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A web host stores your web site and transmits it to the internet for you. To put a web site on the internet you need three things: a domain name, a web site and a web host account. How it works is that your domain name points to your web host's server which is where your site is physically housed. When someone types in your domain name, the computer looks to the domain record to see where it should go to find your site. It then goes there and gets it. Here is what you should know: |
ALL ABOUT WEB HOST |
• Domain names must be registered. When domain names are registered, they are added to a large domain name register. In addition, information about the web site, including the IP address, is stored on a DNS server. DNS stands for Domain Name System. A DNS server is responsible for informing all other computers on the Internet about the domain name and the web site address. |
Sub Domains Most people are unaware that they use sub domains daily. The famous "www" of the World Wide Web is an example of a sub domain. Sub domains can be created on a DNS server, and they don't need to be registered with a domain name registrar, of course, the original domain name needs to be registered before a sub domain could be created. Examples of sub domains used on the internet are http://store.apple.com and http://support.microsoft.com. Sub domains can be requested from your web hosting provider. |
•A small or medium web site will need between 10 and 100MB of disk space. If you look at the size of HTML pages, you will see that the average size is very small. But if you look at the size of the images used inside these pages, you will often find the images larger than the page. Expect each HTML page to take up between 5 and 50KB of disk space on your web server, depending on the use of images or other space-consuming elements. If you use a lot of images or graphic elements (or sound files or movies), you might need much more disk space. Make sure you know your needs, before choosing a web host. |
Site builder To build your web site you are going to need web site building software. You will need to decide whether you want to use a web host's site builder or use your own. Your choice will affect the web host you choose since some web hosts provide a web site builder and others don't. I usually recommend that if you are new to web hosting or fairly new that you select a web host that has a site builder and use it. The reason is that a software program like Front Page (the most popular site building program) is expensive and complicated to learn. You can always move up to it later but it's hard to start out with it. |
Using an Internet Service Provider Renting a server from an Internet Service Provider (ISP) is a common option. |
Most small companies store their web site on a server provided by an ISP. Here are some advantages: >Connection Speed Most ISPs have very fast connections to the Internet. >Powerful Hardware ISPs often have powerful web servers that can be shared by several companies. You can also expect them to have an effective load balancing, and necessary backup servers. >Security and Stability ISPs are specialists on web hosting. Expect their servers to have more than 99% up time, the latest software patches, and the best virus protection. |
Some web hosts give free domain names with their accounts - I strongly suggest that you do NOT get one this way. I love free stuff, but a "free" domain can end up being bad news for you. Some web hosts that give free domains retain ownership of the domain. This means that if you don't like their service and want to go elsewhere you can't because you would be leaving your domain behind. In other words, you're stuck. Other hosts that provide "free" domains will let you take the domain with you when you leave but you have to pay them for it. The fees I've seen for this run anywhere from $35-$100. In my opinion, it's just safer to buy the domain yourself from a registrar like Act Now Domains so that way no one can hold "your" domain hostage. bigger web host are getting involved with small business on line like yahoo who offer free domain who may differ from other small web host who you may give a try... |