[Oberon] Web servers

[W B Hacker]

Douglas G. Danforth wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> I have some very primitive questions about 'servers' that are triggered
> by HP's recent announcement of a $600 'home server'.
> 
> I currently pay $40/month to Verio. o They handle my domain name 
> GreenwoodFarm.com . o They host my web pages.
> o They handle my email.
> 
> Now for the questions:
> o Can I have a box at home that does everything that Verio does?
>  If so I can eliminate Verio and save $40/month.
>  I should also have a gob more disk space so I can greatly
>  expand the number of web pages I currently show.
> 
> o How do I become my own ISP (is that the correct thing to ask)?
>  Is this legal or will the 'net' object.
>  I currently am accessing the web via a wireless connection to one
>  of several free wireless nodes here in Menlo Park, CA USA.
> 
> o I assume that there are several ways to use AOS/BlueBottle to act
>   as a server (I don't want to get into the details of how to do that
>  right now but only need to know if this is true).
> 
> o Any other significant details I need to understand?
> 
> -Doug Danforth
> 
> -- 
> Oberon at lists.inf.ethz.ch mailing list for ETH Oberon and related systems
> https://lists.inf.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/oberon
> 

Other posts have the generalities, as Terms of Service - which sometimes 
prohibit *any* public-facing 'servers' - and raw bandwidth cover most 
things.

But I would add that it is probably least-hassle and least-cost if you 
leave outbound email with a 'recognized' provider, ELSE at least relay 
via your upstream's 'smarthost' (by TLS login - uusally on port 587).

-- incoming email can reach you on port 25 of any IP that can be found 
from at least an 'A' record, preferably an 'MX' record - fixed or 
remapped (dyndns).

-- outgoing email - destined for the far-end's port 25 is another matter:

--- it should be and may may be blocked by your connectivity provider if 
you haven't got both a fixed-IP and ToS that permits running an smtp MTA.

--- it will OFTEN be rejected by a well-armored far-end if there is no 
match between the source IP and a PTR record, AND/OR the IP is listed in 
a dynamic-IP RBL, AND/OR the IP can be detected as involving a 
'spam-friendly' service such as dyndns, AND/OR your HELO is not a FQDN 
that both forward and reverse resolves to the connecting IP.

Sending me a direct off-list message wil hit 'all of the above'.

Feel free to test.

The good news is that running your own MTA is not a critical need for 
most folks anyway.

HTH,

Bill Hacker