A Guide To Finding Your Web Hosting Provider

A Quick Guide To Finding A Hosting Provider

You decided to build your website and you are excited about your new online venture. You even picked out your domain name. So now what? It is time to find a web hosting provider.

This article will walk you through some of the things you should keep in mind when finding your web hosting provider.

The Domain Name: Most places that sell you a domain name also try to sell you one of their web hosting plans. Remember, that you can buy your domain name from one company, and host your web site someplace completely different. Don not get pulled into thinking you have to host your web site at the same company that sold you your domain name. Most reputable domain name registrars will charge you less than $10/year for your domain name.

What kind of web site do you want to build? The web site your build (especially if this is your first one) should be simple and easy to navigate. Don not get caught up in technical issues. Most web hosting providers offer low cost plans that are either Windows Based or Linux Based hosting platforms. Either platform will support HTML pages AND most will provide some kind of free site building software to get your site up quickly. If you're going to use your own HTML editor like MS Frontpage, make sure your web host offer FrontPage server support on their Windows plan.

Fancy Web Sites: If you are building a site that has PHP or ASP technology, then you will need more technical requirements. PHP is used primarily on Linux plans and us usually accompanied by MySQL database. These types of sites offer advanced features like allowing visitors to login, create accounts, manage their information, etc. You will find that PHP and MySQL hosting is typically lower cost than ASP pages hosted on a Windows platform. The reason is in the cost that the web host has to pay for the server's operating system. Your web host should be able to look at your software and determine if they can meet your requirements.

Low Price- Lots of Support: This is the ultimate combination for the hosting provider you choose. There are 1000s of hosts out there that can provide hosting for $5-$10 per month. Make sure there are low or no setup fees, and make sure that you are not locked in for 12 months. This is a common tactic used to pull you into a long term contract. Your host should offer low or no setup fees, and provide 24x7 customer support. They should offer a 30 day moneyback guarantee. This way you can send them a support ticket after you sign up and see how long it takes them to reply. If it takes more than 3 hours, ask for the refund and move on. Do not worry, you can take your site with you!