SOLUTIONS - Using Your Own Domain and TZO Dynamic DNS

	SOLUTIONS - Using TZO Dynamic DNS to and your broadband Internet connection to run your own server at your home or business....

•	What are the benefits of running my own server at my home or business?
	With TZO Dynamic DNS, you can run your own web server, ftp server, mail server, remote control software or just about any software that takes advantage of an Internet connection. If you have a website on the Internet, you can save money by hosting this website using your broadband Internet connection. Your broadband connection offers faster speeds than dialup, and is capable of "hosting" a website - saving you money. You can run web server software on almost any PC on almost any operating system. As long as you have an Internet connection, you have the ability to run any type of server you want, giving you more control and flexibility, and can save you lots of money over traditional hosting. When you run your own server (see below for more detail on the definition of a server), you can control the operating system of the server, you choose the amount of memory and disk size, speed of the server, etc.

•	What exactly is a server and how do I purchase one?
	You can run any type of server with TZO, but one of the main uses is to run your own web server using your cable or DSL connection instead of a web hosting provider. Keep in mind that TZO DDNS can assist in running almost any type of server, the web server is used as an example. There are 2 parts to a "server" - the hardware and the server software. The hardware would be any Internet enabled device or PC/desktop computer or laptop computer. You can use almost any PC or device as a server. That old PC or laptop in your basement could be your next web server! Once you get the hardware up and running with your favorite operating system, you then install the server software. In this case, we are explaining web server software. In most cases, you can install many types of server software on your server hardware. You can get web server software by downloading the TZO V3 for Windows which includes a free web server, or you can download a web server from many shareware sites such as Download.com, SnapFiles.com and many others. For free web server software, the Apache Software foundation offers a very popular web server with many options for almost any operating system. If you run Windows on your system, you can use IIS Internet Information Server from Microsoft. This is another popular server included in many Windows 2000 and XP Pro operating systems.

•	Why do I need the TZO Dynamic DNS with my server and how do I set it all up?

	A web server can work on any type of IP address, but a Dynamic IP address causes problems due to the fact that it's always changing. TZO.COM DDNS (Dynamic DNS) is the simple solution to this common problem. The TZO DDNS provides you with a domain name to use with your Dynamic IP address - we also work on static IP's. TZO software tracks your IP address changes and updates the domain name immediately, allowing you and your users to connect to the web server using this domain name instead of an IP address Here are some quick steps on how to best use TZO with your Internet setup: 1) Get your server installed and running internally (inside your network) and make sure the server is working according to the install guide. For example: If you are running a web server, make sure the webpage comes up. If you run an FTP server, make sure that you can login locally and see the files intended. 2) You should now get your server connected to your network and make sure the network is connected to your cablemodem or DSL modem. 3) Configure your router or firewall to open the proper ports (if you use one) in order to connect to your web server using the current IP address of the router. Most web servers listen on port 80 - so you should forward port 80 to the LAN IP address of your web server system. In some cases your ISP will block port 80. Try port 81, 82, or other ports. Make sure both your router and server are set to the new port. 4) Once you can connect to your website from the Internet using the routers IP address, you should go to the TZO Website to download and install the TZO softwareon the server itself, or on any PC or server that resides on the same network. If you do not have a PC or Server that can run the TZO software on the network, you can use a router or firewall that includes the TZO DDNS software such as some Linksys, Netgear, SMC, D-Link or other devices on our list. 5) Once you get TZO DDNS setup with your TZO domain name you selected, you can then use this domain name to connect to your website from the Internet. It's very important that if you are running the TZO software, that you keep the software running at all times. If you use a TZO compatible router, the router will update the domain name when the IP changes on the router. That's it! Its as simple as using the TZO DOMAIN NAME (Example: YourServer.tzo.com) to connect to the website remotely instead of using an IP address that's always changing. The TZO domain name NEVER changes, and you will always continue to use the same domain name whenever you or your clients want to connect to the website. * TIP: Check out our extensive list of tutorials on popular Routers, Servers, Appliances, Cams and more. These tutorials will assist you in getting your server installed and running