Creating a Web Server (Newbie Help)

Hello all,
Alright, this is gonna sound pretty sad to you expert folk, but I figure this is the best place to get help.

I recently acquired a P3 800 Windows 2000 Server, with 3 hd's at 10 gigs each, ran on a Cable connection. I am a total 'Newbie' to running a server, and all I really wish to do at this point is serve up a single webpage, for testing purposes. Do any of you possibly know of a good tutorial, book, or just information on setting up a relatively easy, secure, and BASIC server. Alright, enough about the internal settings and the such, on to hardware.
For security issues, what type of fire wall do you suggest, I am currently using a splitter to split between 3 computers, but am planning on purchasing another modem tower for the server. I have been looking at
'http://www.thenerds.net/productpage.asp?un=147008&s=1'

But is this what I want? Seems like I cannot find a non-router fire wall, and the ones I have found are over 500 dollars. Even as a router, will this still work effectively, and efficiently?

Thank you very much for reading,
Hawk

You can find some info here

http://www.homenethelp.com/web/howto/index.asp

This came from a google search for home web server howto

If you want to install a web server so that you can test files on your local network you need to install Internet Information Services (IIS) - I think the version that comes with 2000 is version 5.

You should be able to install it from the Windows Components screen. Once you have installed it, there should be a link to the IIS Manager from the Administrative Tools on the start menu from where you can configure your website. By default, the website hosts stuff from the folder C:\Inetpub\wwwroot. Anything that you put in there should be accessible by clients.

You should be able to access your website by going to http://computername or http://ipaddress. Alternatively, if you are on the server itself, you should be able to access your site from http://localhost

The reason most firewalls are on the router or a seperate appliance is so you dont have to worry about OS vulnerabilities along with the firewall. Also this is the first point of control into your network and is best to lock it down as soon as possible. I do not believe in using a PC as a router so ICS with firewall software is a joke to security. I do like linux firewalls but if you are not a linux guru you might as well not have a firewall. Novell bordermanager is very robust and secure but again it sits on an OS. Microsoft ISA well I just yank these and put PIX firewalls in thats all that isa deserves in commants. Depending on the security you are looking for you could get a linksys firewall router for about $80.00, I recommend for real security a PIX 501 for home or small office use, about $350.00. The PIX is the most scalable and reliable solution it has a scaled down IDS (intrusion detection system). If I was to host multiple servers I would get one with a DMZ (506/515) on seperate network for max security. I also like the sonicwall firewall I set up a couple of these but the flexibilty has alot to be desired its like an inbetween a linksys and a PIX mostly used in cheeper corporate environments. I take security serious so I only recommend proffesional firewalls so you may flame me on the cost of such hehe. basicly with a web server you are allowing the public into your network so cost and accountabilty are up to you especialy if your servers are used to attack a corporate site. ( Home servers deserve the same protection I have had people try to hack in and also relay from my hosts )

I think you got it mixed up - this thread belongs to the firewall not the newbie webserver above!!

Zipikaye!!

Seems there was two questions in the newbie web server thread. No one covered the firewall question so I figured I would. As for a web server I would use apache on linux, 3/4 of the internet is running apache for the stability and security alot of corporations that have used IIS are converting back to apache. My thought you might as well learn on the best hehe. goto netcraft.com to see who uses what on the internet.