Web Hosting Information

Choosing the Right Web Host


So you've decided about your website design and now you are ready to have your website hosted!

When choosing the right web host, they are several factors to consider:

I. How often is the web server up?
II. Does the server provide SSL?
III. Does the server provide for server side scripting? (e.g PHP, ASP?)
IV. Free or paid?
V. What is the upload limit? What is the file limit?
VI. Customer support?
VII. Suggestions

Appendix A - Web host provider reviews

-----------------------------------------------------------------

I - How often is the web server up?

Once you've signed up with a web host provider, you don't want your website to be down or taking forever to load. This can have a serious dent in traffic as it could turn off potential returning visitors.

Search engines also do not rank web pages that are always down well, so you should expect next to nothing traffic from Search Engines if your website is down most of the time or takes forever to load.

A good way to find out if a web server is up usually is to check out reviews by different persons who have already used the web host. I've included a link to a web host review website at the end of this article in Appendix A.

II - Does the Server provide SSL?

If your website is a hobby website, and you won't be doing any transactions on your website, SSL protection is not needed.

However, if you plan to do any transactions in the future; its important that you choose a webhost which provides SSL protection upfront.

SSL is an encryption method which helps to encrypt any sensitive information like credit card info, names, etc

If you signed up with a web host who does not offer SSL protection; it's usually more costly if you then decide to get it installed than if you signed up with a web host provider who already provides SSL protection for transactions.

Examples of web host providers who provide Automatic SSL do this are www.powweb.com and www.ipowerweb.com

III - Does the server provide for server side scripting? (e.g PHP, ASP?)

Most web host providers provide for server side scripting but it's still important to make sure that they do.

Server side scripting allows the webmaster to create pages which change in realtime.

For example, if you are running a business, and you have all of your products stored in a database, a server side script will generate the pages that the customer sees according to which category/product the customer chooses.

If a web host provide does n provide functionality for server side scripting, it's dated and you should stay far away from it :) www.powweb.com, www.ipowerweb.com and www.lunarpages.com all provide functionality for Server Side Scripting.

IV - Free? Paid? Which one?

Another important factor to consider is whether you want to sign up with for Free or Paid web hosting. Companies such as www.geocities.com, www.tripod.com, www.freeservers.com offer free hosting.

The main disadvantage with free hosting is that the hosters usually run ads on your home page; some like in this example http://www.pac-dodger.tripod.com (see near the top)

I suggest a free hosting website if you budget is very tight and you don't mind ads running on your website.

The paid option for website usually offers better customer support that free web hosting. Some packages are next to nothing.I've found www.powweb.com to be exceptionally reasonable($7.77 a month last time I checked). Both www.ipowerweb.com and www.lunarpages.com are also top web host providers at great prices.

Lunarpages has a reputation of reliability and great customer service. Powweb has the reputation of being the largest and offering the best of every (most web space, most bandwith, etc). Ipowerweb is generally good.

V - What is the upload/bandwith limit? What is the file limit?

Upload and bandwidth limits are important if you are going to be hosting large image files or if you want to provide downloads to your users. If you are just making a simple hobby or business website, www.powweb.com, www.ipowerweb.com, and www.lunarpages.com can all handle your bandwidth requirements.

If you are looking for more space; I suggest www.powweb.com.

VI - Customer Support

Customer support is very important when signing up for a web host provider.

I'm an experienced webmaster, and on signing up with a web host provider I usually still have questions which need to be addressed.

Some web host providers even provide forums where customers like yourself can log in and post questions to other customers and web host staff.

I find this very valuable; the only place I've found this so far was www.powweb.com

VII - Suggestions

There are thousands of options to choose from but my top three are below:

I would suggest www.lunarpages.com if you are looking for great customer support.If you need lots of webspace; consider www.powweb.comIf you want general all around good service, sign up with www.ipowerweb.com

Other GREAT solutions are:

Apollo hosting - www.apollohosting.com
ValueWeb - www.valueweb.com
Globat - globat.com

Appendix A

Great website for web host reviews. Reviews all web host providers listed in the article abovehttp://www.thehostplanet.com/reviews/reviews.html

Kevin Allman is a webmaster with over ten years Internet experience. He runs a Search Engine Optimizationwebsite at http://www.pzeta.org/seo_global/ which contains many articles on how to optimize your website.


MORE RESOURCES:

Web Hosting Resource Firm, iNET Interactive, Acquires Search ...
TheHostingNews.com (press release), OR - 3 hours ago
West Chester, Ohio - (The Hosting News) - August 20, 2008 - Web hosting industry resource firm, iNET Interactive, has acquired print publication serving the ...


Web Hosting Provider, MidPhase, Debuts New Web Design, After UK2 ...
WebSite Host Directory (press release), OR - 2 hours ago
midPhase provides budget, shared, advanced and other types of web hosting services to a wide range of clients ranging from small business to individuals, ...


Tips on Web Hosting
3x24 - Your Newspaper and News Magazine, Germany - 2 hours ago
It is the web hosting that allows you to tell about your services and goals to the world. A properly hosted website has the potentials to make your business ...


Dedicated Server Web Hosting Award, Garnered by Alentus
TheHostingNews.com (press release), OR - 4 hours ago
Laguna Niguel, California - (The Hosting News) - August 20, 2008 - Shared and dedicated web hosting services firm, Alentus Corporation, has been awarded the ...


Web Hosting Server Liquid Cooling for ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2 ...
TheHostingNews.com (press release), OR - 4 hours ago
Alberta, Canada - (The Hosting News) - August 20, 2008 - Web hosting server cooling facilitator, CoolIT, has released its Dual Drive Bay VGA Cooler, ...


Finding a cheaper web hosting
Corsavoo.com, France - 7 hours ago
Budget web hosting in the simple sense is that which offers its services with charge of minimum $10 per month. But the important consideration is not that ...


MYOB gobbles up another web hosting business
SmartCompany.com.au, Australia - 16 hours ago
Financial software firm MYOB has advanced its expansion into the web services market with the acquisition of Melbourne-based web hosting business SmartyHost ...


Web Hosting Demo Player, Enhances Got Web Host Service Portfolio
TheHostingNews.com (press release), OR - Aug 19, 2008
Valparaiso, Indiana - (The Hosting News) - August 19, 2008 - Web hosting provider, Got Web Host, has released its SEO and Web Hosting Demo Player, ...


Fasthosts Internet Ltd, web hosting company, has announced a new ...
ClickPress (press release), UK - Aug 19, 2008
[ClickPress, Mon Aug 18 2008] Fasthosts Internet Ltd, the UK's number one web hosting company, has announced a new offer roll out that provides ‘Buy One, ...


MYOB buys SmartyHost
Australian IT, Australia - 13 hours ago
The buy is part of MYOB’s plan to expand its web hosting and internet marketing services, the company said. "This follows our entry into the web hosting ...
MYOB buys SmartyHost for $7m ZDNet.com.au
MYOB books 27% NPAT growth LIVENEWS.com.au
MYOB snaps up SmartyHost Australian Techworld
The Age - Sydney Morning Herald
all 21 news articles

Web-Hosting - Google News

home | site map
© 2006