Some tips for finding a hosting company
How to Select a Web Host
If you are unsure of what web hosting is, please review this short article from WebServices.com.
The first thing that you need to do when you’re ready to purchase hosting is determine your hosting needs. Here are some questions you should research:
Does the potential host charge a setup fee? Many hosts do not charge anything to setup your account. Can you sign up for services on a month to month basis or do you need to sign up for an entire year? You may get a better deal if you sign up for a long term (discounted monthly rate), but you are also stuck paying the host for that contract period if you are unhappy.
How much space will your pages and images require? Be sure to select a host that offers enough server space (typically in megabytes) so your site can grow. You don’t want to have to constantly delete pages/images in order to be able to add new content.
You need to calculate how much traffic/bandwidth usage you expect to have to your site. Some hosts charge a lot if you exceed your transfer limit. Be sure to read the "fine print" on your hosting plan. Even if you don’t expect a lot of traffic keep in mind that images on a page use more bandwidth than plain XHTML pages.
What kind of technical support does the host offer? They should be available by phone & e-mail 24/7. Read the hosts support pages; are they comprehensive and easy to understand? Do they provide setup help to new users? If you call them on the phone, do they sound friendly and helpful or bored and annoyed? Will the hosting company send out notifications when they are performing system maintenance and upgrades?
What type of control panel does the hosting company use? Many hosting companies now use CPanel. CPanel is an interface that allows users to control their domains. Through CPanel you can configure and check email (using multiple web interfaces), check site statistical information (visitors, referrals, etc.), manage databases, set directory permissions, edit .htaccess files, add hotlink protection, create and manage FTP accounts, upload and manage files, perform site backups, submit sites to search engines, and perform one click installation of CGI and other scripts. Many sites that offer CPanel will also offer Fantastico, an auto installer. Fantastico will allow you to install numerous content management systems like WordPress, Xoops, Mambo, pMachine, shopping carts, help desk systems, wikis, and loads of other scripts with a click of a button. Even though my current hosting company does not have CPanel or Fantastico available, if I was to move to a new hosting company I would make sure that both of these services were available.
FTP should be offered. You do not want to have to use a control panel, web interface, to upload files all the time.
What kind of scripting will your site need now and in the future? Do you want to add database interactivity in the future? PHP/MySQL and/or ASP should be a part of the package. CGI should be available. If you plan to use FrontPage then FrontPage Server Extensions should be installed and supported. Is SSI offered? Does the host have a plan that would allow you to implement e-commerce?
What kind of statistical information does the host provide? You will want to track your site usage, make sure that the host offers comprehensive traffic reports.
Does the host have a reseller plan (this is a sample site only)? You may want to offer hosting to your clients when you get your business off the ground, check to see if your host has a reseller plan.
How is domain name registration handled? Do you have to register your domain name with the host? How much does it cost to register your domain name. Is there a cost for transferring your domain from another host? Can your register your domain with a service like GoDaddy and have the name transferred for free or do you have to pay a fee?
How many mailboxes does the host offer, is there POP3 access or is the e-mail forwarded?
When you are compiling this information, be sure to plan for future growth. Some hosts offers different hosting packages, be sure that the host that you select has other plans available if your needs change.
Ask friends and colleagues what hosting provider they use and if they are happy with the service.
What is the hosts backup plan, how often do they backup client sites? This should be daily.
What type of support is offered? Does the hosting company provide multiple contact methods including: web site knowledge base, live support online, email support, and 24/7 phone support. If there is no contact phone number on the site, don’t sign up with them.
Once you have a list of potential hosts, use Google or another search engine to search for those hosts. Read what other people have to say about the host’s support, down time, etc. Read forums like Web Hosting Talk to find out more information about the hosts. Avoid "top 10" lists of hosts, these are frequently nothing more than paid advertising. Look for reviews by real people on their web sites or in message forums.
Registering Your Domain Name
Some hosts will handle the Domain Name Registration, but at a cost. Many times when a host registers your domain name it’s more expensive. You might want to check into services like GoDaddy for inexpensive Domain Name Registration (use the search box on GoDaddy’s home page to see if your desired domain name is available). Find out if your host will transfer your domain and if there is a cost.
Articles/Reviews
Finding the perfect host requires a lot of research. Use the articles below to help you find your host.
Read What is Web Hosting before you begin your search. This article will give you a lot of general information that you should know before you start your search.
Glossary of Web Hosting Terms – It’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the terms used by hosting companies before you begin your search.
Web Hosting Magazine has a ton of information on finding the right host. There are reviews on the hosting review sites.
Web Hosting Ratings is a site that offers ratings and comparisons to find the right web host http://www.webhostingratings.com/
C|Net’s Web Hosting List
http://www.cnet.com/internet/0-3799.html?tag=dir
After you find a host that you think you may want to sign up with, you may want to check Web Hosting News to make sure they aren’t being acquired by another company, etc.
Misc. Domain Resources
Tophosts.com – A lot of useful hosting information.
HostReview.com helps you find web hosting providers quickly and easily. Search according to the specific hosting options you require. http://www.hostreview.com/
Here is a host index site (web host search tool) http://www.hostindex.com/
This site allows you to search for a host by price range http://www.hostsearch.com/
Web Hosting Mall also allows you to search for an affordable host. It also allows you to select the features that you want to search for. A list of free domain hosts (These hosts require that you place ads on your sites and you are responsible for the domain name registration costs.) http://freesitex.com/domain.html
A guide to free internet services http://free-internet-free-web.com/
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June 21st, 2005 at 4:43 pm
How does the host company contact site owners when changes or system down times are going to occur?
The host company should let you know in a timely fashion when they are going to update systems.
If your site uses MySQL version 4, and the host company upgrades to version 5 your site might not functioning correctly.
June 26th, 2005 at 10:10 pm
Good point, Jim,
If my host company upgrades from PHP 4 to PHP 5, my site will surely break.
FWIW – f2o.org runs a support forum where they post all activity. Worth checking out if you host there.
February 17th, 2006 at 3:51 pm
I have two great webhosts for various sites and you make some very valid points. Both have CPanel and they both have Fantastico but I have noticed that one of the hosts has a much older version of Fantastico and therefore my WordPress Blog for that site is only running with version 1.52 rather than 2.0 or above.
Is it going to throw things off if they update the site?