bit by hosting +game servers and web projects for code jams, but the problem is +twofold. First, if you are in the United States and not a business, +you probably have a standard plan with one of the major ISPs (Verizon, +Optimum, etc.). This limits you in a few ways. - Your bandwidth is limited, which limits the amount of people you can serve at one time *and* the rate you can transfer data to them. Think laggy games and videos that take 10 years to download. -- Your ISP probably explicitly does not allow this (at least in the US). I have *never* had my -ISP complain about hosting small personal servers at home, but I imagine if I -hosted higher traffic things, I would have some problems. +- Your ISP probably explicitly does not allow this (at least in the US). +I have *never* had my ISP complain about hosting small personal servers +at home, but I imagine if I hosted higher traffic things, I would have +some problems. ### So what should I do |