Hmmmm,
Hello guys, first posting and i feel a bit of a fraud…
It may seem silly to post a suggestion seeing as i dont yet have either the WD software or even an actuall weather station…BUT during my research about which software and which station to purchase i have spent many happy hours browsing around such forums as this…
One regular topic seems to hinge around webcams and ftp uploading, so it seems logical , given that most weather watchers seem to have broadband to incorporate a small http server into the WD software, ? then all locally produced data could be exported across to the internall web server… dynamic I.P.'s are no longer a problem with the likes of … no-ip.info and other facilitys…
I am not suggesting that the existing ftp uploading were dropped, otherwise other people would suffer… just suggesting an added feature…
As the broadband competition increases ISPs are getting more lenient as long as hosting of servers doesn’t interfere with the network. NTL in the UK, for example, do allow it - even on residential.
There’s plenty of low/no cost webserver software available. I would prefer Brian to spend his time on weather specific functionality rather than recreating something that’s a) already available and b) would need a lot of support due to firewalls, router configurations, ISP issues etc. etc.
Julian, I have the impression you have a much more competitive ISP environment in the UK than we do here, most places it’s the (one) phone co or the (one) cable co and that’s it. Plenty of choice in dial-up still though :lol:
I don’t know what it’s like in the USA but certainly here there seems a lot of competition here. I was in our local supermarket yesterday and even they were offering a Broadband deal!
Yes, it’s bizarre. I have some (not so recent) experience of the UK and seeing articles linking companies like Tesco and broadband in http://www.theregister.co.uk/ is always a “say what?” moment :lol:
Hi All,
Thankyou for taking the time to reply to my suggestion…
Perhaps Brian you would take a few minuets to clear a specific point for me ???
REF: clientserver… does it serve prepared web pages into a third party http server,running on the same host as Weather Display ?? or is it a full http server where info can be accessed directly on port 80 / 8080 via explorer etc al. ?
Also with regard to isp’s within the U.K. As Julian correctly said, competition has created VERY good prices but also people like AOL are now offering fully unmetered access with NO download / upload limits or capping, infact this is becoming the industry model and most isp’s are adopting it … its either that or see your customer base move to unhindered links…
Comments were noted about personal web servers / firewalls etc etc.
At work i have a 100 Mbit fiber link, active, a 100 Mbit Darkfibre, and adsl backup communicartions…
The Serious side of the comms (100 Mbit) as expected are covered by cisco pix routers / firewalls However the adsl backup links which have been used to host a few simple http servers, (( something to do inbetween cups of tea to reduce boredom)) and although they have been port scanned no-one has ever attempted to hack or deface them, even thougth the firewalls etc were disabled !!.
What i am trying to say here is that its probable most hackers would not bother to deface small private websites…They want the bigger more news worthy ones…
Again thankyou all for taking the time to reply, its also especially nice when a software author contacts you personally thank-you Brian
I look forward to joining you when my good lady gives me some pocket money so i can go out and buy myself a wx station…
hi
yup, it serves up directly:
you just enter the IP address and then the filename (i.e a file that is in the webfiles folder)
the downside if most often you dont have a fixed IP adress…it changes…
but WD does has a facility to ftp to a web site your current IP address…if that helps…
you can get the clientserver.exe to automaticly start when wd starts by either putting it in your windows start folder, or go to the mesomap setup, via control panel, and tick, allow clientraw.txt to made available…
(and then set the firewall to allow it to serve up web pages)
also, your current IP address is displayed in the clientserver (double click it from the system tray)
i will leave mine running here so you can see it working (unitl my IP adress changes): http://192.168.0.102/grahamsbeach.htm
Hi Brian,
Again thanks for the info,
went to look at your site but no,joy!!! wonder was that the ip of the INSIDE of your router i.e. your local home network rather than the external isp allocated ip???
it’s just the 192.168 series is what i would expect to see used in the home with the like of netgear / dlink routers…
ah…gotcha
it used to work with just dial up…
humm, how do you find out the ip address on the other side of the router
(i did test that Url, and it worked for me, LOL)
What i am trying to say here is that its probable most hackers would not bother to deface small private websites....They want the bigger more news worthy ones..
Defacing is old hat and as you say really only targetted at significant sites.
Non-ethical hackers are more likely to want to install some software to help with spamming and/or virus distribution. I believe there is a very strong blank market in hacked servers that can be ‘sold’ as spam hosts.
I do have a server in a DMZ at home, but if I wanted to let WD host itself, the WD PC would also need to be in the DMZ. I would never consider hosting a web site on a PC behind my firewall and wouldn’t suggest anyone else did it either.
Hello Chris,
Yes it’s our eastern block cousins who “sell” time and machines for dos attacks etc.
You got to admire their gaul !!! renting out bot controlled clones !!!
Anyway i agree with you re: the DMZ, it’s a bit like having a sacrificial lamb… however even with the likes of domestic routers it’s no great problem to keep the pc within the secure area and setup the port forwarding only to the specific WD based machine…and then of course limit access only to its nominated http port .
Using a similar setup at home with no-ip.info , i have tested various http servers and webcam arrangements… and to date have not been hacked…
Having said that ??? just by talking about it, its tempting fate…
Nothing will ever be 100% secure but i dont let it stop me playing
if ever the worst should occur i can rebuild my small web server pc with a ghosted image kept on cdrw, in about 15 mins…
One last comment:: at work , we have had more attempts to hijack the smtp server than any other attack…
With basic hosting (with no ads) as low as $ 5/year www.e-rice.net it’s hard to make a case for taking the risk, unless you really want to flex your techie skills.
