running apache on a local network

[sde]

i have a friend who is running apache on a local network and is having trouble with virtual hosts.

he has the virutal host setup so it works locally, but when you try to connect from another system, it just goes to the apache root.

example:

<VirtualHost *:80>
  DocumentRoot /home/somedood/site_dir/
  ServerName dood
 </VirtualHost>

when he types http://dood/ locally, it pulls up the site.

now, he goes to another system, adds dood to his hosts file, and then when he browses to http://dood/ , it loads the apache document root, not the virtual host.

what else needs to be configured to get this to work?

[DJMaze]

do both systems use his IP instead of 127.0.0.1 ?

[sde]

the apache system has his local IP. does it need to be the external IP?

[Belisarius]

I've never really understood how virutal servers work - wouldn't Apache need to interpret a DNS request?

[teknomage1]

Has he restarted Apache since he changed the config?

[DJMaze]

Originally Posted by sde

Does it need to be the external IP?

For testing purposes.... YES
That way you can test if it realy listens and reacts on 192.168.x.x or whateffa since 127.0.0.1 is local.

This is based on the firewall setup to allow 0.0.0.0 (any) or nothing.

[redhead]

wouldn't Apache need to interpret a DNS request?

Nope, it only looks at the HTTP-GET request, this will still hold the name provided, instead of the IP.
But apache needs to know that a virtual host configuration exists for another IP than localhost.