server doesn't connect to other computers
 

first, I am very new to linux...
I set up a server using Xampp and connected to DynDNS.
I went ahead and tested to see if the server worked by typing in http
address on the server box's browser, it came up all good and fine, but
when I tryed to access the same http from a different box then I got an
"Operation timed out while trying to..." message.

I will try to provide all the information you need

I am using fedora core 3

I am working from behind a firewall and router

I have an account with dynDNS

I use a Xampp server

My IP address is reachable from the Internet

I have DHCP

my mask is 255.255.255.0

can anyone please help?

Is your firewall blocking port 80?

I can turn my firewall off and it makes no difference

does your router have a firewall too. If not, then did you edit the httpd.conf (apache config file) so that the server is not bound to the local machine.i.e it is not setup to only be accessed from your local machine.

Tux,

how do you do that?

You will not be able to see the server from the lan using its public domain name due to the fact that you are not using network loop back. You should be able to see the html pages using the local lan address. e.g. if the lan address of the server is 192.168.0.2 then using the form http://192.168.0.2 should bring up the webpage. If you have the name of the server in your lan boxes /etc/resolv.conf ( e.g. 192.168.0.2 webserver) then using the form http://webserver should also do the same. The only way you will be able to see the pages on the server from your own lan using its domain name is to set your browser to use a public proxy for the internet.

I think some of that went over my head, but I'll try to answer it...

While browsing on my server box I can get to the site if I go to my local address (127.0.0.1) and if I go to my dynDNS address (imitree.homeftp.org/woodstock).

When using a seporate Computer I cannot go to my dynDNS address (imitree.homeftp.org/woodstock).

- I have gone into DynDNS and double checked that it is using my real IP address and not the one the router is using ie 192.168.1.102.
but I am assuming that if I can see the site when going to imitree.homeftp.org/woodstock on any computer then dnyDNS is doing it's job properly.

/etc/resolv.conf conatins:
; generated by /sbin/dclient_script
search "my DNS Search Path"
nameserver "primary DNS"
nameserver "secondary DNS"can

Ok. I'll try to explain this more simply. You have an IP address allocated to you by your ISP which is a numeric address like 123.456.678.890. When you buy a domain name the address is given a holding IP address at the registrar. So if someone enters your domain name the IP address will be resolved to the registrar holding IP address. Now because your IP address is dynamic (issued by dhcp) you have had to use dynDNS in order for them to pickup your IP address and point your domain name to this address ( a little more complex than this but still). Now when you request your domain name from your own lan the network gets confused because you are trying to resolve your IP address from the same IP address.
If you set your browser (in the config settings) to use a proxy server then requests from your system go the proxy server and then to your internet server which perceives this as a request from the proxy and not from itself.
As I said above the boxes on your own lan will be able to resolve the address within the lan by the IP address given in the resolv.conf. In order for you to check whether the server is available on the wan (internet) you need to get someone else to try to access it or for you use a proxy server, as described above. If they are not able to access the system then you have a problem at either the router level (not forwarding port 80) or the firewall is excluding requests. That, you would have to resolve yourself. Bear in mind that it can take a few hours for a new IP address to permeate through the net (that's why I said a above it's a bit more complicated) as the DNS databases have to be updated.

ok, thanks I'm pretty sure I know what's going on now... but everytime I try to set up a static IP I lose my internet connection

Do you mean on the server? If this is the case then you must remember that the static address must be on the same subnet as the router that it is connected to or else you will lose connection. You need to describe how you have set up the network connections.

I got it now, cheers everybody... after Tiger managed to get it through my thick head what the real problem was I eventually was able to sort it out. thanks