How do you securely host a website on your computer with xampp that's accessible on the internet?

[Ceticulusly]

I can access xampp from another computer in the local network by port forwarding in the router (port forwarding is to Apache, I think). I do have a password set for phpmyadmin. But the main page that comes up still has links to information about xampp, which probably isn’t very secure.

What do you have to do to make it secure to host a website with xampp that’s publicly accessible on the internet?

In case I’m not being clear, here’s a picture to illustrate what I’m trying to say: http://i.imgur.com/E9YTEiT.png

[Mittineague]

@Ceticulusly

host a website with xampp that’s publicly accessible on the internet?

Hi Ceticulusly, welcome to the forum

AFAIK XAMPP is localhost not for live sites.
Your live host is running XAMPP?

[mawburn]

XAMPP provides an ideal local development environment, but is not meant for production deployments.

https://www.apachefriends.org/hosting.html

[WolfShade]

I know that properly setting up a development network (as opposed to XAMPP) is difficult, time consuming, and if you have never done it before it’s a HUGE learning curve. I’m actually experiencing that, currently. But I think the time and effort are worth it.

There are a lot of firsts, for me: first time working with Ubuntu (Server 14.04 LTS - no GUI, strictly command line); first time working with VM (I’ve trashed probably about 14 or 15 VMs because I broke something that I couldn’t fix); first time working with Apache; first time setting up FTP and SSL. BUT, I finally got it to a point where I’ve got PHP and ColdFusion working together! Now I just have to get another VM up and running Windows so I can put SQL-Lite as the db, and I’ll be developing stuff at home. Yay, me.

V/r,

[dklynn]

WARNING!

Hosting a website on a personal computer is likely a violation of the T&C with your host.

Aside from that legal concern, you need to have some VERY STRONG firewall and access monitoring software AND the ability to monitor the server on a 24/7/365¼ basis. IMHO, leave hosting to the professionals that have the resources to devote to maintaining a server.

Regards,

DK

[dklynn]

Thanks, Mitt!

Yes, that first paragraph should have been:

“Hosting a website on a personal computer is likely a violation of the T&C with your ISP.”

Regards,

DK

[TurtleWolf]

I have to agree with the other’s, particularly WolfShade… if you just wanted to open it up for a secretary to log something in the data base you might get away with it, but your question ask about a ‘popular’ site, you’re goiung to want to tough out the learning curve on that one. https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/7-security-measures-to-protect-your-servers