How to operate a home picture server?

[mrericlee]

Hi,

I would like to set up a server at home so that I can host pictures or slideshows. I am on ADSL and using SingNet Broadband on dynamic IP.

Is there anyway I can do this?

Reason is sometimes I want to shares like a Soundslides series and I have no place to upload it to.

Regards,
Eric Lee

 

[ITphobia]

are u refering to have a server to store all ur photos so that u can access it and play it as a slideshow?

 

[rainwhisper]

Hi,

I would like to set up a server at home so that I can host pictures or slideshows. I am on ADSL and using SingNet Broadband on dynamic IP.

Is there anyway I can do this?

Reason is sometimes I want to shares like a Soundslides series and I have no place to upload it to.

Regards,
Eric Lee

No-IP.com and DynDns.org provide free hostname for dymanic IP users. You can try using Microsoft Home Server.

 

[mrericlee]

I guess the goal here is not to pay for hosting as it becomes cost per MB. If I can use my own harddisk, space is really cheap.

How do you guys do it?

 

[Del_CtrlnoAlt]

I guess the goal here is not to pay for hosting as it becomes cost per MB. If I can use my own harddisk, space is really cheap.

How do you guys do it?

so we don't expect to see your pics fast and always on... lol...

if you're only going to put in say, 100 pics, or less than 500... whats the point to pay for this kinda service like the ip services above? it might be cheaper to use free host or cheap share hosting.

unless say you are sharing files and videos which doesn't kill your own local bandwidth.

 

[mummum]

I guess the goal here is not to pay for hosting as it becomes cost per MB. If I can use my own harddisk, space is really cheap.

How do you guys do it?

Eric, i believe the cost of MB Hosting is referring to, is not on the storage but more on the bandwidth.

Hosting bandwidth is costly (high service level agreeement) as compared to our home broadband (which has no SLA).

If you want to host your own server, it's not as easy as it sound. Here's in a nutshell. You need a dynamic DNS to reflect your broadband always changing IP, you need to do changes to your firewall, you need to ensure your broadband provider does not block Port 80, you need a HTTP server on your 'server', you need to lockdown your server for security reasons, and obviously you need to have a webpage ready designed and coded.

Since our home broadband are not meant for hosting, the upstream bandwidth is capped at quite a measy rate, so your pictures will be loaded at a significantly slower rate on the client end. Electricity bill also adds up to the running cost, and probably also the fear of a fire.

If its for personal fun, i think home server is still doable, but if it's for showcasing your portfolio, i personally dun think it's a good idea, since, prospects do not have that patience in waiting for the pictures to be fully downloaded.

Cheers!

 

[Octarine]

I'm running a Gentoo Linux Server at home. In terms of bandwidth no issue with SingNet. It also depends on the picture size you want to showcase. If you don't offer full size images then an upstream bandwidth of 512 kbps is fine.
The main issue that most people underestimate is the point of security and management efforts. It's absolutely insufficient just to have a crappy firewall of a broadband router. It starts with a network concept (DMZ), security concept (access permissions), operating system security (hardened OS, auditing tools) up to the point of application layer security. There are plenty of ways to hijack a web application via port 80. No firewall will help since port 80 is "legal". If your picture gallery application is based on scripts (e.g. PHP) then those scripting languages and processors need to be secured as well. Some galleries also use databases for data storage. There comes the next security topic ...
Don't forget that a server needs constant support and attention. No point just setting up and let it run. If you think you can manage all this then it's fun. If your focus is just to host pictures then you are better off with any commercial hosting site.
A medium way could be a root server or shared web server. There you'll get a server (either physical or virtual) where you can run applications. A root server gives full administrative permissions. You can setup the applications as you like but you don't need to worry about bandwidth and power. But the security topic stays...
Last but not least: Bringing "my own harddisk" online is not enough. Hardware redundancy, backup concepts and other topics still wait for your consideration.

 

[netimpact]

Electricity bills still need to take into consideration if you are running 24x7. I get godaddy to host for me for a few US per month.