Using the Web Test Environment - Allowing external access
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You might be setting this server up for internal use by your whole development team. Perhaps you want to see how your site renders on Mac/IE7 in the cubicle next door.
Anyone in your workgroup can access your web server by default. They can enter either your network hostname or your network IP address into their browser. Here are a few examples of how that might look.
http://labpc_mike1
http://192.168.0.7
You may also need to configure any software or hardware firewalls to allow Apache to communicate with other machines. Typically you will be asked to allow Apache to act as a server or some other similar message.
Okay. Now what if you want to access this machine from home? Maybe you’re right in the middle of a project and you want to get some extra work time in over the weekend.
If you are directly connected to the Internet; you are already open to the world. Anyone with an Internet browser can connect to your web server by using your external IP address.
If you are behind a router or NAT firewall, you will need to enable “port forwarding.” Log into your router or firewall as per your hardware manufacturer’s instructions and find the settings for either “port forwarding” or “virtual servers” depending on how it’s labeled.
Allow all incoming requests on TCP Port 80 to be redirected to your local IP address. (That’s the 192.168.x.x one.) Now anyone who accesses your router's or firewall’s external IP address will be able to access your web server.
You can find this IP address by visiting http://www.whatismyip.com/.
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