Finding The Best Web Hosting Service Free Web Hosting Services Are Not The Best Deal From © June Carroll, for About.com

Finding the best hosting service for your Web site can be really difficult if you don't know what to look for. These tips from June Carroll will help you winnow out the chaff and choose a web hosting service that will meet your business Web site needs now and in the future.

1. Be cautious of free web hosting services. Not all offer server side support which is needed if you require guest books, polls, counters, etc.

2. Free or very inexpensive web hosting can result in experiencing frequent "down-times" (inability to access your web site) or poor technical support.

3. When shopping for a web hosting service, ensure that there is a technical support phone number which is either local or toll-free. Long distance calls may be costly and e-mail only support may in some cases, cause confusion and not resolve the issue promptly.

4. Shop around. Price differences are common in the web hosting service industry and some are needlessly high.

5. Ask yourself the following:

Can this web hosting company accommodate potential future needs?

Will I have to look for a new host in the event I want to add e-commerce or wireless capabilities?

If I need a database, can the web hosting service accommodate it?

How much does the hosting service company charge in the event that I need extra web space, e-mail, or bandwidth?

If the web host service offers different packages, what do I have to do to upgrade my existing package and do I have to pay an extra setup fee?

How fast will my account be activated?

Does this web hosting service company claim to have few down-times? Be cautious of companies that claims to have 0% down-time.

If I need a domain name, can this host get me one free of charge?

Are there any specials or discounts?

How much bandwidth am I allowed? Each person that visits your web site will use a portion of bandwidth to access each page. (Example: It takes more bandwidth to download a photograph in one second than it takes to download a page of text in one second.) If you're expecting a very large volume of visitors, please account for this and enquire about how much bandwidth you're allotted and how much the web hosting service charges for extra bandwidth.

Contributed by June Carroll of Welutions Inc - providing a broad range of internet based services including specialized web application development and design, complete web sites, and consulting services. Call 1-866-470-7483 or email june@welutions.com.

Linux web hosting services

First of all lets get to know what web hosting service is. Web hosting is the web service that allows your web sites to be accessible and available in the World Wide Web. The type of web hosting service may vary depending on the operating system installed on the web server. Thus we know Windows and Linux web hosting. Which one is better? Which one should you choose your web site? The present article will provide you with the answers to these questions.It is essential, that the choice of web hosting platform should be based only on your web site requirements. You should take into consideration that web hosting platform for web site has nothing common with the operating system that is installed on your home or work computer. Even if you use Windows as your OS you can still use Linux web hosting services for your web site.In a few words: if your web site uses functions of ASP, ASP.NET, MSSQL, any other Microsoft specific applications, apparently you should should choose Windows web hosting provider that offers web hosting services on Windows server platform.If your web site is built on PHP, Perl, MySQL etc or uses HTML (hyper text markup language) – you should evidently choose Linux web hosting services.The present article is devoted to the advantages and peculiarities of Linux web hosting services.It is the general truth that Linux is known as one of the most powerful and stable solutions for web hosting services. It is stipulated by the fact that when the web server is being administered properly, Linux web server platform may handle higher number of simultaneous queries both to web and MySQL servers. Linux web hosting is remarkable for its high stability and productivity. Qualitative and reliable web server equipment, licensed software and twenty-four-hour monitoring of web hosting servers and professional technical support and customer care team will give you a confidence in the services you get. In the upshot it is worth saying that web hosting services are often provided on LAMP bunch (operating system Linux with web server Apache, dataset management system MySQL and support of interpretive programming languages PHP/Perl) that represents one of the most popular and essential solution in web hosting area. Linux is well known as one of the most stable and what is more important not expensive solutions that may handle loads and result in high percentage of uptime.This article is copyrightSource: http://www.articlealley.com/article_
from http://www.articlealley.com/article_204791_2.html

Hosting - Professional Website Design And Functionality Issues

If the World resembled a website, chances are that life would be pretty damn confusing. Stores, for example, would either be very long and narrowwith skeleton crews, or tiny booths with huge stock rooms - and hardly any workers. Others would look great but be impossible to navigate. TheInternet boom was pitched as a revolution that would leave behind the tired practices of yesteryear and create something shiny, fresh and delicious –like a good apple ? The fact that designers can usually do anything they want does not mean that they should. Many times a designer with lack ofexperience will go ahead and talk the client into a flashy animation for the entire Website, or add music without an on/off button. These happeningsdebilitate a user from downloading a page quickly and enticing them to make that purchase. So many companies have gone out of business becauseof poor design, lack of skills in the checkout/backend process and of course wasting millions of dollars in funding on senseless advertising. It is worthavoiding jargon; most people will have no concept of what you are talking about. The functions of particular buttons should not change between pages;and give users an easy way to get back to the start. I have been on countless websites where there is NO home button! Why? Ignorance! All usersshould be able to go home from any place on your web site at any time. Instructions should anticipate what people want to do and help them achieveit. Every click that people make is effectively a decision and users will be reluctant to click if they either don't know where it will lead them, or they havebeen overwhelmed with information. Keep it simple, professional and cool and you will be very successful with your design and functionality. Clientswill come back with more and more projects because you enhanced their ROI and made solid decisions that are taking their site to the next level.About the AuthorArticle Source : http://webhosting.devshed.com/c/a/Web-Hosting-ArticlesSource: http://www.qwesz.com

Web Hosting - 10 Things To Avoid

Web Hosting - 10 Things To Avoid Posted by Greg Cesar 1. Very Cheap Pricing Ok, here's the rub: there are thousands of web hostingcompanies out there that have very low prices. The fact is that a cheap web hosting company offering very low rates is doing this for a reason. And threason is that they are doing a tremendous amount of volume. To a cheap web hosting company, you are just a number, especially if you are a smallbusiness. Here's something else to consider: How many other websites will you be sharing your IP address with? You've heard of Spammers, haven'you? Well, aggressive spammers generally go with the cheapest web hosting package they can find. Why? Because they know that they only plan tobe in business for a certain amount of time. Did you know that spamming can get your site banned by the Search Engines and your ISP? In short,when you share your IP address with, say, 1000's of other businesses, and one of these businesses happens to be a spammer, the entire IP addresscan, and most often will, be banned by the Search Engines. Then it's goodbye, business. You probably won't even know what has happened to makeyour traffic drop so dramatically. On top of all of this, a very cheap web hosting company will generally have very slow servers and common serviceswill be denied because there is not enough bandwidth. You will be doing yourself and your business a tremendous disservice by going with a cheapweb hosting company. 2. Limited Room For Expansion Your online business will almost certainly expand. You should be able to choose fromdifferent web hosting packages that will help you do this. Even better, the web hosting company should be available to consult with you and help youmake decisions when the time comes. Are they interested in your business, or just your money? One size definitely does not fit all. If the web hostingcompany doesn't understand this, then it's time to move on. 3. Underdeveloped Website Web hosting companies should have a well-developed,informative and easy-to-navigate site. It's that simple. The site's FAQ and Help features should be visible. Also you should have a way to contact theand not just via email. Who has time to wait 24 hours for an answer? 4. Dubious Claims 99.99% guaranteed uptime. How many times have youseen this claim? Does it mean anything anymore? The truth is, most web hosting companies claim that they can deliver this. Very few offer realguarantees in the form of money back or similar guarantees to ensure your satisfaction, and gives you alternatives if they don't deliver. Don't let webhosting companies get away with this. 5. Lack of References A good web hosting company will have a list of satisfied customers, and will welcomyour contacting them to get references. You should know whom you are going into business with. If the web hosting company refuses your request tocheck references, keep moving. Make no mistake about it, web hosting is not just a business, it is a partnership. Does the web hosting company thatyou are considering understand that? 6. Aggressive Selling Tactics When you call the web hosting company for information, are they constantlypressuring you to upgrade, buy this, buy that? Does every call end with them trying to sell you something? Specifically, are they asking you to pay fora whole year of web hosting upfront? Did you realize that if you do this, and later decide that their services are not working for you, your money is gofor good? Can you afford to do this? Do you want to risk it? 7. Bait and Switch Look at the fine print. Does it say one thing in the headline andanother in the small print? For example, does the web hosting company limit the number of emails that you can have and/or send out at once?Features such as these are critical if your business is going to be able to service your customers quickly and efficiently. You don't want to purchase aweb hosting package based on a promise only to find out later that there is a catch. In any case, you wouldn't want to trust your business with a webhosting company that would do this. Don't just walk away. Run. 8. Package/Software Inflexibility Are the packages that the web hosting companyoffers limited? Are they able to direct you to the web hosting package that is right for your business? Or do they direct everyone to the same packageA web hosting company's ability to be flexible should be key in your decision to either go with them or to keep looking. 9. Very Large Companies Just because a web hosting company is very large, doesn't mean it is the best. You need to ask yourself if you will get the personalized web hostingservice that your business deserves, or will you be just a number. 10. Shoddy Customer Service A web hosting company's attitude towardcustomer service is your indication as to how reliable they are as a company that you are entrusting your business with. Any web hosting companyshould give you all of their contact information. As a matter of fact, this is a must for any business. Who is answering the phone? A recording? TheSales Department? No one? Online business runs 24/7. These days, impersonal web hosting service cannot be tolerated. You need someone toanswer your questions now. No one wants to leave a message, or worse yet, receive an impersonal email. The bottom line is that for the most part, aany web hosting company really has to sell you is their service. That's the bottom line. If they don't understand that, they shouldn't be in business inthe first place. Web Hosting - 10 Things To AvoidAbout the Author Greg Cesar gets results. Find out how hundreds of webmasters benefit from Greg's web hosting and internet marketing knowledge by visiting his Business Web Hosting website. Greg Cesar is a successful Internet marketer, web designer and web hosting provider with over 10 years'experience. He specializes in providing innovative web hosting and internet marketing services that help business owners make more money online.To improve your online business immediately and work with someone who understands what it takes to make real money online, visit: http://www.hostpartnerplus.com Source: http://www.cheapwebhostingdirectory-cheaphostingreviewservicesproviders.com

Decoding Web Hosting Reviews, Part II: From Java to Windows

Decoding Web Hosting Reviews, Part II: From Java to Windows Posted by Sage Kalmus In an earlier article, we explained how web hostingreviews identify web hosting companies by the services they offer. So if a web host offers ASP technology, they say it's an ASP hosting company. Withthat in mind, in this two-part series we've laid out many of the most common types of web hosting services you'll read about in the web hosting reviewsyou peruse. Last time we started at ASP and got as far as FrontPage. Now we'll finish the alphabet. If the web hosting review mentions Java Hosting,it refers to one of the most widely used and widely recognized programming languages, the use of which practically assures you that your website willbe understood by any computer in the world. Java is a simple, versatile, cross-platform, tag-based language that lets you build all sorts of things: bitmaps and vector graphics; server-side applications for forums and forms, online polls and stores; improved database, email, PDF, XML, and MicrosoftOffice functionality and more. Using Java opens you up to libraries upon libraries of prewritten code for every imaginable use you could have for yourwebsite. You may also see web hosting reviews mentioning JSP or Java Server Pages, which allow you to create entire websites that are platformindependent. If the web hosting review mentions MySQL Hosting, it's referring to one of the most widely used and recognized databases on theinternet. If your web presence is going to be a database-heavy operation, consider a MySQL hosting provider. You'll get extra support for adding,accessing, editing, and processing data in your many MySQL databases. Web hosting reviews for MySQL hosting providers should mention thenumber of databases offered, the ease-of-use of the interface you'll be using day in and day out, CRON support for automating routine tasks, and PHPsupport since PHP and MySQL go hand in hand. Read on! If the web hosting review mentions PHP Hosting, it refers to a server-side scriptinglanguage that is commonly used in conjunction with MySQL databases. It is an open-source language and as such can be altered and amended inany way you see fit. As such, there are tons of free, prewritten PHP scripts all over the internet for your convenience. Because PHP is a server-sidelanguage, it is cross-platform (meaning Unix, Linux, and Windows computers can see your site the same). And since PHP is a server-side language, ifyou plan to use it in running your dynamic, interactive, database driven website, you must go with a PHP hosting provider. If the web hosting reviewmentions SSH Hosting, it refers to Secure Shell, a Linux-based protocol that gives users remote terminal access to their computer systems, meaningthat administrators can perform private, confidential administrative tasks on their server -- tasks that ordinarily must be done directly on the server itself-- from a different computer in a completely different location -- securely. If the web hosting review mentions Windows Hosting it just means that, likea computer might run Microsoft Windows as its operating system, your web server too will be running Microsoft Windows. That's all. A windowshosting company might very well offer PHP hosting, MySQL hosting, FrontPage hosting, Java hosting, ASP hosting, and more. Which brings us to ourfinal point... We closed Part I of this series with this note and we'll close Part II the same way. One web hosting provider alone quite likely will offer agreat many of the hosting services we've described and more. Make sure you read each web hosting review carefully to be clear on exactly what typesof hosting each company offers. Decoding Web Hosting Reviews, Part II: From Java to WindowsAbout the AuthorHosting-Review.com is the premier resource on web hosting reviews. Visit http://www.hosting-review.com for comprehensive reviews and rankings ofover 50 web hosting providers, as well as informative articles about everything to do with hosting and the top-rated picks for different types of hostingpackages. Source: http://www.cheapwebhostingdirectory-cheaphostingreviewservicesproviders.com

Cheap Hosting - 10 Sneaky Tricks of Cheap Web Hosting Companies

Cheap Hosting - 10 Sneaky Tricks of Cheap Web Hosting Companies Posted by Greg Cesar If you thought all those billions of webpages are hosted on expensive and full service web hosting companies, you need to cross check your information sources again. Of course, there arefree or cheap web hosting companies that provide basic features good enough for simple html pages. You can take the example of some blog sites forthese. But cheap (as cheap as $1.99 a month) web hosting service is different as they claim to provide more than the basic features which requirehuge infrastructures and funds to maintain and remain in the business. How do cheap web hosting companies attract business and what are theirtricks? Trick Number 1: The 24/7 toll-free number that a cheap web hosting company will advertise on their website. Most of these rarely work andthose that do work seem to work only Monday to Friday. They are there mainly to create a false impression. What will you do on the weekend or afterhours? You need a web hosting company that provides real support. Trick Number 2: E-mail contacts given, which give you a very nicely worded(auto responder) response, requesting you to be patient while promising that an appropriate web hosting executive is handling your query. Don't youwant to talk to a real person at some point? Email messages could go on forever with no resolution in sight. Your time, in short supply, is valuable. Trick Number 3: Unlimited emails in POP3 and SMTP which hardly give any value to a small webmaster but can have a big impact on your decisionmaking. Cheap web hosting companies cannot provide good email service. Yet, you need good email service so that you can stay in contact with yourcustomers. (better service=more customers=more sales) Trick Number 4: Cheap web hosting companies often make promises of free downloadsworth thousands of dollars. You can check this offer only after you subscribe to their service. You should be able to check out all aspects of an offerbefore making a commitment, thus saving you valuable time and money. Trick Number 5: The lure of freebies like all platform database support,preinstalled server side scripts, site builders, templates and SSL & ecommerce tools. In actuality, if these products are provided by cheap webhosting companies, they are very limited. Why limit your business from the start? You need a web hosting company that will give you the tools youneed to be successful right out of the gate! Trick Number 6: Domain registrars and sister companies of cheap web hosting companies don't allowediting DNS zone files and MX records. Registrars talk about "name server management" when they actually mean the exact oppositeresulting in forced hosting with them. You should be able to choose the services that you want for your business. After all, who knows your businessbetter than you? Locking yourself in with a cheap web hosting company forces you to do business their way. Don't do it! Trick Number 7: Artificiallypopulating user forums is another way of promoting their cheap web hosting business. Cheap web hosting companies do this so you will think theyhave tons of satisfied users. Really, you should rely on referrals to check out a web hosting company's services. This is the only real way to be sureyou'll get the service you deserve. Trick Number 8: Display of an unknown or little known award and trying to impress you that they provide awardwinning service. Do awards mean anything anymore these days? Better to rely on actual comments from real customers. Trick Number 9: Offeringfree integration of shopping carts and payment gateways. Cheap web hosting companies do this because they know that for many online businesseshaving access to an online payment tool is a must. What you actually get is PayPal, which is well known, and is not their product at all. Why would youtrust a web hosting company that would do this? Trick Number 10: Free Marketing support. Of course they do it but what they market vigorously istheir site where your name might be mentioned. Cheap web hosting companies will not do more than this. In fact, they cannot. Are you paying formarketing your business? Or theirs? Being on the lookout for tricks such as these will keep you from falling into the trap of thinking that cheap webhosting is good. You can make a better choice for your business. You need a web hosting company that provides real, complete services that helpimprove your business. Do you want your business to be just a number? Remember the old adage, "you get what you pay for". Cheap Hosting - 10 Sneaky Tricks of Cheap Web Hosting CompaniesAbout the Author Greg Cesar knows web hosting! Find out how hundreds of webmasters benefit from Greg's web hosting and internet marketing knowledge by visitinghis Web Hosting website. Greg Cesar is a successful Internet marketer, web designer and web hosting provider with over 10 years' experience. Hespecializes in providing innovative web hosting and internet marketing services that help business owners make more money online. To improve youronline business immediately and work with someone who understands what it takes to make real money online, visit: http://www.hostpartnerplus.com Source: http://www.cheapwebhostingdirectory-cheaphostingreviewservicesproviders.com

Front Page Web Hosting - 10 Questions to Ask

Front Page Web Hosting - 10 Questions to Ask Posted by Greg Cesar In your quest for choosing a front page web hosting company, you wantto ensure that the company has the basics, such as reliability. You also need to consider the technical aspects of front page web hosting and theobligations of your web host; both are essential if you want to avoid future problems. Technical trouble is the last thing you need, especially when yourcompany is a startup. You should ask questions freely to gain confidence in any front page web hosting company that you are considering. Top 10Questions To Ask Your Front Page Web Hosting Company 1. How good and reliable is the customer support? 24/7 support is a must. Also, if thefront page web hosting company has a large knowledgebase, do you know how to use it? Is the support staff responsive? Are they trained or do theypass the buck to someone else? Does the front page web hosting company provide live chat support (practically a necessity these days)? 2. Howwill you justify the price? Loads of features in a front page web hosting company may not be useful to you until you use them. How will you factor inbandwidth cost? Is the ratio of price to features, disc space and bandwidth the reasonable? 3. How will you ensure accuracy of automatic billing?Some front page web hosting companies have servers that trigger automatic billing even after you cancel your account with them. Do they confirm thestoppage of automatic billing when you cancel your account? 4. How long has the front page web hosting company been in business? This revealsmany things. Trustworthiness, sustainability, technical know-how, strong marketing and business acumen. Ask for a list of long standing customers. 5. Do you have a sufficient back-up system? It is difficult to manage 99.9% uptime without sufficient backup system for servers and connections. Astandby power supply is another important feature of a reliable front page web hosting company. 6. How good are the features? Ask for afeature-by-feature comparison with another front page web hosting company. Compare control panel to control panel, disc space to disc space etc, notjust a list of features. 7. How good is the technical staff? It is not enough to have numbers; what counts is the hands-on experience of the front pageweb hosting staff. An experienced technician gets things done instead of wandering around in the dark. 8. Is the package flexible? The package youchoose may need expansion as you grow. Will the host be able to provide additional features when you need them? Shifting your website to anotherhost when business is hot is crazy. You don't want to be forced into doing this! 9. Why is there so much fine print? Too much fine print should raisered flags as to services provided and promises made. Clarify them upfront and let them know that you have other front page web hosting companies tochoose from. 10. Does the web host run their own servers, or does a third party run them? If it is the latter, you have lost ground even before thebattle has started. Many things won't be under your host's control if it is a reseller. There is more to choosing a front page web hosting company thanjust asking 10 questions. However, these should serve as a base for beginning your evaluation of a front page web hosting company. You can andshould send a pre-sales questionnaire to your web host asking about billing issues, technical issues etc. Keep the responses so that you have awritten record of what they promise you. If there is no reply, you need to move on! Front Page Web Hosting - 10 Questions to AskAbout the Author Greg Cesar knows web hosting! Find out how hundreds of webmasters benefit from Greg's web hosting and internet marketing knowledge by visitinghis Web Hosting website. Greg Cesar is a successful Internet marketer, web designer and web hosting provider with over 10 years' experience. Hespecializes in providing innovative web hosting and internet marketing services that help business owners make more money online. To improve youronline business immediately and work with someone who understands what it takes to make real money online, visit: http://www.hostpartnerplus.com Source: http://www.cheapwebhostingdirectory-cheaphostingreviewservicesproviders.com