How to Host a Website on Windows Server 2012 R2

Hi Dev, if you are looking to host your website on Windows Server 2012 R2, you have come to the right place. In this article, we will take you through the steps required to set up your website on Windows Server 2012 R2 so that you can get your website up and running as quickly as possible.

Step 1: Installing IIS

The first step in hosting your website on Windows Server 2012 R2 is to install IIS (Internet Information Services). IIS is the web server provided by Microsoft, which allows you to host websites on Windows Server. Here are the steps to install IIS:

1. Open the Server Manager by clicking on the Server Manager icon on the taskbar.
2. Select Add roles and features from the Manage menu.
3. Click Next and select Role-based or feature-based installation.
4. Select the server on which you want to install IIS and click Next.
5. Select Web Server (IIS) from the list of server roles and click Next.
6. Click Next again and then click Install.

FAQ: Common IIS installation problems

Now that you have installed IIS, let’s move on to the next step.

Step 2: Configuring IIS

Once you have installed IIS, you need to configure it to host your website. Here are the steps to configure IIS:

1. Open the Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager by clicking on the Start button and selecting Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager from the list of programs.
2. Select the server from the Connections panel on the left-hand side.
3. Click on the Sites folder and then click on the Add Website link from the Actions panel on the right-hand side.
4. Enter a name for your website and select the physical path where your website files will be located.
5. Select the IP address and port number you want to use for your website.
6. Click OK to save your changes.

FAQ: Troubleshooting IIS configuration

Now that you have configured IIS, let’s move on to the next step.

Step 3: Configuring DNS

After you have configured IIS, you need to configure DNS (Domain Name System) so that people can access your website using a domain name instead of an IP address. Here are the steps to configure DNS:

1. Open the DNS Manager by clicking on the Start button and selecting DNS Manager from the list of programs.
2. Click on the Forward Lookup Zones folder and then click on your domain name.
3. Click on the New Host (A or AAAA) link from the Actions panel on the right-hand side.
4. Enter the name of your website and the IP address of your web server.
5. Click Add Host to save your changes.

FAQ: Troubleshooting DNS configuration

Now that you have configured DNS, your website should be accessible from the internet using your domain name.

Step 4: Testing your website

Now that you have set up your website on Windows Server 2012 R2, it’s time to test it to make sure everything is working properly. Here are some things to check:

• Visit your website using your domain name to make sure it’s accessible.
• Check that all the links on your website are working properly.
• Test your website on different devices and browsers to make sure it works properly.
• Check that your website is secure by using HTTPS instead of HTTP.

FAQ: Common website testing problems

If you encounter any problems while testing your website, refer to the troubleshooting FAQ and tables above for solutions.

Conclusion

Congratulations Dev, you have successfully hosted your website on Windows Server 2012 R2. We hope this article has been helpful to you in setting up your website. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free to get in touch with us.