# Questions About Installing Discourse As A Stand-alone Forum
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/questions-about-installing-discourse-as-a-stand-alone-forum/52785
**Category:** Self-hosting
**Created:** [11월 10, 2016, 10:15오후 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/questions-about-installing-discourse-as-a-stand-alone-forum/52785 "2016-11-10T22:15:15Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@el\_tobys](https://meta.discourse.org/u/el_tobys)
#### Post date: [11월 10, 2016, 10:15오후 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/questions-about-installing-discourse-as-a-stand-alone-forum/52785/1 "2016-11-10T22:15:15Z")
Hey guys,
I have couple of questions I need answers to before making up my mind to use Discourse. I want to start a forum for students in my country Nigeria and these are my questions:
1. Does the domain have to be [forum.example.com](http://forum.example.com)? Can’t I use something like [www.example.com](http://www.example.com) instead?
2. Am planning on using DigitalOcean one click Installation. Will I get the domain differently or I register it as part of the process that involves the installation of Discourse?
3. Does using a public WiFi cause damage to the setup?
4. How do I install Ubuntu on my Windows 10 laptop?
5. Can I create custom fields to include the school they attend when creating an account?
That’s all for now 😀
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### Author:  [@GSeven](https://meta.discourse.org/u/GSeven)
#### Post date: [11월 10, 2016, 10:30오후 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/questions-about-installing-discourse-as-a-stand-alone-forum/52785/2 "2016-11-10T22:30:01Z")
Hi Murphy,
I’m pretty new myself, but i will try and answer your questions for you.
1. You can use [www.example.com](http://www.example.com), that would have Discourse as your front page, pointing it to a subdomain like [forum.example.com](http://forum.example.com) means you can have a whole website in the front and discourse tucked away behind.
2. You should register your domain separately and point it to your droplet on Digital Ocean.
3. I don’t know, but i shouldn’t think it would.
4. You don’t need Ubuntu on your laptop to use Discourse if Digital Ocean are hosting it.
5. Yes you can, go to Admin, Customize, User Fields
I recommend using Discourse, Murphy, it’s built for the next decade of the internet™
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### Author:  [@jomaxro](https://meta.discourse.org/u/jomaxro)
#### Post date: [11월 10, 2016, 10:30오후 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/questions-about-installing-discourse-as-a-stand-alone-forum/52785/3 "2016-11-10T22:30:21Z")
1. No, it can be whatever domain you want.
2. _Someone else will need to answer, never used DO._
3. No, but it isn’t secure, and you’ll be configuring things like server credentials, mail credentials, etc.
4. That’s a complicated question that doesn’t belong here on Meta. There are many guides on Google, or you could ask in the Ubuntu forums.
5. Yes.
Edit: Ninja’d by @GSeven 😛.
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### Author:  [@el\_tobys](https://meta.discourse.org/u/el_tobys)
#### Post date: [11월 10, 2016, 10:34오후 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/questions-about-installing-discourse-as-a-stand-alone-forum/52785/4 "2016-11-10T22:34:05Z")
Thanks. @GSeven
I have a better understanding now 🙂