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How to: Run a DOS-based Web Server (seriously)
Apache and Nginx, eat your heart out.
December 20, 2023
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Apache and Nginx are great Web Servers. Linux and FreeBSD are fantastic systems for running them on. But… what if… we wanted to do something a little more... off the beaten path?

What if -- hear me out -- we ran a Web Server… on DOS?

Yeah. DOS.

It's doable. Truly it is.

And, while DOS may not be the high-up-time, massively scalable Web Server platform of the future… it's still a heck of a lot of fun to set up. Plus, it only takes a few minutes. At which point you can say to the world: “Hey! I ran a DOS Web Server!”

Which is a far more enjoyable thing to say than perhaps it should be.

We're going to use FreeDOS as the base operating system here. FreeDOS is a Free and Open Source, MS-DOS compatible operating system that is still (even nowadays) under active development.

But, never fear, it's still DOS.

Note: Some of this will also work in MS-DOS, but FreeDOS makes the process much easier.

Step 1) Install FreeDOS

  • Go to freedos.org and download the full .ISO for FreeDOS.
  • Then install FreeDOS.

If you have difficulty here, the FreeDOS team has put together step-by-step instructions (with videos, screenshots, the works). Luckily this should be a simple process for anyone who's installed an Operating System before.

For the purposes of this tutorial, I recommend installing FreeDOS in a virtual machine (QEMU or VirtualBox recommended) – that will simply make the networking component much easier. That said, all of this works great even on bare metal… provided you have supported networking hardware.

If you are installing in a virtual machine, set up a VM with 32 MB of RAM and a 500 MB hard drive. This should be plenty. Because… it's DOS.

Step 2) Install DOS Networking Software

Here's where some of the magic of FreeDOS makes things incredibly easy.

Reboot your DOS machine (or virtual machine) and make sure the FreeDOS installer .ISO is mounted (or the USB/CD is in the drive if you are using DOS on a physical PC).

Run the FreeDOS package manager application by typing:

FDIMPLES.EXE

(On a standard FreeDOS install FDIMPLES.EXE will be in the system path, so you can be in any directory when you run it. Otherwise it is, by default, stored in C:\FDOS\BIN.)

From the “Networking” section, select the following packages:

  • FDNET

  • MTCP

  • WGET

Then chose “OK” to install the packages. At this point you'll want to reboot to load everything properly.

Step 3) Install a Web Server

There are, believe it or not, multiple options for running a Web Server under DOS. Seriously. Not a joke.

In this tutorial I'll show you how to install two of them. Because… why not? You can install either. Or both. Follow your heart.

First, let's install Sioux – which is the more feature-packed of the two we look at here. Run these commands one at a time.

md sioux

cd sioux
wget http://www.georgpotthast.de/sioux/sioux.zip
unzip sioux.zip

Now let's install WebServ. Which, believe it or not, was written in BASIC. That's right. Follow this tutorial and you'll have run a Web Server. Programmed in BASIC. In DOS. (Kemeny & Kurtz would be proud.)

cd \
md webserv
cd webserv
wget http://rubbermallet.org/software/download/websv09b.zip
unzip websv09b.zip

Step 4) Run the Web Server

Note: Both Sioux and WebServ require ntcpdrv.exe to be run first. Luckily, ntcpdrv.exe is included with both and super easy to use. Just be sure to replace the IP, Netmask, and Gateway parameters (in the commands below) with the actual numbers for your DOS machine (you can find them when you first boot DOS).

To run Sioux:

cd \
cd sioux
ntcpdrv -ip=10.0.0.2 -netmask=255.255.255.0 -gateway=10.0.0.1
sioux.exe

To run WebServ:

cd \
cd webserv
ntcpdrv -ip=10.0.0.2 -netmask=255.255.255.0 -gateway=10.0.0.1
webserv.exe

All done!

That's it! You now have your very own DOS-based Web Server!

In order to test it out simply load up any web browser you like and point it at the IP address for your DOS installation (same IP that you see at boot time and that you used with NTCPDRV.EXE above).

Wham-o! You've done it! You've run your own DOS Web Server!

This is what the default page shipped with WebServ looks like (possibly the best default webserver page in existence):

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Looking for the Podcast RSS feed or other links? Check here:
https://lunduke.locals.com/post/4619051/lunduke-journal-link-central-tm

Give the gift of The Lunduke Journal:
https://lunduke.locals.com/post/4898317/give-the-gift-of-the-lunduke-journal

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Looking for the Podcast RSS feed or other links?
https://lunduke.locals.com/post/4619051/lunduke-journal-link-central-tm

Give the gift of The Lunduke Journal:
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This episode is free for all to enjoy and share.

Be sure to subscribe here at Lunduke.Locals.com to get all shows & articles (including interviews with other amazing nerds).

"Andreas Kling creator of Serenity OS & Ladybird Web Browser" - Lunduke’s Big Tech Show - September 13th, 2023 - Ep 044

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Last call for the "Amiga" Lifetime Subscriber Wall. It's almost full!

Holy smokes, that was fast.

The 6th Lunduke Journal Lifetime Subscriber Wall (aka the “Amiga OS 3.1” Wall) was introduced… what… a week ago?

I kid you not, the darn thing is already almost full! I was wildly unprepared for how popular this would be!

There’s enough space left for maybe 5 or 6 more names. Tops. Then I’ve gotta declare “Wall 6 (Amiga) is Full” and start Wall Number 7!

Here’s what all of the Lifetime Subscriber Walls look like (each shown at the end of every Lunduke Journal video):

 

If you want to get onto the Lifetime Subscriber Wall (and have any chance of making it onto the Amiga Wall before it’s full) here’s what you need to do (and do it quickly):

  1. Grab a Lifetime Subscription to The Lunduke Journal (if you don’t already have one).

    1. A Lifetime Sub includes all the standard perks (plus a few) and can be picked up via Locals, Substack, or Bitcoin (whichever you prefer).

  2. Email “bryan at lunduke.com” and let me know how you would like your name displayed (“Joe A.”, “Joseph Arnold”, “JoeyPants”, “SirJJMcManly”, etc.)

It’s first come, first served.

If you’ve already emailed me about being added to the wall, your spot is secured.

For the rest of you: Chop chop. At the current rate, I would be very surprised if the “Amiga Wall” wasn’t full by some time this weekend.

“Lifetime Wall 7” will be unveiled after the final name is added to the Amiga Wall. And, yes, it will be a different (awesome) retro computing platform.

As always, a huge thank you to every subscriber to The Lunduke Journal. Absolutely none of this would be possible without your support.

-Lunduke

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Amiga Lifetime Wall & March Lunduke Journal Stats!

Hello all of you amazing Lunduke Journal subscribers!

With March now behind us, I wanted to give you crazy kids a quick “behind the scenes” look at the stats for The Lunduke Journal. Because Inside Baseball stuff is fun.

The Amiga Wall!

But before we dive into charts and numbers… behold! The brand new 6th Lifetime Subscriber Wall of Shame Awesomeness! The AmigaOS 3.1 Wall!

 

Every Lifetime Subscriber Wall (which I show at the end of each video) is a real screenshot from a different computing platform. Mostly retro. All awesome.

 

If you’d like to see your name listed on the new AmigaOS 3.1 wall, grab a Lifetime Subscription (if you don’t already have one) and toss me an email. I update the walls about once each week with new names.

The last few Lifetime Walls filled up incredibly quickly. So if the Amiga Wall interests you, I wouldn’t wait too long. Hint, hint.

March 2026 Stats

The big news: Total “views” were way, way up in March.

A fair bit beyond what was anticipated. A hair over 19 million during the month.

 

That’s in total, across all platforms. As usual, the audio podcast and X lead the way in terms of total views/listens for shows (by quite a lot).

Interestingly, we saw significant “views” growth on even the smallest platforms in March (Facebook and TikTok).

Free subscribers also took a major jump in March, with the largest one month gains ever (I’m pretty sure, certainly the largest this year or last). Up 7,623 over the month before.

 

Again, new subscribers grew across the board. The biggest gains were seen on X, but all platforms saw a significant bump.

Hard to complain about that!

The top 3 shows for March were all focused on the Age Verification laws:

While those were the top 3… it’s worth noting that the top 10 (and, really, the top 15 or so) shows for the month were all incredibly close in terms of viewership numbers.

As always, a huge thank you to all of The Lunduke Journal subscribers. You make all of this possible.

-Lunduke

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Lifetime Wall Number 6, Plus How to Access MP4s & Forum

A few quick reminders for all of you amazing Lunduke Journal subscribers:

First: If you have any kind of payed subscription (Monthly, Yearly, or Lifetime) there are a bunch of cool perks available to you. MP4 Downloads, PDF eBooks, and access to the Lunduke Journal Forum. All the details on how to gain access to everything is right here.

Enjoy.

Second: At the end of this next week I’ll be unveiling “Lifetime Subscriber Wall of Shame” number Six at the end of all new Lunduke Journal videos.

 

At that same time I will be updating and permanently locking down Walls 1 through 5.

If you are already a Lifetime Subscriber, and would like to be added to the new Wall number 6 (or to one of the couple remaining spots on Walls 4 and 5), email me (bryan at lunduke.com) with how you would like your name to be displayed (full name, first name only, nick name… any way you like).

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  6. Mystery Wall: Open

Those final spots on the MacOS and PalmOS Walls are first come first served. The first people to request those spots get them.

Everyone else will roll over into Wall 6. Which is a secret, retro computer platform. You’ll dig it.

If you have already contacted me regarding being added to one of these walls (or changing the way your name is displayed), I’ve already got you on the list for the changes later this next week.

If you don’t already have a Lifetime Subscription, grab one and get yourself on the wall.

It’s pretty sweet.

-Lunduke

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