text: user2931: I am trying to build a UCSC track hub (a private one). 
  I have all my hub files on a university server in a simple folder called /hub. I am using Ubuntu 16.04 and the server is also Ubuntu (16.04.3 LTS (GNU/Linux 4.4.0-98-generic x86_64).
  I have tried using hubCheck and also simply upload the hub as instructed in the UCSC instructions.
  The URL I have used to indicate the location of my hub is:
  http://pcxxx.xx.xx.ac.uk/home/username/projects/project-name/hub/hub.txt
  
  However, in both cases, I get the following error:
  Couldn't open http://webserver-id/home/username/projects/project-name/hub/hub.txt
  TCP non-blocking connect() to webserver timed-out in select() after 10000    milliseconds - Cancelling!
  
  I am not very knowledgeable in servers and protocols (http, ftp etc). But am I right to think that this error means that my hub is somehow not internet accessible? I'm struggling to understand what this error means. When I log onto the server, I automatically arrive in my home folder: /home/username. My hub is in /projects/project-name/hub. 
  Is there a way I can check if my folder location is indeed internet accessible?
  
  user3647: Check your webserver functions from the top down.  You can do this from any WEB browser, even one that is on the webserver system itself.  For example, does this link function:
    http://webserver-id/
  and provide you with a home page for that WEB service ?  If not, then there
  is not apache WEB server on that system, or is mis-configured.
  Next, depending upon how that Apache is configured, try this URL
    http://webserver-id/~username/
  which would be a normal way to get to user directories via Apache.
  This would actually be looking for a special directory in your HOME
  directory, perhaps something like $HOME/public_html/
  You would need to place something in public_html/ to access, for example
  a tiny WEB page:
  <html><head><title>my home directory</title></head>
  <body><h1>hello world</h1></body></html>
  
  If that works, then you need to place your hub files in this
  public_html/ directory.
  
original_text: 2931: <p>I am trying to build a UCSC track hub (a private one). </p>
  
  <p>I have all my hub files on a university server in a simple folder called /hub. I am using Ubuntu 16.04 and the server is also Ubuntu (16.04.3 LTS (GNU/Linux 4.4.0-98-generic x86_64).</p>
  
  <p>I have tried using hubCheck and also simply upload the hub as instructed in the <a href="https://genome.ucsc.edu/cgi-bin/hgHubConnect?hubId=342899&amp;hgHub_do_disconnect=on&amp;hgHubConnect.remakeTrackHub=on&amp;hgsid=688716027_AHrlcnB4n0FPcPWd8hOPjTqvyPkR" rel="nofollow noreferrer">UCSC instructions</a>.</p>
  
  <p>The URL I have used to indicate the location of my hub is:</p>
  
  <pre><code>http://pcxxx.xx.xx.ac.uk/home/username/projects/project-name/hub/hub.txt
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>However, in both cases, I get the following error:</p>
  
  <pre><code>Couldn't open http://webserver-id/home/username/projects/project-name/hub/hub.txt
  TCP non-blocking connect() to webserver timed-out in select() after 10000    milliseconds - Cancelling!
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I am not very knowledgeable in servers and protocols (http, ftp etc). But am I right to think that this error means that my hub is somehow not internet accessible? I'm struggling to understand what this error means. When I log onto the server, I automatically arrive in my home folder: <code>/home/username</code>. My hub is in <code>/projects/project-name/hub</code>. </p>
  
  <p>Is there a way I can check if my folder location is indeed internet accessible?</p>
   3647: <p>Check your webserver functions from the top down.  You can do this from any WEB browser, even one that is on the webserver system itself.  For example, does this link function:
    <a href="http://webserver-id/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://webserver-id/</a>
  and provide you with a home page for that WEB service ?  If not, then there
  is not apache WEB server on that system, or is mis-configured.</p>
  
  <p>Next, depending upon how that Apache is configured, try this URL
    <a href="http://webserver-id/~username/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://webserver-id/~username/</a>
  which would be a normal way to get to user directories via Apache.
  This would actually be looking for a special directory in your HOME
  directory, perhaps something like $HOME/public_html/
  You would need to place something in public_html/ to access, for example
  a tiny WEB page:</p>
  
  <pre><code>&lt;html&gt;&lt;head&gt;&lt;title&gt;my home directory&lt;/title&gt;&lt;/head&gt;
  &lt;body&gt;&lt;h1&gt;hello world&lt;/h1&gt;&lt;/body&gt;&lt;/html&gt;
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>If that works, then you need to place your hub files in this
  public_html/ directory.</p>
  