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

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
Lunduke's Nerdy Q&A, Lifetime Sub for $89

Two quick tidbits on this glorious Sunday:

Reminder: $89 Lifetime Subscriptions

Lifetime Subscriptions to The Lunduke Journal are currently discounted to $89. For life. Which is… insane. That’s less than 1/3rd of the regular price.

Monthly and Yearly subscriptions are 50% off. Which is also pretty darned snazzy.

Submit Questions for Lunduke’s Nerdy Q&A!

On Tuesday I will be recording a long-overdue episode of “Lunduke’s Nerdy Q&A”.

Got questions you’d like asked in the show? No guarantees, but I’ll get to as many as I can!

Retro computing. Current computer news. Ridiculous hypotheticals. Any question is fair game... just make sure it’s good and nerdy.

To make it simple for me, there are two ways you can submit questions for this week’s Q&A:

  1. Add a comment to this thread on Forum.Lunduke.com.

  2. Reply to this thread over on X.

  3. Ok. I lied.  There are three ways.  You can also reply to this post, right here, on Locals.

Note: Only Lunduke Journal subscribers can access to Forum.Lunduke.com. All of the details on how to gain access are on the Lunduke Journal Subscriber Perks page.

-Lunduke

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December 17, 2025
The FOMO of not having a Lifetime Subscription to The Lunduke Journal

Time for some Fun Lunduke Journal Facts of Fact-ly-ness!

  1. The “per-month” cost of a Lifetime Subscription to The Lunduke Journal is an asymptotic line. The longer you have that subscription, the closer it gets to $0.00.

  2. The Lifetime Subscription was first introduced 3 1/2 years ago… and is still going strong.

  3. The price of a Lifetime Subscription is currently discounted to $89. For life. That’s less than 1/3rd the normal price.

The earlier you pick one up, the quicker that asymptotic line begins approaching zero. Which is fun.

We Don’t Have Time Machines

If you think you might ever want a Lifetime Subscription, now is the time.

Imagine missing this discounted price and missing out on months of, mathematically certain, asymptotic line fun. This is one of those scenarios where Future You (tm) would want to travel back in time to tell Present You (tm) to snag a Lifetime Subscription.

Go. Grab the Lifetime Subscription for $89. That deal is good all December long.

There’s a video of me yammering about it too. Just for good measure.

You’re welcome.

-Lunduke

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Lunduke Journal Lifetime Wall 2 almost full, plus Lifetime Sub as a gift

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First: Lifetime Wall 2 Almost Full

The 2nd Lunduke Journal Lifetime Subscriber Wall of Shame… err… I mean “Wall of Awesomeness” (which shows at the end of each video) is almost full! Holy cow! So many people have signed up over the last few days and asked to be added! Awesome!

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Plus, hey! You can snag one for $89 this month. Which is pretty sweet.

Second: Sending a Lifetime Sub as a Gift

Several of you have asked if it’s possible to send someone a Lifetime Subscription as a gift (at the discounted $89 / $99 price).

The answer is yes! And, instead of sending instructions to each of you, individually, I am including a Step-by-Step rundown on how to send someone a Lunduke Journal Lifetime Sub as a gift.

There are two options — Locals & Bitcoin — and both work equally well.

(Note: A gifted Lifetime subscription can also be applied to Substack accounts… it just can’t be purchased via Substack because of the way the system works for gifting it to another person.)

How to give a gift Lifetime Subscription via Locals:

  1. Go to Lunduke.Locals.com/support.

  2. Select “Give Once“.

  3. Enter “99“ (or more) into the amount field.

  4. Email “bryan at lunduke.com”. Include the following in that email:

    1. Have the words “Gift Sub” somewhere in the subject line.

    2. Include the email you used to make the purchase and the email address of gift recipient.

    3. Include any special instructions or requests, such as: A special message you would like included, when you would like an email sent to the recipient, or if you would prefer to let the recipient know yourself.

  5. Lunduke will send you a confirmation email after that. This usually happens within a few hours.

How to get a Lifetime Subscription with Bitcoin:

You can also send a gift Lifetime Subscription via Bitcoin.  (And it's $10 cheaper thanks to the lower processing fees of Bitcoin.)

  • Send $89 worth of Bitcoin (or more) to the following address:

bc1qyjakve8fywm8pz2v99v57yhjj0vzr2vjze6fcq

  • Email “bryan at lunduke.com”. Include the following in that email:

    1. What time you made the transaction, & how much was sent (in Bitcoin).

    2. Have the words “Gift Sub” somewhere in the subject line.

    3. Include the email address of gift recipient.

    4. Include any special instructions or requests, such as: A special message you would like included, when you would like an email sent to the recipient, or if you would prefer to let the recipient know yourself.

  • Lunduke will send you a confirmation email after that. This usually happens within a few hours.

Note: The Lifetime Subscription only applies to Substack, Locals, and the Lunduke Journal Forum. Other platforms (such as X, Patreon, & YouTube) do not provide the functionality necessary to create Lifetime Subscriptions.

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