Hi,

Can you run a server script from a sub-domain ?  It is a 'multiplayer game-server script' where users would log on to play....java code ?



Thanks

Yes, it does need Java Runtime Environment.

I have the Basic Hosting Plan at Lunar to host my websites, but my son (little "clone" computer addict... ) runs a server script from his pc for people to log on to to play a multiplayer game.  But now he is asking me if I will open up his pc to multiple users by setting up a no-ip address on his pc at home .

I am a bit worried about using a no-ip, I think no-ip works with a static ip address and I dont know if there are security issues relating to this because static...(because dynamic ips change I think so that it is harder to track etc....if anyone knows anything about no-ip's....please chip in here  ) and I just got to wondering if the game could be run off my Basic Hosting plan seeing as I had it anyway ! 

We did set up the no-ip before on his pc and soon after found some kind of "keylogging" program on his pc, and still dont know if it was anything to do with the no-ip (static ip address) or security issue using no-ip.....so I took it off, and dont know if I should use it again.

I wont be upgrading to dedicated server for his game alone !!

Cheers

I use DynDNS instead of No-IP, but they provide the same type of service. Basically, the program you install and run is a client to the respective network you have chosen. When you receive a new IP from your internet service provider, the client software automatically contacts the network (DynDNS or No-IP) and updates your DNS record to reflect the new IP. I don't know where the keylogger came from, but if anti-virus software detected it, it may have been a false-positive.

The purpose of No-IP is to provide a domain name for persons without a static IP address. There is really not much of a difference between having a dynamic IP or a static IP in terms of security vulnerability. The real difference is in whether you have an always-on (like cable) connection or not. Most malicious software is designed to work regardless of whether the IP address is static or not.

As for your son's game, if you are using software to, shall we say, "replicate" a mainstream game, this software can take up a bit of processor and memory, especially with Java. My suggestion is to buy some cheap junk PC, put Linux on it, stick java on it, and run the game server from there. You can also put the No-IP software on that box. Then, use the firewall included with any mainstream router to open the necessary ports (most likely the login server and the game server) to the Linux box. This relegates all the software to the linux box. If someone tries to attack that server, then you can just do a fresh install of linux.

If the PCs are behind a common firewall, then yes, his could attack yours quite easily. If yours has its own firewall (and virus/spyware scanning), it should be fairly safe.

As for your original question about a game server, that would not be allowed on a shared server (Basic, Business, or Windows) if it requires running its own background processes. That is, running code continuously even if no-one is signed on to the game. So, is this thing a regular web site (inactive when no-one is on) or is it doing something all the time? If the latter, a dedicated server could certainly do it (but big $$$), and a VPS might be allowed to. Are the pages Java? Would that require JSP? Or do players download Java applets to their PCs and run those?

If you're thinking about hosting this game server at home (as suggested before), better check with your ISP. Some of them get rather cranky about people hosting servers (high bandwidth needed) on non-commercial accounts.