Web Savvy » Web Hosting

Do You Know What Your Web Hosting Provider Actually Provides?

Author — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 05:02:14 +0000

Different hosts don’t always provide the same packages when you start comparing them against one another. That’s why it’s important to make sure the price isn’t the only thing you are looking at when you decide on your web hosting provider. Following are some pointers to watch out for when you start looking.

What Kind of Service Are You Looking for?

Not all packages are the same. If you pick one at random from any web hosting provider you are likely to be disappointed – especially if you choose one based on price rather than anything else.

There are several different types of hosting packages and any good web hosting provider should be able to offer most if not all of them. For example, if you run a business then it’s more important to make sure your website is up and running all day than it would be if you had a personal site which didn’t rely on making money.

In this case you would want to seek out a web hosting provider which is experienced in offering services such as dedicated hosting, and services designed to appeal to e-commerce businesses. If you have a small business then you may not need a dedicated service, but going with a web hosting provider that does do it makes it easier for you to switch packages later on if your business does become more successful.

Check Out Their Website

Whichever web hosting provider you are thinking about using, look at their website to get as much information as you can about them. It’s sometimes worth giving your web hosting provider a quick call with any questions you have as well, to make sure that they are able to provide the kind of services you need.

But perhaps the most important piece of advice to take is to wait before making your decision. It’s natural to want to get signed up with a web hosting provider and get going as soon as possible, but you need to make sure that you are going to be signing up with the right one.

It’s really a case of starting as you mean to go on, and even the most knowledgeable people can be fooled into buying a package with a web hosting provider that simply doesn’t match up to what they need if the sales spiel is good enough. Once you’ve had time to think on it, you know you’ll be making the right decision.

Understanding What it Takes to Find a Suitable Web Hosting Plan

Author — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 05:01:12 +0000

In today’s world of information technology, a website is a must for virtually every kind of business regardless of whether it is a brick and mortar business or an online business. Once you decide to create a website, you then need to find a host who will store your entire website and then make it available to everyone that uses the Internet. As far as web hosting goes, you can choose to host the site on your own or use an appropriate web hosting plan.

It’s Better Not to do Your Own Hosting

If you happen to be the owner of a small sized business, there is little sense for you to choose to host your own website since the pitfalls are many and the hurdles not worth the trouble. Thus, choosing a web hosting plan will prove to be more beneficial to you and in this regard you will come across numerous companies that will offer to host your site. What’s more, after you have found a hosting company, you then need to enquire about the different types of web hosting plans that are on offer.

Typically, you will find a web hosting plan to be either nothing more than a starter package or it can be one that comes with all the bells and whistles. However, there are certain things that you will also have to consider that will help you choose the most suitable web hosting plan and among other things, you need to check the level of support and service provided. In addition, you also need to get feedback from existing customers which will help you form a better opinion about the type of company and also how well or badly their web hosting plans work.

Having a Control Panel is another important feature of a good web hosting plan because you can use it to find out more about the functioning of your web site including learning about statistics related to your account that in turn will help you determine the efficacy of using a particular web hosting service provider and also determine exactly how well a particular web hosting plan works for your website.

Another feature worth having in your web hosting plan is being able to find out who is visiting your website as well finding out about which pages were visited and how long time the visitors spent at your website. And, in addition, the web hosting plan should also provide features that help you to evaluate available statistics so that not only can you track user information, but also understand what visitors to your website were doing when visiting your website. Finally, you need to look at whether your web hosting plan is a shared plan or dedicated plan, while a less common type is the virtual private hosting plan.

Getting Web Hosting Packages with Free Domain Names

Author — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 05:00:27 +0000

Choosing a domain name can be a tough task. For one thing, there are plenty of great domain names that have already gone, so choosing a good one can be a pretty hard thing to do. But whatever you decide, there is one decision you really do need to make. The sooner you grab your chosen domain name the better, since they can be snapped up very quickly and if you delay you could miss out on the one you really want.

Nowadays there are plenty of web hosting packages which offer a free domain name when you sign up, and this can be a great deal if you are looking to get your website hosted as soon as possible. But are these web hosting packages worth getting?

Consider Your Options

Before you take the plunge and either get your desired domain name registered or choose from the many web hosting packages which offer free domain names as part of the deal, it’s vital that you think about what you are going to be doing in the near future. There is no point going for web hosting packages that will cost you several dollars a month if you don’t currently have a website that needs hosting. Very often the first stages of building an online business involve getting a domain name registered, so that the desired image of the company is shown in the actual domain name itself.

In this case it’s really too early to be looking at web hosting packages, since they change so often that it’s likely there will be a better deal on offer by the time you are finally ready to get your site hosted. If, on the other hand, your site design is in the latter stages of development, then web hosting packages are definitely the way to go. In this case it makes sense to look for web hosting packages that do include a domain name, since it is often easier to get everything done in one go if it suits you.

There are lots of things to think about when you are building up a new business, but getting your new website online with the right domain name and your choice of the various web hosting packages that are out there is arguably one of the most important. So long as you do your homework and go with the best plan available, getting a free domain name in this way can be a real boon.

The Benefits of Joining a Web Hosting Forum

Author — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 04:59:35 +0000

If you’re new to the world of hosting, you would be forgiven for finding the whole thing completely confusing. Servers, java, Windows hosting, Linux hosting… what’s the difference and more importantly does it make a difference to you?

If this sounds like a familiar situation, then you might just benefit from finding a good web hosting forum to get your teeth into. No matter what your issues may be regarding the subject of hosts, you can bet that someone on a web hosting forum will know the answer to your questions.

What is Involved with a Web Hosting Forum?

Membership is generally free and you will find lots of different sections which split the subject up for ease of access. Make sure you do a search on the internet to see if you can find the best web hosting forum for your needs. Some are better known than others and have more members, so it makes sense to go with one of these since you automatically have access to a much wider base of knowledge to draw on.

Check Out the Different Sections

When you join a web hosting forum, make sure your first job is to look at what the forum sections are all about. One typical web hosting forum had sections on dedicated servers, colocation and domain names, for example. In order to get the answers you need, it is essential to make sure you post your question in the right place.

Before you do so, however, it’s worth surfing round the web hosting forum to see if anyone else has already had a similar question answered by someone else. It may be that you can get the exact answer you want simply by doing this.

Whenever you do post a question, make sure you include all the relevant information, but don’t reveal anything which could be construed as being sensitive in any way. For example, if you have an idea for a great domain name, keep it to yourself until you have registered it! While no one is suggesting people will just register it themselves so you can’t, it makes sense to only share what you need to in order to get the information you want.

A web hosting forum can be the answer to all your prayers if you don’t possess a lot of knowledge about hosting. For anyone who is looking to get their own website up and running, it can be an indispensable source of information.

After Web Hosting Domain Name Registration Has Been Completed

Author — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 04:58:47 +0000

In case it is the first time that you are performing web hosting domain name registration, don’t be surprised if it will end up confusing you because there are a host of things that you will have to consider before you can complete the process satisfactorily. Remember, that if you get web hosting domain name registration process right, it can seem to be very easy to accomplish though if you cut corners and are not aware of all that it takes to get it right, you will find it to be a very painful exercise.

What is a Nameserver?

As a matter of fact, a term such as nameserver can have you immediately wracking your brains as to what this odd sounding name refers to. Well, soon you will come to realize that it is in fact the name given to a server that itself runs on other servers that all belong to your web hosting company that in turn hosts your account or your domain name. In addition, the special feature of a domain name is that it refers to an IP address and in fact, a single IP address can have more than one domain name associated with it which is made possible by using what is known as shared hosting.

Thus, web hosting domain name registration means that you need to enter the nameserver of the company that is hosting your website. After doing your web hosting domain name registration, you will have let the DNS nameserver know where your hosting account is located on the Internet, and the importance of web hosting domain name registration lies in the fact that without it, it would be impossible to find your website and its web pages.

Another term that you will come across with regard to web hosting domain name registration is Whois information, which in fact simply means a reference to the owner of a domain name. So, when performing web hosting domain name registration, you will need to provide information on Whois and in addition, while providing this information you should do so according to the applicable privacy laws.

You should always ensure that the domain name information that you enter is true, though at the same time, it is also possible to use generic information in this regard. Once you have entered the required information, you then need to determine the correct number of years for which the web hosting domain name registration will remain in force, and a simple rule of thumb is to use those many years that you think you will be using the domain.

Another important feature that should not be overlooked during web hosting domain name registration is locking the domain. Once you have completed the web hosting domain name registration, you should then log into your domain name’s Control Panel and ensure that your domain name has in fact been locked because by locking the domain name, you can prevent others from transferring your domain name to another registration without proper authorization.

The Basics of Your Web Hosting Control Panel

Author — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 04:58:07 +0000

For a beginner, a web hosting control panel can be tricky. Before you get started in setting up your website, you should get familiar with all the tools and options of your web hosting control panel that is provided by your web hosting service.

How You Can Use it

The basic functions of your web hosting control panel work for you to monitor your website as well as provide maintenance to the site. Each different tool will be a separate module for easy maneuvering around the web hosting control panel. Some of the tools that are quite common to almost all web hosting control panels are: visitor stats, bandwidth stats, file manager, email configuration, database, FTP user accounts, and access to the server logs.

Two common tools found on every web hosting control panel are the visitor statistics and bandwidth statistics. First, the visitor stats are a vital piece of information to be able to conduct your business. To be able to convince potential investors to give money for your company you must be able to provide visitor stats to them so that they know about hoe many customers and potential customers that you get to your site.

Visitor stats are also important to be able to see how your business is expanding and growing. Bandwidth stats on your web hosting control panel are important because you need to monitor your bandwidth use. If you exceed your daily, weekly, or monthly allotment, visitors will not be able to access your site and you will lose business.

The next set of tools are all for managing functions of the site. The file manager is the most important tool you will need on your web hosting control panel. It contains all of your separate web pages, images, and other files. The email account figuration tools help you to set up and manage email accounts for your website that feature your domain name. This can be especially useful because your email addresses on the site need to be easy enough for the visitors to remember and use.

Your database and FTP user accounts are all important for the function of your website. Also, the access to server logs will help you monitor the action of your site and see what is going on with the server. Knowing how to use your web hosting control panel is important to increase the function and availability of your website to visitors and customers.

Services You Can Expect From a Web Hosting Company for a Small Business

Author — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 04:57:18 +0000

Many business owners either do not have time, or feel they do not have the know how, to build and maintain their own websites. However, paying a web developer can be extremely expensive so how is a small business owner to maintain a presence on the internet?

What a small business owner needs to do is find a web hosting company for a small business. A web hosting company for a small business offers a variety of services and tools that can help the small business owner maintain their web presence without breaking the bank. Of course the services and tools offered by a web hosting company for a small business cost money.

But, the cost you would spend on a web hosting company for a small business would be nowhere near the cost of a professional web developer and with the help of the web hosting company for a small business you can create a website that is both functional and professional looking. As your business grows you can hire a professional web developer but when you are just starting out a web hosting company for a small business is perfect for helping even the most web-handicapped small business owner get their business on the world wide web.

A web hosting company for a small business is going to offer top notch customer service that will not only help you in the creation of your website. But, they will also push you towards any software you may need to buy to do the job you want to do.

Once you start interacting with tech support you will begin to realize that you can rely on them for assistance in almost any aspect of building and maintaining your website. A good web hosting company for a small business will insist that you use their customer service frequently and there are also companies out there that will proactively stay in touch with you to make sure you are getting the service you need.

As Easy as Point and Click

If you have never built a website before, and have no desire to learn, then the better web hosting company for a small business will have online tools you can use to create a professional looking website in minutes. It really is as easy as point and click to create your own website as long as you find a company with the right tools. Make sure you ask about a company’s online website creation tools if you know you will need them.

A good web hosting company for a small business can offer more assistance than most small business owners realize. Creating a website is not that difficult with the right support but it can be very important to the future of your business.

How do You Find the Best Web Hosting Companies?

Author — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 04:56:21 +0000

Web hosting companies seem to be popping up all over the place nowadays, which can make it very difficult to select the right one for your needs. So, how do you find them? Where should you begin your search? Here are some suggestions for finding the best web hosting companies for you.

Check Out Your National and Local Magazines

Nationwide computer magazines and journals often carry adverts for web hosting companies and they will often have special offers on them for the readers of those magazines. Even if you don’t subscribe to these magazines on a regular basis it can be worth picking up the latest issue if you are looking for web hosting companies to host your website for you.

Check with Various Sources Online

Search engines are always a good source of information, and they can take you directly to the websites of plenty of web hosting companies. It’s good to know what kind of package you are looking for so you can look up the right term, instead of simply looking in general. This will narrow down the results you get and make your search far easier.

You should also look in any internet forums which have a section on web hosting companies. People will often give very accurate and personal descriptions of their experiences with certain companies. While you shouldn’t make your decision based on a single review it’s worth adding these in to the overall picture if you are researching the web hosting companies using information from several different sources.

Check with Friends and Family

Lots of people have at least one website nowadays, and whether it’s for business or personal use they still have to get a host to get it online for them. Try asking around to see which web hosting companies’ people you know use, and see what they think of them. Try and find out (tactfully of course) what they pay each month as well, and what package they use. All these answers will help you to decide which one is right for you and your situation.

In the end it’s down to personal choice which company you choose to host your website for you. A lot will depend on what you need and who will provide it for you at a price you can afford to pay. It’s worth holding off on making a decision until you have considered all your options though – while you can move later on why do so when you can choose the right one from the start?

A Guide to Web Hosting

Author — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 04:55:36 +0000

Web hosting, if you do not already know, is basically the process of getting a website onto the Internet. To get your web page on the net you will need to find reliable web hosting, and this can often be an intimidating process as there are literally hundreds of thousands of different companies to choose from here.

Technology Works!

Any company that has computers hooked up to the Internet around the clock and who offers web hosting services is known as a web host. The computers that these companies use are known as servers, and each different server is assigned a particular IP number in order to keep track and so that other computers, yours for instance, can find the server and then be hooked up to the Internet.

The process here is quite simple, and what happens is that you type a web address into the address bar on your browser, and then once you hit go or enter on your keyboard, your browser will send out a request which will travel across the Internet until it finds an appropriate web server. If the request is successful then the page will load into your browser and you will be able to view it.

Most likely you have encountered a time when you tried to search a page and an error message showed up in the browser, and more often than not this is because your browser was unable to find an appropriate web server. Web hosting has become a very popular and competitive business, which is really not surprising considering how large a role computers and technology have in the world today and how it does not look like this will be letting up any. Technology is the future, and computers run almost everything these days.

Because of this, almost any profession that involves computers or technology will be profitable and not only that but long-term. This includes web hosting, and you can make quite a living with a career in this field. It is always important to be educated about something before choosing to go through with as a career, and there are many resources available that can help to offer you valuable information on this. The Internet for allows you to browse through literally hundreds of different sites in a matter of minutes, saving you time and allowing you to learn as much information as possible in the least amount of time.

How to Find Reliable Web Hosting

Author — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 04:54:09 +0000

When the time comes to get your website online, there are many different things to think about when you look for a host to do it for you. However, the most important one holds true regardless of what kind of hosting you are looking for. What you really need in any given situation is reliable web hosting.

The Importance of Research

So how do you go about finding reliable web hosting? In truth there is no quick route to finding it; it’s often a case of doing your research to see which companies are the most efficient at providing a good service to their customers. If you pay attention to the track record of each company you are considering, you will start to gain a picture of which one will provide reliable web hosting for you.

Different Aspects to Consider

When you are trying to find reliable web hosting the first place you should begin is with the hosts themselves. What do they claim to provide on their website? Look for a 99.9% uptime rate – that is, the amount of time the websites they host remain online. It’s not possible to remain online all the time because there are so many variables involved that sooner or later you can expect something to go wrong. That’s why you should steer clear of anyone who claims never to have any downtime at all.

What is even more important is how long the services are down for when they do go down. You will want to know that it can be fixed extremely quickly when the need arises, so look to see what their track record is like in this respect.

You could also consider joining a forum or simply browsing through the posts other people have made to see which hosts provide reliable web hosting in the opinion of other people. Make sure you research a few forums though and don’t just stick to one, in case the opinion is a little biased in any way, whether it is for or against a particular provider.

In short, reliable web hosting is definitely out there – you just need to find it for yourself. But, that doesn’t mean you can’t enlist the help of others to find the best ones around to meet your needs. Reliable web hosting is an extremely important part of getting any kind of website online. If your site isn’t available when people want to view it, you’ll find it difficult to keep any kind of audience coming back for more.