Web Hosting
So, now you've registered your domain name. Excellent!
Next step is to find someone to actually host your website and e-mailing needs. There are a few things you have to consider at this stage;
What type of hosting do I need?
Depending on your website, you will have a few options of hosting. I'll explain them quickly.
Commercial Web Host
If you are unsure about what type of host to choose, this is the best option. Most commercial sites use these so called "shared" web hosts.
There are a lot of providers out there, and you usually get what you pay for.
Free Web Host
Free web hosts are useful for small personal homepages or experimental pages (for beginners). They are free (obviously)
but there are downsides to this option (of course). They generally have limited bandwidth, storage space,
(no) database support, no email support, etc, and they usually put a bunch of ad's on your page (no, you don't get paid for these :( )
Another issue is that they tend to get shut down after a while, which can cause you to loose your website.
A list of free web hosts
Dedicated Web Host
This is for the advanced user or big businesses. This involves leasing a dedicated machine and bandwidth, and is close to hosting your own web host.
Will be a lot more expensive than the above choices.
I will not elaborate on this one, because it is not what you are after!
Personal Web Host
Like mentioned above, if you are reading this article then this is not something you would consider at this stage.
Ok, so you picked your hosting type
..and hopefully you chose Commercial hosting :)
Now there are a few more things you must consider before picking your web host;
How will I create my web page
Yes, you actually have to create a web page for people to visit ;) But how are you going to do this?
There are a few options:
- Create one using ASP, ASP.NET, visual studio, etc. This requires your web host to run a windows server with ASP.NET support.
- Create one using DreamWeaver or similar and php, perl, etc. Your web host would probably run a linux server with php support.
- If you have no idea what the two options above ment, you would be better off with a web host that offers some form of
Easy Website builders, which are wizards that automatically create a website for you from pre-made templates.
All you need to do is click some buttons to choose colors and add content.
I assume you've made your choice above and want to find a suitable web host. All web hosts offer different packages at different prices,
so you will have to read through what they offer and pick one. Unfortunately I cannot pick one for you. I can, however, try to guide you there.
Here is a list of services you might want from your web host:
Reliability
This may be the most important thing of all. You want your website uptime to be guaranteed. Look for a minimum of 99%. In fact, 99% is not
enough, it should be 99.5% or higher!
Bandwidth
Be aware if a web host offers "unlimited" bandwidth. -> You will not get unlimited bandwidth. This is because if you're site
generates very much traffic, they have to assign more bandwidth to you, which can be expensive. On most commercial web hosts, if you exceed
your allowed bandwidth, you will get penalized in some way. Try looking for this information on their page before choosing one.
Also, be aware of that your website most lightly will not exceed your given bandwidth unless you manage to generate an increadible amount of
traffic in some way.
Typically, most new websites use less than 3GB of bandwidth per month.
Disk space
Most sites need less than 100MB of web storage, depending on it's function. If you allow users to upload images it might need more. Don't be
fooled by huge numbers of web space!
Support
Support is an important factor. Make sure they offer 24/7 support service by e-mail/chat/telephone. Chat support is most useful!
Database
If you are creating a web application that uses database storage and not just a simple static web page, you will need database support.
Check that the number and type of databases suit your needs.
E-mail
You will probably want some e-mail accounts for your site. E.g. if your website is www.examplesite.com you can have email addresses like
john@examplesite.com or webmaster@examplesite.com.
Reviews
Do some review searching on the webhost before deciding on it. Often certain hosts have a lot of unsatisfied customers for different reasons.
You will be interested in hearing what they have to say..
Price
Like I mentioned earlier, most of the time you get what you pay for. Having said that, you can still get a decent web host with all the
services you require for a small amount of money. Have a look around before you decide!
There are other things to consider, but I feel that these are the most important ones!
Pick one!
Finally, you have done some thinking and decided on what you expect from your web host. Now let's find some.
I have made a list of a few Commercial Web Hosts I recommend below!
GoDaddy
GoDaddy offers some cheap hostings with a variety of
services included.
HostGator
HostGator reliable service at a good price.
PowWeb
PowWeb offers very good services at affordable prices.
FutureQuest
FutureQuest have very good reviews from it's users. Reliable, honest and competent! Cheap packages.
Move on to Web Design for a few pointers on how to design your web page!