Networking :: HTTP server? index.html ?



ok i have no idea how web servers work but i read that DSL has a HTTP client called monkey..and heard from a friend that you can connect to a computer by typing in the IP address into firefox (http://192.168.0.100) so i go to "moneky web server"and then to "monkey start"...then i opened firefox and typed in my "host box" IP address from the desktop background (192.168.0.100) and it displays the index.html page..so then i make a /dsl/home/share directory and place a few files in it...now i can see them by clicking on the "files" link..now my question is..what the hell have i just done? does this mean that anyone can type in "http://192.168.0.100" and access this same page and files? i know my real IP address is 72.184.xx.xxx but it dosent do anything when typed into the browser. thanks for your help im totally new to this and have no idea what im really doing
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what the hell have i just done?
You've started a web server.

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does this mean that anyone can type in "http://192.168.0.100" and access this same page and files?
No. 192.168.0.100 is a local IP address accessible only by computers on your network. I don't know anything about Monkey, though, so I don't know if those local files are available only to you. It depends a lot on how the server is configured.

There are many security-related issues to consider when setting up a web server. It would probably be a good idea to read up on this (not just specifically about Monkey, but about http servers/security in general). I wouldn't be too terribly concerned about it in DSL, considering you can simply run a liveCD with no extra volumes mounted if you just want to get your feet wet. Besides that, the server is most likely running as "nobody" and therefore has very limited access to your system.

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my real IP address is 72.184.xx.xxx but it dosent do anything when typed into the browser.
I would take that as a good sign that remote access doesn't currently work.
security issues aside..how would i make this page available to anyone regardless of what computer/network they are on?
Quote (abnorm999 @ Aug. 26 2007,23:57)
security issues aside..how would i make this page available to anyone regardless of what computer/network they are on?

In general, you would set up your network router to forward to some computer on the network designated as the "server" (192.168.x.x), and then connect from the client software using the external, 72.101.xxx.xxx address.  Typically, this will generate a password screen.  I did this with a windows computer as server using a not very secure (free) version of VNC and got a worm within about 5 minutes. Never had a problem with a paid version, however, and would be more comfortable with a linux server.
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"my real IP address is 72.184.xx.xxx but it dosent do anything when typed into the browser."

I believe that one is not able to access their own internet address from inside the network.  I have to use a web proxy to access mine.
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