Hosting Multiple sites with IIS

[OSUKid7]

Hi. I'm trying to host two (or more) sites on my SBS2003 server. I only have one external and one internal IP. There is a router (Linksys) between the server and the Internet. I have two domains, and would like to host both sites. How can I do this? The server is also the DHCP server for my LAN. Do I need to run a DNS server, and if so, how do I go about setting that up? Thanks in advance.

[Billprozac]

Use the host header option when setting up the second site in IIS. The three ways to have multiple Webs n one box are:

1. Each Web has a different IP

2. Each Web has a different port (default is 80, so others can be 90, 170, whatever)

3. Use different Host headers (The server checks the url that is being requested and can differentiate.) The problem here is that some old browsers do not send hh information and so have problems. Fortunately, that is very common.

[OSUKid7]

Hmm, I was thinking of doing different ports, but I'd still like users to be able to type in the regular domain name without a port at the end. Is that possible?

If not, how do you setup host headers?

[Billprozac]

The only good way to use multiple posts without inconveniencing the client is to use a redirector service like << spam >>. You will register one domain with them and create an A record called www1.yourdns.com then a redirect called www that redirects to www1.yourdns.com:port that way when some one types in www.yourdns.com it wil redirect automatically to www1.yourdns.com:port and you can mask all of this too.

As far as host headers, in the second screen when you are setting up the web, there is an option for host header. Simnply place the domain there such as www.yourdomain.com. This way, that web will only respond to requests from the www.yourdomain.com website. YOu do not have to do this for both, but it would be "cleaner" that way

[OSUKid7]

Alright. The host header thing seemed to work. Thanks! :)

Now, another problem I'm having is I can't get to my site with www. in front of it. The domain is registered at www.1and1.com. I currently have it set to use the 1&1 name server, and use my IP as the IP Address (A-Record). I've played around with hosting the DNS server myself, but have had it set to use the 1&1 dns server for 2-3 days now. It has worked with www. in front of the domain before, but for some reason it doesn't now. :/ Any ideas?

Also, would you recommend that I host the DNS server myself? Are there any advantages to doing this versus using the 1&1 DNS server and setting the A-Record to my IP?

Thx for the help.

[OSUKid7]

Update: several other people have told me that the www. domain works fine, so my DNS servers must just be slow. As usual. :/

[Billprozac]

leave the DNS hosting to t1&1. THey should have a backup and or replication scheme setup so if the primary DNS server goes down, the secondaries will kick in. Hosting your own DNS is only truely usefull if you are a large company with lost of servers and many sub doms. hmmm, sorry to here 'bout the DNS being slow. Hopefully that will fix itself fairly soon.

[OSUKid7]

One other question. How would I go about creating subdomains? Is there a way to do that without hosting my own DNS server?

[garethevans1986]

Ive been very interested in this thread as Im looking to do the same thing on my system but then redirecting the user from one system to another system internally along the LAN.

I think you use the same process of creating a sub domain as you would by creating a new domain. I dont know about installing te DNS but I think it may acctually help on your side.

ChocIST

[Billprozac]

subdomain as in subdomain.maindomain.com? Very simple...

If you alreday have defined as in my example www1.yourdomain.com pointing to your ip, then you can create the following web redirects

www.yourdomain.com = www1.yourdomain.com:90

subdomain1.yourdomain.com= www1.yourdomain.com:150

subdomain2.yourdomain.com = www1.yourdomain.com:240

etc

Once you haver the first a record, you can create as many redirects as you like.

I am personally using << spam >> as my DNS because I have a dynamic IP, and they are super easy to work with. They have let me set up a subdoamin dns for everything I nedd and I just pay the yearly fee which is pretty cheap.

ChocIST: When you say redirect from one system to another, are you doing all of this internally, and are you redirecting interl clients or external clients?

THe prob. you may run into is that any subdomain URL wise as just logical references. You still need to have IP level access to the server in order for the DNS to work. Reme,ber that DNS is just an easy alternative to IP. If you are re-routing interal clients, than you can use an internal DNS to help out.

At my office, I have a box that is hosting quite a bit of internal content and external content (Intranet, Web access for email, Web access for Remote desktop, internal help site, etc.) I have set up logical A records that all point to the same IP but are easier for the user to remember.

For example, externally, servername.domainname.org is hard to remember, but webmail.doamin.com is easy

or CMAWeb in the address of the webbrowser points to the intranet. instead of servername.domain.loc

Hope this all helps.