About Web Hosting

Choosing a hosting provider is among the basic, if not the most basic, of requirements for a website. Web Hosting allows you to put your site’s files on a server so that they can be viewed by the whole world.

When a user visits your website, their computer sends a request for whatever page or file is in the address bar. The server handles this request by sending the appropriate files and all files attached to the original request to the computer. The computer then reads the scripts in those files and presents them on your screen as what you would recognize as a webpage.

Different Hosting Options

There are several options out their for finding a host for your website.

Using a Hosting Service:

• – Buying space on a shared Server (a server shared by other websites; not recommended if your site is interactive and requires a lot of bandwidth).
• – Buying space on a Dedicated Server (A server maintained by a hosting provider that is dedicated to your website; these tend to be much more expensive and you probably won’t need the extras).

Using Your Own Equipment

• – Using your own equipment means purchasing a server for “in house” use. This involves extra costs and maintenance on behalf of you. Your ISP (or Internet Service Provider) will also charge you for a dedicated line to support the bandwidth needed by the server. Servers need constant upkeep by professionals. So unless you are an expert in networking or are willing to hire full time employees for such a task, we suggest that you leave this option out, unless of course, your website grows exponentially and your only option for space and customization is getting your own server).

Deciding Which Hosting Plan Is Right for You

Assuming that you’ve chosen to try a hosting service on a shared server (which is most reasonable at this point considering that you are just getting started), you must now decide how much space and extra features you’ll need. These plans vary depending on which provider you pick. We highly recommend not using your ISP, as these services are often lacking in the quality control department (their main job is to provide you with internet not host your website).

First check the size of your website, then choose whatever plan fits your website. If you don’t know the size or don’t have your website built yet, then wait or choose the cheapest option (you can always upgrade it later). Below are just a few services that our team has compiled:

Visit our Links page for more links and services.

Warning!

Some hosting services give a choice of operating systems; unless you know how to use the other operating system, we suggest that you choose Windows® hosting.

Also; be weary of services that offer a free option. Remember that “nothing is free.” Unless you want ad banners surrounding your website, you probably should use a pay service. This way you can place your own ads on your site and make easy money as described in “Making Your Site Work for You!“