Can this be done under Apache?

I operate Apache running under my Linux computer to test and otherwise develop web sites on localhost. No biggie there. I've been doing that for a long time.

My landlord, whom I rent a room from, uses a Windows computer.

I am helping him learn to create simple websites using a system I developed to allow me or anyone else to do the same easily (it's not yet ready for market).

Currently I have him simply upload changes he makes to site articles to his hosting provider server but I am wondering....

Is there a way to have him access my Apache running on my computer over our local internal network such that he can enter a domain on his end such as "carlosdomain.local" where that domain is translated at his computer into being my local IP (i.e. 192.168.0.1 for example) and where my Apache's response is to server up pages from a directory on his computer (not mine)?

I hope I described that adequately.

It would be like he would be running Apache on localhost but where he does not really have Apache on his windows computer. Instead it is running on my computer but serving up pages from a document root on his computer.

It's either that or I am going to have to install Apache on his Windows computer and help him with that which I am not very thrilled to take the time to do if I can set things up the way I described them above.

Any input or suggestions as to the feasability of this would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Carlos

 

Although that sounds like an interesting idea, it seems like it would be better to install Apache on his computer. It's very easy with WAMP. Anyway, if you insist on doing it as I understand you, you can edit his hosts file so his computer will look at your computer when a specific url is entered in his browser. Then if he's sharing files and you're both networked, your web server can get files off his computer to serve back to his browser (or whatever). What fun!!!

 

Thanks for the input smcblogger.

I knew that I could get his computer to access my Apache by just setting his host file to translate a domain name to my local ip address.

I just didn't know how to have my Apache serve up files from his computer instead of from mine.

But you've given me some direction to hopefully accomplishing that.

Aside from it being an interesting experiment for me to learn through it's also practical for me to simply have him use my Apache. That way I don't have to fiddle with his copy of Apache at all running under Windows which is notoriously insecure as an OS.

I would just have to be concerned with my Apache and keeping my Apache up to date and secure or inaccessible off the internet.

I just don't like dealing with Windows if I can help it.

Hmm...I wonder if I can set up my computer (Linux) to access his through Apache in terms of debugging a site whose files are on his computer? As though they were on my computer?

Hmm...I will have to play around with that possibility too.

Interesting possibilities in all this.

Carlos

 

You'll have to mount/map his shared folder under your server serving folder.

What about making his computer a dual boot if you're worried about Windows? You can run Linux on a pretty small partition (Apache and all).

 

I am concerned about the insecurity of Windows while running Apache on it for his sake and yes setting up his computer to dual boot and teaching him to use Apache under Linux to test his web sites would be great but....

He is very, very computer illiterate. He has tremendous trouble using even Windows never mind anything else like dual booting into and using Linux.

Not to mention that I am trying to save time and setting up his computer to dual boot and teaching him to boot into Linux and work on it while testing his sites on his copy of Apache is going to take a LOT more of my time than simply setting things up to allow him to run Apache off my computer.

Thanks for the suggestion though.

Carlos

 

On his PC create a folder and share it then on Linux use smbmout or:

mount -t cifs -o username=username,password=password //hisHostOrIp/share /mountpoint

Point the virtual host of apache to the mount point and you should be set to go.

I'd be interested in the results

 

Hmm...I figured I would have to install Samba. I will add this to my list of things to do for sure, for sure.

I don't think I can get it today though. As soon as I am able to implement I will write back here to let you all know how it worked out.

If successful it will be really nifty to allow him to test his sites on my Apache securely and without risking things at a live site, it will allow me to better "see" what he is having trouble with on my computer as I also set up to access the same domain (only under a different IP...my own), and will just make things much easier on the both of us.

I guess one could say I am learning to set up an intranet. Something I have never done so this will be a nice learning thing for me too.

Carlos

 

You should only need the client part not the server and is probably part of your distribution.

I normally set up a Linux box with samba server running on it, then the PC's connect and store files that which can then be accessed through Apache. Also makes it easy to backup all the important stuff i.e. if it's not on the server it's not important.