Adding Apache Server to Existing Network

The following works on Windows 7 and 8.  For Mac, download MAMPP instead. Step 1

Download XAMPP from https://www.apachefriends.org/download.htm.  This will install Apache, the open source web server, MYSQL, the open source relational database, PHP, a server side language interpreter, and Perl, another server side language interpreter.

Execute downloaded installation script

Step 2

Invoke XAMPP control panel from desktop.  Start Apache.

Possible Problem:  Port 80 is blocked  In my experience, port 80 is often used by either by Skype or IIS World Wide Publishing Service. To see exactly who is blocking the port, do the following:

    • Start command prompt with admin authority (press down win logo and x, choose Command Prompt (Admin) from the pop up dialog
    • Type netstat –o and hit enter.  This will provide a list of ports, along with the PID (process ID) that has those ports open.
    • To determine what executable is running as a process ID, open Windows Task Manager and switch to the Processes tab.
    • Now click on the Detail tab.
    • Now click on the PID heading to sort the entries by PID.
    • Get the PID numbers from command prompt and verify from task manager.

NOTE: Check only for TCP or UDP protocols as port 80 is TCP/UDP.

    • In Windows 8, go to Task Manager->service tab. Stop the process. In Windows 7, one can run service from the command prompt to get the same result.

Step 3

Obtain machine ip address.  Issue ipconfig command in cmd prompt.  Choose address shown with IPv4.

Step 4

For other computers on the same LAN to access your server, do the following:

    • Go to c:\xampp\apache\conf\extra\http-xampp.conf
    • comment out the line “New XAMPP security concept”
    • stop and restart the server

Step 5

The end.  The users may now access your server via http:/<your ip address>/index.htm or whatever the path to your web pages.  If you still have problems connecting, try lowering your firewall both in windows and any anti virus software you have.