Hosting Athena in Hours

Step One

First, check out the hardware and software requirements guide. You should not proceed if you do not meet those. Chances are you will run into some problems later on. Look for alternatives instead.

Step Two

Second, follow this schedule.

• Leave your usual RO client host as it is and build your Athena host on another computer
• Configure and test your local area network
• Set up DHCP server, typically on the router
• Set up port forwarding or virtual servers on your router
• Shut down firewall on the router (or open required ports)
• Sign up for a dynamic DNS service if you do not already have one. Download the dynamic IP updater, install on your client host and run it to begin propogating your domain.
• Install Windows XP on the proposed Athena host and
• prepare Windows as a server platform
• Set up static host IP
• install essential software
• Firefox browser (not essential)
• install anti-virus
• install 7-zip (for unpacking RAR archives)
• firewall, port-configurable
• install FileZilla server (recommended)
• create anonymous download directory
• create log-in user directory if needed
• install FileZilla client if needed
• Install Cygwin with:
• GCC and make
• Subversion (optional if Tortoise SVN is installed)
• install MySQL library for Cygwin (for compiling Athena SQL)
• Install TortoiseSVN
• create source directory for Athena and check out Athena SVN source codes
• create Athena compile directory if needed
• Install SMTP mail server if needed
• set up Athena mail user account
• set up replyto: address
• Download phpBB and ROCP
• MySQL
• install MySQL server
• install MySQL Administrator
• install Query Browser
• change root password
• create databases
• cp
• ragnarok
• log
• phpbb
• populate cp, ragnarok and log by running query scripts from the respective downloaded package
• create MySQL users for above databases
• grant MySQL users permissions to above databases
• Install Apache server
• Install PHP
• configure PHP support for Apache
• test PHP support for Apache and MySQL
• Athena:
• Create grf folder and
• transfer KRO grfs from client host
• transfer custom grf if needed
• transfer Data folder if needed
• Create directory for Athena server in Windows partition
• Update Athena source codes
• Export Athena source code to Athena server directory
• Compile Athena
• Configure Athena
• Start Athena
• Log in from client host to test
• Install ROCP
• create ROCP admin
• set up mail authentication if needed
• Install phpBB
• create forums
• administer forums
• set up downloads if needed
• Register at eAthena home
• post questions or bugs
• help others

Step Three

Third and last, check your sanity.