Accessing Local Web Servers Over a LAN Network

Accessing a local web server from another computer on the same LAN (Local Area Network) can be useful for testing, development, and sharing purposes. In this tutorial, we will cover the steps to access a local web server, such as one set up with XAMPP, from another computer on the same network.

Understanding Localhost and IP Addresses

Before diving into the setup, it’s essential to understand the concept of localhost and IP addresses. Localhost refers to the loopback address (127.0.0.1), which is used by your computer to access itself. When you type http://localhost in your web browser, it directs you to the web server running on your local machine.

To access your local web server from another computer, you need to use your computer’s IP address on the LAN network instead of localhost. You can find your IP address by using the command prompt (Windows) or terminal (Mac/Linux). On Windows, open the Command Prompt and type ipconfig to find your IPv4 address.

Configuring Your Web Server

To allow other computers to access your web server, you might need to make some changes to your Apache configuration file (httpd.conf) if it’s not already set up to listen on all available network interfaces. Here are the general steps:

1. Open the httpd.conf file: Locate and open the Apache configuration file. In XAMPP, this is usually found in the apache\conf directory.
2. Check the Listen directive: Look for the line that starts with Listen. This directive specifies the port and IP address that Apache listens on. If it’s set to 127.0.0.1:80, it means Apache only accepts requests from the local machine. You can change this to listen on all available network interfaces by setting it to 0.0.0.0:80 or specifying your LAN IP address followed by the port, e.g., 192.168.1.56:80.
3. Update the ServerName directive (if necessary): If you have a ServerName directive specified in your configuration file, ensure it’s set to your server’s domain name or IP address.

Firewall Settings

Firewalls can block incoming requests to your web server. To allow access:

1. Windows Defender Firewall: Go to Control Panel > Windows Defender Firewall > Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Firewall. Find "Apache HTTP Server" and check both the Private and Public checkboxes.
2. Other Firewalls: If you’re using a different firewall, ensure that it allows incoming traffic on port 80 (or the port your web server is using).

Accessing Your Web Server

After configuring your web server and firewall settings:

1. Determine your IP address: Use ipconfig (Windows) or check your network settings to find your computer’s LAN IP address.
2. Access from another computer: On another computer connected to the same LAN, open a web browser and type http://your-ip-address (replace your-ip-address with your actual IP address). If you have a specific project or directory you want to access, append its path to the URL.

Tips and Variations

• Using a Different Port: If port 80 is already in use (e.g., by another web server like IIS), you can configure Apache to listen on a different port, such as port 8080.
• Static IP vs. Dynamic IP: If your router assigns dynamic IPs to devices on the LAN, consider setting up a static IP for your web server or using the computer’s hostname if it’s resolvable on the network.

By following these steps and understanding how localhost, IP addresses, and firewall settings interact with your web server, you should be able to access your local web server from another computer on the same LAN network.