Learn me domain names!

Let's say I want to host my own email on my own server and maybe set up a website. I'm sure I can figure out how to run Ubuntu server. What's the cheapest way to register a domain name?

I bought a .org through godaddy about 7 years ago. Email, webspace (that I don't use) total crap free blog stuff and some other bells and whistles I know nothing about. it costs like 6 dollars a year.

It has never failed me.

go to Godaddy or something similar and give them your credit card

http://lifehacker.com/5870649/ditch-godaddys-sopa+loving-butt-and-get-a-better-web-host-at-a-discount

I switched to hover.com from Danica's main sponsor due to the whole SOPA thing - much better user interface, helpful phone support the one time I needed it and decent prices.

Not trying to discourage you but running your own email server does require a careful setup if you don't want to become a major spam relay and then blacklisted. I've been running my own email server for a decade though and once they're up and running I much prefer them to the various free email providers.

However I'd look at the services offered by places like hover where they provide you with a bunch of email inboxes. Might be easier on the nerves .

DON'T use GoDaddy, they suck.

I wouldn't use Ubuntu for the basis of a web or mail server. It's too desktop oriented.

I'd recommend something like Debian stable, Crunchbang (which is Debian Stable with the Openbox window manager, very light and very fast), SuSe, or CentOS.

Now, that being said, if this is anything mission-critical, I'd recommend going with a third-party hosting provider.

I buy my domains through DomainDiscover. I also get one free with my Bluehost hosting, which includes email.

In reply to ReverendDexter:

Well, there is/used to be a server version of Ubuntu. One of the servers I've got root on is running that, but one of the problems we kept running into is that some of the tools that you really need to be up-to-date for reasonably spam free email might require updating the whole OS if you install them via their packages.

Well, first off, nothing mission-critical about it. It would be a learning tool for both myself, and my 8- and 6-year old sons. My 8-year old is already good with the concept of IP addresses and enjoys having some of the neighborhood kids over for multiplayer games running under DOSBOX. I figure it would be a lot more fun running the whole enchilada than having some company do all the hard work.

Naturally, I don't want to get to the point where my ISP (comcast) is saying I've exceeded my bandwidth, and what's this about them blocking port 25 which will preclude my running my own email service?

the port 25 can be overcome by having your MX record point to alternate port. Which is an excellent idea btw

I use godaddy, but all I do is FTP upload and they host me. It WAS being a bitch the other day. Other than that, no problems.

What about the static IP thing? Word is that Comcast won't give you one unless you pony up for a business account. I don't keep track, but I don't think it changes often, if ever.

Dyndns.org is a free solution to not having a static IP. Many routers support it. Your IP may change regularly, but you can host sites with it.

BoxheadTim wrote: In reply to ReverendDexter: Well, there is/used to be a server version of Ubuntu. One of the servers I've got root on is running that, but one of the problems we kept running into is that some of the tools that you really need to be up-to-date for reasonably spam free email might require updating the whole OS if you install them via their packages.

OpenBSD. Definitely safer for a server than any linux distro. It's hardened out of the box. Instead of having to turn off all the daemons you don't want, you activate the one you do.

1988RedT2 wrote: Naturally, I don't want to get to the point where my ISP (comcast) is saying I've exceeded my bandwidth, and what's this about them blocking port 25 which will preclude my running my own email service?

zombified window pc's act as mail servers for spammers. "Gee, why is my computer so slow?!" so isp's preemptively block outbound traffic on port 25.

Another solution would be running a Linux image on Amazon's EC2. Pay by the hour. Rackspace offers a competing product as well. Beauty is you can reset the image if ya borked it badly enough. So develop and test on a local machine. Then set the image to match up and fire away. Though this might be overkill. This is what high traffic sites do. Netflix maintains their streaming servers through EC2.

There is also virtualized hosting where a low traffic instance will be inexpensive. Well, looks like Rackspace has purchased the virtual hosting isp I'm linking to.

What you can do locally is set up the linux boxes for mail service on your subnets and only your subnets. Use the 10.x.x.x addresses to fiddle with before going live on the intarweb.

JoeyM wrote: OpenBSD. Definitely safer for a server than any linux distro. It's hardened out of the box. Instead of having to turn off all the daemons you don't want, you activate the one you do.

OpenBSD and FreeBSD are excellent products. Centos, a Redhat EL clone, sports SELinux for proper daemon behavior. FWIW, security is a process, not a product. Track those logs. Use Nagios, snort, tripwire, etc. The only 100% secured computer is one filled with cement and dumped into the Mariana Trench.