I would like to make a web hosting server but i have been looking on the net for what software and hardware i need and they all contradict each other, what do u think i should use?

A lot of this all depends on what your planning. First thing you need to look at is what connection do you have a home if you planning on running it from home. Also make sure your ISP will allow you to have a Web Server. Then what type of site is it that you’re planning? If it heavy in images or flash anything that takes a lot to process then you will need a pretty good computer to run it. If it going to be light in images and mostly text based then the computer you will need won't have to be so powerful.

As for the server itself most any computer will do I would suggest that it have a fair amount of RAM and at lease a fairly new processor. As for the software that again depends on what you what it to do. Apache Web Server is a must. If you want to scripts such as PHP or perl than you will also need to go to their sites and download their software to work with Apache.

I would also warn that this is something that you may what to think about, running a home based web server can be a lot of work plus it can also cause problems. Anytime you allow others to view or access your server there is the chance (although it may be small) that they will misuse it or try to cause it harm. I would personal only suggest a personal server for testing and playing around with not a real web site.

There are a lot of problems that this can lead to and a lot of work. Which ever you decided is up to you. I will be more than happy to help you out in anyway that I can. If you can post some of the answer here. Like you connection speed, what you what this server to do (ex what type of web site you have in mind), what type of computer you have planned to use. I will help you out. I will say that I run a intranet at home to play with I don't use Apache so any questions you may have about that software please feel free to post it in the Apache Web Forums here and someone will help you out.

I hope this helps.

If I think of anything I left out I will post it here or someone will come along and correct me I sure.

Thanks for your reply I am just at the moment thinking about making a custom server. I a thinking about which processed to put in. and mother board and stuff like that. I was thinking about running it off windows server 2003, should I? Also I was going to us hotline software as someone told me to use it should I?

do you have a link to hotline software I have never heard of it. As for Windows or not what are your hopes for this server is it going to be for testing and playing with or are you going to put it live on the internet?

I am going to use it for a live site

There are a large range of options as far as hardware that really up to you, I think you can get an AMD 1GHz for cheap at least around here you can. I would use at least 512MB RAM, But I must warn this setup would run the software for you no problem I would say to be honest that an Intel 200MHz would do fine. Has long as you have enough to run the software your fine.

The finer point of this is that your server won't need to be the best money can buy, Because no matter what you're server has in it you're connection will be the problem. Now if this is a site for your friends and not the general public then the connection may not be as big a deal.

So for the hardware go back a little 1GHz, 512MB RAM that should be about all you need for the PC itself. As to what brand that up to you personally. Video and sound cards aren't that important in a web server. Hard drives I would get at least 7200 RPM, and the networking card 100mb base should be fine.