In response to the article How to turn an old PC into a website the dilemma which many home setups face, is the fact that most people will have dynamic IP address. This means, whenever you choose to disconnect and connect to your Internet Service Provider you will effectively be given a different address. The domain name or the web address which it is attached to becomes invalid, and typing that address into your web browser, will just provide you with an error message. It's almost like knocking on someones door to later find out they have moved away, but in this case they have moved without choice. When a site is attached to such an address, this can be problematic, and holding a connection by say leaving your router on for the purpose of your site is very impractical.

To counter this problem you could always ask your ISP to give you a static/fixed IP address but this normally comes with a premium. However, this is where dynamic domain names come into play. A service such as DynDNS can provide you with a free domain, or a more desirable one if you choose to pay for it, and then keep track of your website location by using their software.

First of all you will need to sign up to their service in order to use one of their permitted domains. There after, all you need to do is login, go to "My Account" and then select "Add Host Service". Enter the domain name of choice, and add the entry. Download the Updater from here, install it and all that should remain is to enter your account and domain details. DynDNS should do the rest of the work for you.