To the question “Is it possible to host a website from home?” , the answer is yes. To the question as to “Should you host your own website at home?”, the probable answer is it depends. Hosting a website on your own computer at home can be inconvenient although it can be a great learning opportunity.
Why Consider Hosting Your Own Website from Home
If there would be any compelling reason at all to try hosting your own website at home, that would be because you like to experience it and hopefully learn from it. Other than that, there is no other probable reason to try it because it would require time, money, and effort from the person who wishes to pursue the option. One thing though, there is no better learning experience about understanding how web hosting works than hosting your own website.
You will literally start from the ground up when you try to host your website in your own personal computer. The basic requirements are of course the computer, cable modem, and high-speed Internet connection. The faster the speed provided, the better it is for the intended self-hosting because of the expected video and audio files that need to be accommodated.
A DNS host-name must be obtained for the home Internet connection and a local IP address for the computer. With proper configuration of router and firewall, communication becomes possible. Get a web server program that is of high quality and make your own webpage to replace the default home page. You can check if your effort is successful by accessing the website through another computer. One very critical thing about self-hosted websites is the need for the computer to remain on and connected to the Internet. When this is gone, so will the website since the computer functions as the server. It would be a wise move to use an old computer for this purpose. This lessens the risk and keeps the often-used computer safe. It has to be noted that running any kind of server at home always presents security risks.
The Web Hosting Service Option
Getting the services of a web hosting service provider is the more practical option. Users will have to consider the fact though that not all provided services the same. It would be a smart move to check on all possible options like those found in http://www.besthosting.org/. No one can prevent you from trying to make your own server but odds are great that you will eventually opt for the web hosting service option for regular use.
