Good for you, taking this plunge is really more satisfying in the long run than using a hosting solution. The knowledge you'll gain, while having complete control over your server can't be matched. In fact, I learn with my home server, then deploy at my day job. Sure keeps me from wasting time and makes me look good to the boss.
I'm currently hosting the following domains on my home server:
These are all virtual domains hosted on a Redhat 7.1 system with Apache/PHP/MySQL. The same machine has OpenACS 3.2.5/Postgresql/AolServer on port 8000. Any of the domains when pointed to port :8000 end up here. To tell the truth I haven't done alot with OpenACS yet. My installation of OpenACS at work is much further along and makes up for about 60% of all the resources I manage on a similiar equipped machine.
All this joined to the Internet via a Linksys 4-port router, on a Time-Warner Roadrunner cable modem. I use the TZO.com service; while not free, it is cheaper than a hosting service and except for 2 short periods in the past 2 years I have been live 24x7.
The issue with dynamic IP's not changing has to do with Microsoft's implementation of DHCP. Whatever the lease period is on an IP, the client will contact the DHCP server prior to expiration and request a renewal of the IP. If there is no reason for the DHCP to deny the request, the IP address is renewed for another lease period. Roadrunner uses 23 hour periods (I wonder if they think new IP's are being issued daily? My current IP has been static for over a year, since I did a manual IP drop and renew on the router.) We use the same scheme at work with 7 day lease periods. It's not unusual for a client to keep the same IP until the entire system is upgrade, re-imaged etc...
I'd be happy to help with installation and configuration. I used the RPM install for OpenACS provided by Jonathan, and followed the Arsdigita instructions for installing RedHat. I'm going to replace sendmail with qmail this weekend and can provide my experiences if your interested. I'm also working on a updated step by step guide for Redhat/Apache/PHP/MySQL and should have it done by the end of the month.
If you want any help or need any, let me know...
