Want to set up a hosting server

[wrathican]

Hey guys i am thinking of setting up my own web server at home.

 

i have an old pc that i dont use which i plan on turning into the server.

 

what kinda specs does a server need to have?

 

64bit or 32bit?

 

linux or windows?

if linux, which distribution?

 

i want to host my own video/image hosting website - nothing huge like youtube/photobucket just a small time site for me and my friends. (max of 30 users(assume all are watching/uploading videos that need converting to FLV's))

 

what kinda specs does my net connection need to have?

this is what my ISP's service has:

Up to 8Mb download speeds

Up to 400Kb upload speed

40GB monthly usage allowance

 

are they good enough or should my own server be a no go?

 

All advice would be fantastic.

[trq]

The specs of the server depend entirely on the amount of traffic you will recieve. Ive ran a few personal sites from an old 800mhz pc with only 512mg of memory in the past.

 

In order for the site to be at all accessible you will want the fastest upload speeds possible, be aware though that anything a standard isp will provide is not going to be of the same sorts of speeds that most remote hosts can provide.

 

Next, what distro? Seriously... If you need to ask this question its highly unlikely your going to be able to maintain a secure environment. If your just doing this for a bit of fun, fair enough, and I would recommend a minimal Debian install.

[tomfmason]

Up to 400Kb upload speed

40GB monthly usage allowance

 

imo, that is hardly enough for standard usage let alone a media server of any kind. 40gb monthly usage is really nothing. Most remote hosts give 1500gb+. You should also check your providers TOS as  I  am willing to bet that they do not allow their customers to host servers with their service. Most ISPs will allow this but it often requires a business account and higher monthly rates.