When shopping around for an Internet Service Provider to host your Internet connection, there are a few things you may want to keep in mind.
A good place to begin research is on the Broadband/DSL reports website.
Cable vs. DSL: Cable and DSL are similar in price, but there are a few distinctions to make between the two. DSL is dedicated bandwidth while Cable is shared bandwidth. Cable Internet connections have "rush hour" just like a freeway that may cause your connection speed to slow. DSL has a greater potential for upgrade. If you have a cable connection, expect to be fixed at your current bandwidth until the next major upgrade in broadband technology.
You are more likely to find a static IP address option with DSL. The standard "upstream" (higher upstream is better for servers) data rate for Cable and DSL start at 128 kbs. Downstream data rates tend to favor Cable connections with speed as high as 1.5 mbs vs 768 kbs on DSL, but remember, cable modems are shared bandwidth. A good place to begin research is on the Broadband/DSL reports website.
Some ISP's block Port 80 which is needed to host a web server. When shopping for an ISP to host your server, make sure to tell them that you plan on running your own web server and ask them if they block Port 80. If your ISP insists on blocking port 80, I would recommend switching ISPs.
Most ISPs will not give you any technical support on running your own server. In fact, some ISPs will go as far as telling you that you can't run a server. Why? Because your ISP is making a lot of money off people like you. They don't want you to run your own server!
My personal experience has been that the larger telecom companies are more agreeable when it comes to running your own server. In the past I have always used the local "Mom and Pop" ISP because I always found better/friendlier tech support and service. However, when establishing your own server on DSL or Cable, a small ISP will push "co-location" of a server over static IP connections. Co-locating (putting you server on site with your ISP and connecting directly to their network) will give you a big jump in bandwidth along with a big jump in monthly overhead (about $300 per month). DSL with a static IP generally runs about $49 depending on where you live, making DSL a good choice for people who are not pushing huge amounts of data.
A static IP address is generally not a standard Internet account feature. Most Internet Service Providers require you to pay an additional monthly fee to reserve a static IP. Most Internet connection accounts use a dynamic IP address. If you did not specifically order a package that includes a static IP address, chances are you have dynamic IP address. This tutorial assumes that you will obtain a static IP address.
A popular misconception about Internet servers, is that you need more than one computer to run a successful web site. The truth is that one computer can serve a large number of web sites, running a number of different services, email, web, DNS, FTP. Ect… This web site is run on a server which is also running an email, DNS and FTP server.
Remember, once you become your own web/Internet Server, If you turn off your computer, people will not have access to your web server
Check your ISPs Terms Of Service. Some ISPs have strict rules against running servers.
Important! A static IP address is generally not a standard Internet account feature. Most Internet Service Providers require you to pay an additional monthly fee to reserve a static IP. Most Internet connection accounts use a dynamic IP address. If you did not specifically order a package that includes a static IP address, chances are you have dynamic IP address. This tutorial assumes that you will obtain a static IP address.
It is possible to host a web site on an Internet connection that has a dynamic IP address, however it is not recommended. Your Internet connection will be less reliable and you will loose the ability to host a reliable email server.
