I’m currently developing a simple multiplayer game app for Android and I need to have a server to which the users connect to.I’d like to set up this server at home. I have a dynamic IP address,so someone told me I’d have to set up a local DNS server or something like that. I’m not even sure where to start with setting up a DNS server, everything I found was for windows 2003 and linux. Nothing for XP? If any one can shed some light on this matter, explain a bit how setting a DNS works or supply a link with “setting up local DNS for dummies” I’d be grateful.
Also, besides setting up a DNS so I can find the server every time, how about the communication with it? I’d like for it to be as secure as possible. Another friend told me something about communicating via SSH, which is again something I am not accustomed to.
So if someone could explain some of these concepts or offer some GOOD link for that that would be great. I’m very confused 🙂
Thanks
EDIT
Btw, the server is in Java and currently i’m communicating from Android emulator to the server (which is localhost) via sockets.
That’s not a simple thing you’re trying to achive. First you have to create your own server on your machine (maybe you’re done with this step), then you have to make this server available for everyone. At this point, I suggest the DynDNS service:
http://lifehacker.com/124804/geek-to-live–how-to-assign-a-domain-name-to-your-home-web-server
A local DNS by default help you to find your own servers by name instead of IP address, but if you have a usual internet service with dynamic IP, you need an external DNS provider to route your clients to your server. (read the link above for the full explanation)
About the SSH security: Yes, you will need some security settings indeed, but that could be a very hard problem sometimes. You can set your server to work with SSL sockets, which is a part of the core J2SE release. It will work against some sort of attack, but none against others. Running your own server will raise unexpected numbers of problems, prepare for that.