There are a few mistakes to avoid while choosing your host. I'd like to share these with you below, and explain why it's important to avoid these mistakes at all costs - especially if you wish to start an online business.
Free Web Space
Remember seeing all those ads that mention "free web space"? Please avoid participating in these services. In most cases, the reason it's free is because the company will place advertisements for other websites all over your web page. This defeats the entire purpose of having "your own" web business.
Why should you have to give your potential customers away? Shouldn't you be able to keep the visitors that you have paid to receive through your own ad campaigns?
With "free web space" sites, you'll give away more business than it would cost you to get your own domain and hosting service. It's not worth it.
Limited hosting
Avoid hosting packages that will not allow you to add order forms, statistics, or multiple email accounts to your website. These are necessary tools for any webmaster who desires to open an online business.
It's best to choose a hosting service that offers many options such as:
- Multiple POP Email Accounts - Dedicated Hosting - Secure Servers - Web Usage Statistics - Web Space Allocation (you can get how much web space you'll need) - URL Redirection - Autoresponders
These are just a few "necessary" services to look for when choosing a web host for your new website.
Low Cost Hosting
Watch out for very low cost hosting packages (i.e. $2.50 per month). They usually require something in return, which can take away profits from your online business.
I must admit that it does sound appealing to sign up for free or very low cost hosting, but count the costs before signing up...
Each time an advertisement banner is placed on your website, it's designed to get your visitor to click out of your website and go some place else. Most free or low cost web hosting services place these banners at the very top of your web page - giving the visitor an opportunity to click out of your site before getting to the first words of your presentation.
One complaint that comes to mind about a free hosting service was that the company's server became overcrowded and the customer could not get their website to come up 50% of the time. When this happens, your business is closed - and you have no control over this situation.
Showing posts with label Web Hosting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Web Hosting. Show all posts
Monday, April 30, 2007
Web Hosting FAQ
What is an ISP?
An ISP (Internet Service Provider) is a company that provides various Internet services, such as a dial up connection to the Internet, e-mail, and possibly web hosting.
What is web hosting?
Web hosting simply means that the files that make up your web site reside on the hosting company's server. That server provides the rest of the world with access to your web site through fast, dedicated Internet connections.
In order to have a website on the Internet, you first need to have a web server. Unfortunately, owning a web server can be very costly and requires technical expertise that most businesses don't have. This is where web hosts come in. Web hosting companies provide the equipment and other technical resources that you need without the headaches that come when you have to do it yourself.
Think of a web host as the landlord of building. A landlord rents out storefronts to various businesses. Each business decorates and runs their store differently, and doesn't worry about the maintenence of the building. In a similar way a web host rents out space on a web server to various businesses. Each business builds their own website and never has to worry about the maintenence of their web server.
In other words, the web host provides the place on the Internet where your website lives. It's a lot cheaper than buying you own server, and you don't have to hire the technical staff to take care of it.
What is domain name hosting?
Domain name hosting means that the domain name you have purchased points to the web site that is being hosted by your IPP, so that your site can be accessed by typing your domain name into a web browser. If you want to set up and use e-mail at your domain name before your web site is up, this requires set up of your web hosting account. At that point, web hosting is in effect (as well as the charges that go along with it) regardless of the status of your web site.
What is a Registrar?
A registrar is the company that your domain name is registered with, such as Network Solutions (previously the only option) or INWW/Melbourne IT, or Tucows.com. They keep a record of the registered owner, the Organizational, Administrative, Technical and Billing contacts for your domain name, as well as a record of what server your domain name/web site is hosted on. Even if your web hosting company or web design company buys your domain name for you, you should make sure that YOUR COMPANY or YOUR NAME is listed as the owner of your domain name, not the web hosting company or the web design company! It's usually easy to change contact information associated with your domain name, but it a hassle to change the registered owner, and usually involved a fee of some kind. You should also make sure that you renew your domain name only with the company that it is already registered with, as many registrars now engage int he practice of sending out "renewal notices" for domain names that are not even registered with their company.
If you want to purchase a domain name, please contact Digital West Networks, Inc. (DWNI).
What is "Catch-all" or "Wildcard" E-mail?
Catch-all E-mail means that e-mail that is sent to anyword@yourdomain.com will go to your mailbox. So even if someone makes a mistake typing your user name, the message will still get to you as long as they get the spelling of the domain name right. Many clients request that catch-all e-mail be disabled if they are receiving too much spam.
What is "Unlimited E-mail Forwarding?"
Unlimited E-mail Forwarding means that for each e-mail address you use, you can choose anything@yourdomain.com, and the e-mail will go to the mailbox of your choice. This allows you to forward e-mail to another e-mail address, or organize your e-mail by the address that it's sent to. For example, sales@yourdomain.com can go to your sales team's mailbox, and techhelp@yourdomain.com can go to your technician's mailbox. Or you can have it all go to the same mailbox if one person handles all the e-mail for your company.
Is there a way to eliminate Spam?
Although there is no sure way to eliminate spam completelty, there are ways to drastically cut down on the amount of spam you receive. If you want more information on spam filtering, please contact Digital West Networks, Inc. (DWNI).
What is "Secure Socket Layer (SSL)?"
Secure Socket Layer, or SSL, is what makes your web site's ordering process secure. Once SSL is enabled, all orders placed on your site are encrypted until they get to you.
What is a secure certificate?
A secure certificate from a certifying authority such as GeoTrust, Thawte, or Verisign, verifies, or authenticates the security of a web site.
If you want to purchase a secure certificate for your web site, please contact your web hosting provider.
Why do I need a secure certificate if I already have SSL enabled?
Enabling SSL encrypts the data from an online transacion, but without a secure certificate installed, your customers will get warning messages saying that there is not a valid certificate for the site, or that the certificate does not match the site name. Once a secure certificate is purchased and installed, a logo for the secure certificate with a link to more information can be added to your web site at your request.
What is a sub-domain?
A sub-domain is a separate doblack that can be created off a virtual domain name. An example would be (http://subdomain.domain.com). Some web hosting companies offer sub-domains that are created using wildcards in their DNS. We offer true Apache sub-domains on all of our plans.
What is Search Engine?
Search engines utilize indexing software agents often called robots or spiders. These agents are programmed to constantly "crawl" the Web in search of new or updated pages. They will essentially go from URL to URL until they have visited every Web site on the Internet. Search engines read a web site's 'meta tags' and content in order to determine their ranking.
What is the difference between search engines and directories?
The main difference between a search engine and a general directory is that a directory will not list your URL if you do not first register it with them. They do not make use of indexing software agents and so have no way of knowing it's out there. As a result, their registration form will be considerably longer than just your URL. Directories are usually subdivided into categories and you have to submit your URL under the most appropriate heading.
What is domain propagation?
When a visitor types your domain name into their Web browser, their request is referred to a nameserver that indicates the physical location (the IP address) of your domain on the Internet. When your site location changes to a new IP address, or when a new domain name is added, nameservers around the world must be notified of the change. This process is referred to as propagation.
Propagation normally requires 24-48 hours. During this period, if you are transferring your domain, some nameservers will refer to the old location of your site and some to the new location. Therefore, a visitor accessing your site may be directed to either the old or new location. It is usually best to keep your previous hosting company until your transfer is verified as having taken place.
What is a parked domain?
Parked domains are not separate accounts, they are merely pointers to an existing web site rental account. Parked domains do not have their own IP address, SEPERATE EMAIL ADDRESSES or their own control panel.
An ISP (Internet Service Provider) is a company that provides various Internet services, such as a dial up connection to the Internet, e-mail, and possibly web hosting.
What is web hosting?
Web hosting simply means that the files that make up your web site reside on the hosting company's server. That server provides the rest of the world with access to your web site through fast, dedicated Internet connections.
In order to have a website on the Internet, you first need to have a web server. Unfortunately, owning a web server can be very costly and requires technical expertise that most businesses don't have. This is where web hosts come in. Web hosting companies provide the equipment and other technical resources that you need without the headaches that come when you have to do it yourself.
Think of a web host as the landlord of building. A landlord rents out storefronts to various businesses. Each business decorates and runs their store differently, and doesn't worry about the maintenence of the building. In a similar way a web host rents out space on a web server to various businesses. Each business builds their own website and never has to worry about the maintenence of their web server.
In other words, the web host provides the place on the Internet where your website lives. It's a lot cheaper than buying you own server, and you don't have to hire the technical staff to take care of it.
What is domain name hosting?
Domain name hosting means that the domain name you have purchased points to the web site that is being hosted by your IPP, so that your site can be accessed by typing your domain name into a web browser. If you want to set up and use e-mail at your domain name before your web site is up, this requires set up of your web hosting account. At that point, web hosting is in effect (as well as the charges that go along with it) regardless of the status of your web site.
What is a Registrar?
A registrar is the company that your domain name is registered with, such as Network Solutions (previously the only option) or INWW/Melbourne IT, or Tucows.com. They keep a record of the registered owner, the Organizational, Administrative, Technical and Billing contacts for your domain name, as well as a record of what server your domain name/web site is hosted on. Even if your web hosting company or web design company buys your domain name for you, you should make sure that YOUR COMPANY or YOUR NAME is listed as the owner of your domain name, not the web hosting company or the web design company! It's usually easy to change contact information associated with your domain name, but it a hassle to change the registered owner, and usually involved a fee of some kind. You should also make sure that you renew your domain name only with the company that it is already registered with, as many registrars now engage int he practice of sending out "renewal notices" for domain names that are not even registered with their company.
If you want to purchase a domain name, please contact Digital West Networks, Inc. (DWNI).
What is "Catch-all" or "Wildcard" E-mail?
Catch-all E-mail means that e-mail that is sent to anyword@yourdomain.com will go to your mailbox. So even if someone makes a mistake typing your user name, the message will still get to you as long as they get the spelling of the domain name right. Many clients request that catch-all e-mail be disabled if they are receiving too much spam.
What is "Unlimited E-mail Forwarding?"
Unlimited E-mail Forwarding means that for each e-mail address you use, you can choose anything@yourdomain.com, and the e-mail will go to the mailbox of your choice. This allows you to forward e-mail to another e-mail address, or organize your e-mail by the address that it's sent to. For example, sales@yourdomain.com can go to your sales team's mailbox, and techhelp@yourdomain.com can go to your technician's mailbox. Or you can have it all go to the same mailbox if one person handles all the e-mail for your company.
Is there a way to eliminate Spam?
Although there is no sure way to eliminate spam completelty, there are ways to drastically cut down on the amount of spam you receive. If you want more information on spam filtering, please contact Digital West Networks, Inc. (DWNI).
What is "Secure Socket Layer (SSL)?"
Secure Socket Layer, or SSL, is what makes your web site's ordering process secure. Once SSL is enabled, all orders placed on your site are encrypted until they get to you.
What is a secure certificate?
A secure certificate from a certifying authority such as GeoTrust, Thawte, or Verisign, verifies, or authenticates the security of a web site.
If you want to purchase a secure certificate for your web site, please contact your web hosting provider.
Why do I need a secure certificate if I already have SSL enabled?
Enabling SSL encrypts the data from an online transacion, but without a secure certificate installed, your customers will get warning messages saying that there is not a valid certificate for the site, or that the certificate does not match the site name. Once a secure certificate is purchased and installed, a logo for the secure certificate with a link to more information can be added to your web site at your request.
What is a sub-domain?
A sub-domain is a separate doblack that can be created off a virtual domain name. An example would be (http://subdomain.domain.com). Some web hosting companies offer sub-domains that are created using wildcards in their DNS. We offer true Apache sub-domains on all of our plans.
What is Search Engine?
Search engines utilize indexing software agents often called robots or spiders. These agents are programmed to constantly "crawl" the Web in search of new or updated pages. They will essentially go from URL to URL until they have visited every Web site on the Internet. Search engines read a web site's 'meta tags' and content in order to determine their ranking.
What is the difference between search engines and directories?
The main difference between a search engine and a general directory is that a directory will not list your URL if you do not first register it with them. They do not make use of indexing software agents and so have no way of knowing it's out there. As a result, their registration form will be considerably longer than just your URL. Directories are usually subdivided into categories and you have to submit your URL under the most appropriate heading.
What is domain propagation?
When a visitor types your domain name into their Web browser, their request is referred to a nameserver that indicates the physical location (the IP address) of your domain on the Internet. When your site location changes to a new IP address, or when a new domain name is added, nameservers around the world must be notified of the change. This process is referred to as propagation.
Propagation normally requires 24-48 hours. During this period, if you are transferring your domain, some nameservers will refer to the old location of your site and some to the new location. Therefore, a visitor accessing your site may be directed to either the old or new location. It is usually best to keep your previous hosting company until your transfer is verified as having taken place.
What is a parked domain?
Parked domains are not separate accounts, they are merely pointers to an existing web site rental account. Parked domains do not have their own IP address, SEPERATE EMAIL ADDRESSES or their own control panel.
What is web hosting
Web hosting simply means that the web pages or files that make up your web site reside on the hosting company's server. That web server provides the rest of the world with access to your web site through fast, dedicated Internet connections. The World Wide Web has become the single fastest growing scientific phenomenon in recorded human history.
Registering a Domain Name
Domain name hosting means that the domain name you have purchased points to the web site that is being hosted by your web hosting provider, so that your site can be accessed by typing your domain name into a web browser. If you want to set up and use e-mail at your domain name before your web site is up, this requires set up of your web hosting account. At that point, web hosting is in effect (as well as the charges that go along with it) regardless of the status of your web site. Instead of a stake in the ground, the territory of the web is marked by domain names. A simple analogy for how domain names work is your phone book. For computers to communicate with one another, they have to be directed to the correct "location" on the web, which is specified by a number like 201.168.22.111. Most of us can remember the phone numbers we call all the time but if someone asked us for the number of Microsoft so they could check on the latest Windows updates, we'd probably be lost.
Functioning like a phone directory, a name resolution service was developed that allows a name to be associated with the unique number that's assigned to a web site. It's easier for most of us to remember names than numbers. So when you register a domain name, a record is created for it. When your site is hosted, the hosting company assigns an address to your domain name. Your domain name record is updated with the unique number that corresponds to your new web hosting space and that allows other people to be able to find your site using your domain name instead of having to remember all those numbers. A web surfer simply types in the name and the domain resolution service takes over. A DNS server looks up your number and sends the visitor to see you, so to speak.
These days registration of a domain name is almost totally automated. You simply choose the name you wish to register, choose a registrar and sign up. You don't need a "home" for your name like you would have in the old days (say around 1995). Registrars will "park" your name for you until you need it. This allows you to come up with the perfect name and register it before someone else does, even though you may not be ready to actually host anything at the moment. As long as you are listed as the registrant in the domain name record, you own the domain name, even if there's no site there, and even if the registrar's tech support people are listed as contacts in the record.
Determine Your Site Requirements
Once you've made the decision to launch a site, you are suddenly faced with a whole new set of decisions to make - what will the site do, who will manage it, will it be updated regularly, will you build it yourself, will you sell things, will you collect email addresses, do you want streaming media, will you provide downloadable files, do you like the color blue? The questions can seem endless and in some cases, senseless.
You owe it to yourself to educate yourself to the greatest extent possible about the technology that you feel your site may require. The jargon may be a little intimidating, and to be truthful, no one needs to know what CGI stands for. But knowing whether or not you need CGI scripts to operate your site is something you definitely have to learn.
In the old days (you guessed it - 1995), most of the web was static. That means you put something up on a web server in HTML and it stayed that way until you changed it. Under that arrangement, "webmasters" were in high demand, since you had to know how to manipulate HTML at least a little bit to get things to work. These days, technology exists that enables just about anyone with a browser to update a web site. Some of these technologies allow web content to be pulled from a database, so instead of editing a site, all the owner has to do is change the data in the database, which is usually easier than remembering to close your font tags. Other technologies allow interactive online catalogs, automatic credit card validation, continuously updating news, streaming music and video broadcasts and even ad banners that know your name.
Once you know enough about your project to know what technologies you need, you can narrow down your search for hosts who offer those technologies.
Web Hosting Options Consideration
When it comes to hosting options, more is not necessarily better. Sometimes a hosting company who devotes their efforts to a niche market will have more tools of the type you need despite offering fewer overall options for site hosting. If you don't need database services, then a company who only offers simple Front Page site hosting may be perfect for you. Some hosts separate everything into individual "options." which are sold a la carte, as add-ons to a basic hosting plan. Other hosts offer all-inclusive packages that cover most of what the average web site needs, with options to add-on specific technology support as you need it. Still others seem to offer everything you could possibly want as part of every single account.
If you do need specific technologies, be sure to read all the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) files a host may provide online. Be sure you understand how the technologies you need actually work - it's not uncommon to see hosts touting "Flash support" as a hosting feature. There are no server components required for Flash movies to work on a site - the support is provided by the browser. This just gives the hosting company another "option" to make their list of features longer. But if you want to stream audio or video, you will need server-based software to assist you.
Contact tech support via email and ask about a specific technology - bring up a problem you may have had in the past and ask them if they've ever encountered it. See how long it takes before you get a real response (not an autoresponder). Call the tech support number and see if real people answer the phone. Time how long you sit on hold before you get a real person.
If you're shopping by price, remember that you get what you pay for. More often than not, you can get a discount for paying quarterly or yearly in advance. If this is an option, consider it carefully - how hard will it be for you to cancel (if you can) if you are not satisfied with the service? Will the company refund your money if you're not happy?
Check the fine print on transfer limits, storage limits and email services. Will the company notify you when you've maxed out your transfer limit or will they just start charging you by the megabyte for additional download traffic? Remember that every single "call" to a page on your site generates a download - a "hit." There's a hit for the page request and a hit for every separate element that comprises the page - all those nifty navigation buttons that change color when you mouse over them - if they're graphic-based, that's two hits for every button. All these downloads apply toward your transfer limit. If you plan to use 200 Mb of storage (most sites use nowhere near that amount of space), so people can download MP3s or graphics or some other kind of files from your site, you're going to have to be concerned with the transfer limits if you expect any measurable traffic.
The rules of good website building stipulate that any single web page should "weigh" no more than 30-35K. Using that as a guide, you can estimate the storage space you'll need for the pages themselves, plus any downloadable files you might want to share. A graphics-intensive site would have "heavier" pages than a text-based site, so take that into account when you're looking for hosting space.
Summary
In short, if you can carry out most of these steps and find a host whose answers and services fall into your personal comfort zone on these kinds of important issues, you'll have a short list of companies worth making additional inquiries about. You can check their client list, ask for references, look up testimonials and more simply by using your browser. Most reputable hosts keep a list of clients on their own web site specifically for this purpose. Don't be afraid to make a few phone calls if you're considering a large investment in hosting services, like collocation or dedicated servers. Send a few e-mails, ask friends about experiences they've had. By the time you're finished, you will have enough solid information to make your hosting choice with confidence.
Registering a Domain Name
Domain name hosting means that the domain name you have purchased points to the web site that is being hosted by your web hosting provider, so that your site can be accessed by typing your domain name into a web browser. If you want to set up and use e-mail at your domain name before your web site is up, this requires set up of your web hosting account. At that point, web hosting is in effect (as well as the charges that go along with it) regardless of the status of your web site. Instead of a stake in the ground, the territory of the web is marked by domain names. A simple analogy for how domain names work is your phone book. For computers to communicate with one another, they have to be directed to the correct "location" on the web, which is specified by a number like 201.168.22.111. Most of us can remember the phone numbers we call all the time but if someone asked us for the number of Microsoft so they could check on the latest Windows updates, we'd probably be lost.
Functioning like a phone directory, a name resolution service was developed that allows a name to be associated with the unique number that's assigned to a web site. It's easier for most of us to remember names than numbers. So when you register a domain name, a record is created for it. When your site is hosted, the hosting company assigns an address to your domain name. Your domain name record is updated with the unique number that corresponds to your new web hosting space and that allows other people to be able to find your site using your domain name instead of having to remember all those numbers. A web surfer simply types in the name and the domain resolution service takes over. A DNS server looks up your number and sends the visitor to see you, so to speak.
These days registration of a domain name is almost totally automated. You simply choose the name you wish to register, choose a registrar and sign up. You don't need a "home" for your name like you would have in the old days (say around 1995). Registrars will "park" your name for you until you need it. This allows you to come up with the perfect name and register it before someone else does, even though you may not be ready to actually host anything at the moment. As long as you are listed as the registrant in the domain name record, you own the domain name, even if there's no site there, and even if the registrar's tech support people are listed as contacts in the record.
Determine Your Site Requirements
Once you've made the decision to launch a site, you are suddenly faced with a whole new set of decisions to make - what will the site do, who will manage it, will it be updated regularly, will you build it yourself, will you sell things, will you collect email addresses, do you want streaming media, will you provide downloadable files, do you like the color blue? The questions can seem endless and in some cases, senseless.
You owe it to yourself to educate yourself to the greatest extent possible about the technology that you feel your site may require. The jargon may be a little intimidating, and to be truthful, no one needs to know what CGI stands for. But knowing whether or not you need CGI scripts to operate your site is something you definitely have to learn.
In the old days (you guessed it - 1995), most of the web was static. That means you put something up on a web server in HTML and it stayed that way until you changed it. Under that arrangement, "webmasters" were in high demand, since you had to know how to manipulate HTML at least a little bit to get things to work. These days, technology exists that enables just about anyone with a browser to update a web site. Some of these technologies allow web content to be pulled from a database, so instead of editing a site, all the owner has to do is change the data in the database, which is usually easier than remembering to close your font tags. Other technologies allow interactive online catalogs, automatic credit card validation, continuously updating news, streaming music and video broadcasts and even ad banners that know your name.
Once you know enough about your project to know what technologies you need, you can narrow down your search for hosts who offer those technologies.
Web Hosting Options Consideration
When it comes to hosting options, more is not necessarily better. Sometimes a hosting company who devotes their efforts to a niche market will have more tools of the type you need despite offering fewer overall options for site hosting. If you don't need database services, then a company who only offers simple Front Page site hosting may be perfect for you. Some hosts separate everything into individual "options." which are sold a la carte, as add-ons to a basic hosting plan. Other hosts offer all-inclusive packages that cover most of what the average web site needs, with options to add-on specific technology support as you need it. Still others seem to offer everything you could possibly want as part of every single account.
If you do need specific technologies, be sure to read all the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) files a host may provide online. Be sure you understand how the technologies you need actually work - it's not uncommon to see hosts touting "Flash support" as a hosting feature. There are no server components required for Flash movies to work on a site - the support is provided by the browser. This just gives the hosting company another "option" to make their list of features longer. But if you want to stream audio or video, you will need server-based software to assist you.
Contact tech support via email and ask about a specific technology - bring up a problem you may have had in the past and ask them if they've ever encountered it. See how long it takes before you get a real response (not an autoresponder). Call the tech support number and see if real people answer the phone. Time how long you sit on hold before you get a real person.
If you're shopping by price, remember that you get what you pay for. More often than not, you can get a discount for paying quarterly or yearly in advance. If this is an option, consider it carefully - how hard will it be for you to cancel (if you can) if you are not satisfied with the service? Will the company refund your money if you're not happy?
Check the fine print on transfer limits, storage limits and email services. Will the company notify you when you've maxed out your transfer limit or will they just start charging you by the megabyte for additional download traffic? Remember that every single "call" to a page on your site generates a download - a "hit." There's a hit for the page request and a hit for every separate element that comprises the page - all those nifty navigation buttons that change color when you mouse over them - if they're graphic-based, that's two hits for every button. All these downloads apply toward your transfer limit. If you plan to use 200 Mb of storage (most sites use nowhere near that amount of space), so people can download MP3s or graphics or some other kind of files from your site, you're going to have to be concerned with the transfer limits if you expect any measurable traffic.
The rules of good website building stipulate that any single web page should "weigh" no more than 30-35K. Using that as a guide, you can estimate the storage space you'll need for the pages themselves, plus any downloadable files you might want to share. A graphics-intensive site would have "heavier" pages than a text-based site, so take that into account when you're looking for hosting space.
Summary
In short, if you can carry out most of these steps and find a host whose answers and services fall into your personal comfort zone on these kinds of important issues, you'll have a short list of companies worth making additional inquiries about. You can check their client list, ask for references, look up testimonials and more simply by using your browser. Most reputable hosts keep a list of clients on their own web site specifically for this purpose. Don't be afraid to make a few phone calls if you're considering a large investment in hosting services, like collocation or dedicated servers. Send a few e-mails, ask friends about experiences they've had. By the time you're finished, you will have enough solid information to make your hosting choice with confidence.
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