Website hosting and what you need to think about
This might provide some clarification for questions you have if you’re new to purchasing web hosting or managing a website. However, don’t worry, everything on this page is appropriate for complete novices. We’ll start at the very beginning and work our way up to some quite basic topics.
What is website hosting?
Consider the directories and files on your computer. Your desktop or laptop computer’s hard drive is where they are kept and is where you can access them whenever you want. Just like your word processing papers, a web page is a file. Every web page needs a computer to store it, just like your word processing documents need a computer to store them.
The distinction is that web pages are typically created with public viewing in mind. The computer on which they must be stored must have significantly higher specifications than your desktop PC and must be linked to the Internet using a very strong link in order to enable this.
A web server is a computer that stores web pages and delivers them to Internet users upon their request. A web site is made up of several web pages, while the World Wide Web is made up of all the web pages on the planet (WWW).
Web hosting is the process of making websites and web pages accessible to numerous users. Because we are selling “space” on the Internet for you to host your website, we occasionally like to refer to the commodity we offer as web space. Megabytes are the unit of measurement for web space, just as your computer’s storage space.
I need web hosting, but why?
It is technically feasible to use your personal PC or Mac to access the Internet and serve web content. However, it is not feasible because a residential Internet connection typically isn’t strong enough to support numerous users concurrently.
Web hosting firms were created for this reason. Your web pages are stored on incredibly powerful web servers that they own and maintain. Many online users can access your web pages at once thanks to the strong connections they utilise to connect these web servers to the Internet.
You need web hosting if you want to run a website since you cannot afford the web servers and connections unless you have unlimited finances.
What else do companies that host websites do?
Hosting firms offer different “value-added” services in addition to site space. While the amount of these vary from business to business, nearly all offer a few essential services. These include the supply of email and the registration of domain names (see below). Additionally, they might offer technical help via their websites, emails, or phone calls.
Do several forms of web hosting exist?
Of course, I say! Web hosting comes in a wide variety of forms that are tailored to fit various demands. A two-page website created by an individual will require a much less robust web hosting service than a large company’s international high-traffic website. The packages that web hosting companies offer differ in a few significant ways.
Size of the website
The amount of web space the web hosting business will let you use for your website is indicated by this. Depending on the situation, this can range from roughly 100 megabytes to 1000 or 2000 megabytes, but it often starts at around that amount. 100MB is more than enough for all websites aside from the largest ones. Some web hosting firms provide significantly more capacity; they are able to do so because they are aware that the typical website uses less than 100 megabytes of storage space.
Bandwidth (or data transfer) (or data transfer)
This statistic is sometimes misinterpreted, yet it’s crucial if your website starts to attract a lot of attention from internet users. It refers to the volume of data that your website may send to users. For instance, if one Internet user reads a web page on your website that is 10 kilobytes in size (about 1000 words on the page), you have used 10 kilobytes of bandwidth. If 10 people request that page, 100 kilobytes of bandwidth have been consumed. Monthly bandwidth measurements are typical.
The majority of small websites won’t require more than 0.5 GB of bandwidth per month. You may thus serve roughly 52,000 web pages each month (assuming the pages are an average of 10 kilobytes in size). With Brand9, you can transfer roughly 2,080,000 pages with our cheapest package’s 20 GB of monthly bandwidth (the Pro plan). For modest to medium-sized websites, this is more than plenty.
bandwidth excess
What happens if you use more bandwidth than you’re allotted? The term “bandwidth overage” applies here. Some businesses will shut down your website if this occurs. Others will automatically tack on additional bandwidth fees that have a different pricing than your typical monthly hosting expenses and are typically substantially higher.
We at Brand9 are aware that some consumers periodically exceed their monthly budget. If this occurs, neither do we switch off the website nor do we charge extra.
UNIX or Windows?
The operating system is the last significant distinction between web hosting plans. Web servers use an operating system, just like your desktop computer, which either runs Microsoft Windows or an Apple Mac OS. The software is what powers the computer. Windows and UNIX are the two main OS types used in the web hosting industry. The most popular UNIX variation is known as Linux.
It doesn’t really matter whether you use Linux hosting or Windows hosting for simple websites. No matter what you decide, your pages will function exactly the same. Making the best decision, however, pays off for more experienced users.
What you intend to accomplish with your website will determine which OS to select. For instance, you need to know which OS the app works best on if you want to instal specific software like WordPress (see below). Here are a few instances:
Linux-friendly applications include:
– The WordPress blogging platform
– Shopping cart for Magento
– Joomla website development tools
Windows-optimized applications include:
– NopCommerce shopping cart software for Umbraco websites
– Blogging platform BlogEngine.net
But practically all Linux applications may also be used with Windows!
Apps and features
Nowadays, it is fairly uncommon to come across a website that is made up solely of straightforward static pages. Most websites typically provide at least some level of interactivity. There are numerous instances of interaction, such as:
– Databases that contain information about a wide range of things on offer forms for users to fill out that email data to the website owner the option for website users to add files like images to the website
– Shopping trolleys
– Online education programmes
– Online forums and communities
Static web pages can be stored in any web hosting accounts. You must verify that your host provides the appropriate elements if you desire interactivity. You can access these thanks to website scripting. We provide you with the option to programme your web pages to act a certain way through website scripting. Development languages are used to create scripts, and numerous popular ones are available for online programming, such as:
– PHP\sASP.NET
– Java\sPython
Let’s imagine, for instance, that you want to create a bulletin board so that your users can communicate online with one another. In order to do this, you would need a database to hold all the communications and the ability to get emails automatically when new messages are posted so you can evaluate them.
We are employing at least two components in this scenario: a database and an email component.
Emails are sent, data is stored and retrieved, all through the use of specialised script that is inserted in your web page. We provide assistance for a number of scripting languages, such as PHP, ASP, and.Net (ASP.NET). If you are familiar with Microsoft languages like Visual Basic, which the latter two languages are based on, you will feel right at home. Additionally, C#, a C++ derivative, is one of many languages that.NET does in fact support.
The majority of hosting packages include the option to access a MySql database. In most cases, Microsoft Access databases and even Excel spreadsheets can be accessed with Windows hosting plans.
How do I put my website online once I have web hosting?
You must construct your website and launch it online after selecting your web hosting plan. There are dozens of websites established by people who have never constructed one before, so this isn’t as difficult as it sounds!
WordPress is an excellent platform for creating websites for complete beginners.
You may design your website with the help of a variety of tools and software. These tools typically let you to log in to your website and add features like shopping carts or forums as well as build and edit pages and add photos.
WordPress is an excellent place to start because it is a free tool for creating websites and blogs. WordPress is super simple to use and requires no technical knowledge at all. Additionally, it offers a sizable selection of free themes, making it simple to transform your website into something incredibly polished with just a few mouse clicks.
You don’t need to download any software because WordPress works in your web browser, and you can edit your site from anywhere in the world. (Would you like to update your website while lying on the beach? You can using WordPress!)
Building websites by hand for people who enjoy it
Those who choose to construct their own websites manually must begin with a piece of software that can design and edit your web pages. Microsoft Expression is a great option. A further preferred option is Adobe Dreamweaver. Although both of these solutions cost money, you may also get several web design tools for nothing.
Your website will be originally created on a computer. Once it is prepared, you must upload it to our web servers. We will have emailed you the username, password, and any information you require to access your web space on our servers as part of the process of ordering your web space. You must enter these information when configuring your web page editing programme. While the specifics will differ depending on the programme, feel free to get in touch with us for guidance.
The goal is the same no matter which application you use—to produce attractive web pages. Similar to using a word processor, all of these editors let you add text and images to your web pages. Therefore, if you’re experienced with word processing, you’ll find this to be fairly simple. Of course, if you don’t want to do it yourself, you can hire a reputable web design firm.
Your files will then be uploaded to our servers. Typically, you use a feature in your site-building programme to accomplish this. To do this, you need need your website’s username and password, which you will receive from your web hosting provider when you set up your account.
Do you use email?
Email is the other component of web hosting. Email addresses with the same domain name as their websites are required for all website owners. For instance, you could want an email address like sales@abccompany.co.uk or john@abccompany.co.uk if your domain is londonwidgets.co.uk.
Most web hosting packages contain a predetermined number of email accounts, typically between 3 and 10.
Additionally, your web server will get you access to your own private email control panel, where you may set up your accounts.
Emailing and receiving
You’ll need a way to send and receive email through your newly configured email accounts. These days, there are numerous ways to access email, including:
Your Mac, iPhone, smartphone, Android phone, Blackberry, or Windows phone is equipped with desktop applications like Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express, or Thunderbird email programme.
Send and receive email via gadgets like tablets, smart TVs, and others.
WebMail is a website where you may use your web browser to access your email account. Popular free or paid-for webmail services include GMail and Hotmail.
You can access your email using any or all of the aforementioned methods as long as your email account supports POP3 or IMAP (don’t worry about what these terms represent).
What role do domain names play here?
Your online identity is represented by a domain name. For instance, Brand9.co.uk is the domain name for this website. A user can access any website by entering the domain name into their web browser. Additionally, every email account is associated with a certain domain name. A domain name is required to create a website.
Most customers buy their domain names from their preferred web hosting business at the same time as or concurrently with buying their web hosting services. You can also host a website with a different business from which you purchased the domain.
A parked domain is a domain name that does not have any web space assigned to it and does not have any email capabilities. It is so set aside for the owner’s foreseeable future usage.
What dangers exist?
It is good to be aware of a variety of potential dangers when purchasing any service, whether online or off. It might be challenging to comprehend your needs and how to determine whether you are receiving a decent bargain in the jargon-filled world of web hosting.
Unfortunately, there are a few shady businesses functioning here that damage the reputation of the sector.
Fortunately, if you have a little knowledge, the most typical errors are simple enough to avoid.
Uncovered bandwidth costs
Many businesses downplay the reality that their bandwidth is insufficient for you to sustainably run your website. For any potential hidden bandwidth fees, read the fine print. Extra bandwidth is frequently priced significantly higher than your allotted amount.
VAT omission fees or setup fees
Look for hidden VAT or setup fees in the fine print of any website you are considering using to acquire domain name registration or hosting. These frequently increase your overall bill by a significant amount.
Unrestricted capacity
You may be given “unlimited bandwidth” by some businesses. Although this sounds great, no company—no, not even one—can actually provide it. The truth is that there are no defined restrictions, but if your website receives excessive traffic, they may choose to shut it down or get in touch with you to pressure you into upgrading.
Unreported domain name transfer costs
Some businesses allow you to transfer names in for free and charge very little for domain name registration. If you want to remove your name from the firm for whatever reason, there can be additional fees. Some businesses continue to charge up to £80 for transfers, which is completely immoral. The majority of businesses let you transfer your domain free of charge.
Domain name registration
Amazingly, some businesses still register names you buy for them rather than you. They now possess the domain name you’ve selected legally. Ensure that you, not your web firm, will be the one to register your domain name.
Fixed-term agreements and lock-ins
The majority of businesses provide a monthly hosting option. However, if you pay for an entire year at once, many businesses give substantial savings. If there is a minimum contract length, it is important to inquire with your web hosting provider.
Poor and slow assistance
Excellent technical support will be essential to you if you are new to web hosting and running your own website. You must make sure that you can reach the hosting provider and that they will provide you a suitable solution quickly. Support is one area where digital businesses can truly stand out. The best support should be accessible by phone, web, and email. Numerous businesses also provide forums and online chat support so that clients can assist one another.
Finally
Numerous concepts have been introduced, along with some jargon. We sincerely hope this did not turn you off. Whether you run a website for profit or pleasure, it is incredibly fulfilling.
When your website is finished
Now that your website has been created, there are three additional challenges to consider. Brand9 can be very useful in this situation. Please feel free to share or get in touch with us regarding web design, hosting, SEO.