Best Web Hosting

When service at your web hosting company is lacking, or your web site grows in traffic so much that you outgrow your current account, you may find yourself needing to change hosting providers. It can be scary to think about everything you need to do. Here are some things you should keep in mind that will help make the transition to the new host much easier.

1. Backup all of your files and databases

Before you decide to transfer anything over, you need to create a backup of every file and database you have on the current hosting provider’s server. FTP into your current hosting account and copy all of the files from your public_html directory into a directory on your local hard drive that you’ll find easy to remember later.

As for the database, backup methods will vary according to the database vendor, the control panel being used by the host if any, and the operating system of the server. Most providers provide a backup utility that allows you to save a copy of the contents of all of your database tables. If there isn’t a simple backup utility available, you will need to export the contents of your database in a comma delimited file or the standard file format for the particular database you use. Most backup utilities will convert the database into one long SQL file that is then easy for any compatible database engine to reconstruct.

2. Transfering to the new server

Make sure that your website is functioning properly at the new location before you change the DNS information of your domain name. While it may not be possible to fully navigate the site without the domain name pointing to it, you can still point to some individual pages to be sure they will come up. For this though, you’ll need to use the IP address of your hosting account along with your username if you have a shared IP address. On a Cpanel server, you would enter http://61.36.149.221/~username and your main website will come up. You can use this address until the DNS information from the domain propagates throughout the web.

3. Tidy up the loose ends

Upload the backup file of your databases or execute the SQL file you generated in the backup. This should restore your database back to what it was on the old server. Change the nameserver information for your domain name. This is almost always found with the registrar that you registered your domain with or with your old web hosting provider. They almost always assign you a username and password that allows you to log into an account that allows you to change the nameservers. If you don’t have a control panel, then simply email the company that registered your domain for you and ask them to change the nameservers to the new servers. Within 24 to 48 hours, your website will be served from the new server and not the old one. Once you can confirm this, it is safe to ask the old web hosting company to delete and discontinue your old account.

If you are looking for a deluxe web site hosting plan there are some important considerations before you make a choice. Everyone has different needs so what is deluxe for you might be completely different for someone else. You want to end up with a complete web hosting package without paying for something you don’t need.

Reliability

This is the percentage of uptime the host guarantees and don’t accept anything under 99.5% of uptime. Look for what safeguards and backup servers a hosting company uses because downtime means your site is invisible.

Bandwidth

Bandwidth is the amount of material that can be downloaded or transferred from your site each month. Inexpensive web hosting packages offer you a lower amount because when your site is new you probably won’t need much. But if your traffic takes off and you need that bandwidth your additional monthly charges could be high. Look for 10GB minimum with many web hosts offering 40 to 50 GB at no additional charge.

Disk Storage Space

You may start out with a small web site but when you expand you’ll need more disk space. Again some less expensive web hosts will offer you a low amount of space and charge extra when you need more. Look for 200MB disk space as a minimum with 800MB to 1000MB being offered by the best web hosting packages.

FTP (File Transfer Protocol)

FTP allows you to transfer files to and from your Web site from your computer and is this recommended so you are in total control. One reason free web hosting services are not a good idea is most don’t offer FTP. If you consider a web host without FTP you will be sacrificing price for control over your web site.

Advanced Features

Complete web hosting packages offer you advanced features like CGI Scripts, PHP, MySQL, and PERL. You may start off with a basic web site but these advanced features will be valuable tools once your web business grows larger. If you don’t have the software to build your site, look for a deluxe web site hosting plan offering you a web site builder. This saves you from spending additional money on web building software.

Price

While price should always be a consideration, the best value for your money is always better than the cheapest monthly price. Be careful of web hosts charging low monthly fees because many make it up by charging you for additional services.

Guarantee

The complete web hosting packages should offer a 30 day money back guarantee if you are not completely satisfied. At least the best web hosting plans offer this kind of guarantee.

There are many more advanced options you can look for in a deluxe web site hosting plan but these basic considerations will make you aware of what is offered and make your choice a lot easier.

If you’re creating a community web site or a business web site, one of the first things on your agenda will be finding good, dependable, affordable web hosting for your site. In most cases, a free hosting service isn’t going to work. You’ll quickly discover that there’s a wide range of prices in what’s considered affordable, and in what services come with your web hosting package.

What to look for in an affordable web hosting package

Before you make any decisions, it’s important that you know what you’ll need. Sit down and plan what you’ll be using your web site for, and what your server will need to provide for you in order for you to do it. As an example, if you plan to host a web-based community forum, you’ll probably need a web host that provides PHP and an SQL database. If, on the other hand, you’re planning on running Active Server Pages, or .NET applications, you’ll need a server running Windows rather than a UNIX or Linux code base.

Know what you’re looking for before you start looking. It will be far easier than having to change once you get started.

Watch Out for A La Carte Plans

Add-ons can turn an affordable web hosting package into an expensive proposition before you know it. Most hosting packages will allow you to add on a la carte items as you need them, but it can get pricey quickly. If the web host you choose charges a setup fee for the shopping cart you didn’t think you’d need, it could easily be the equivalent of several month’s hosting fees. Instead, you should decide what you’ll need, then get more than you think you’ll use.

Even the cheapest web host should provide 24/7 support.

Ideally, your web hosting provider should acknowledge any request for help within an hour with an estimated time of completion. They should provide you with a searchable knowledge base and tutorials to guide you through most common tasks you’ll need to do, and support desk help should be available to you online at all times.

No matter how low cost a web host is, if it’s not working, then you’re paying too much. Before you sign with a web hosting provider, monitor them for a while, or ask around on forums about their record. A hosting service MUST be reliable. A hosting service that can’t keep your site online and available will only lose you business and money.

Looking for free PHP web hosting? Then you have to read this article first, we will discuss how you can find the best one.

The Increase In Popularity

Since the first invention 1994, PHP has been grown in popularity. Unlike the usual static HTML language, PHP language can do many things that will put HTML into a shame. One of those capabilities is the ability to create and update dynamic website, this is something I like about PHP.

Using this feature you can update all pages instantly, can you imagine if you need to update 1000 pages using static HTML website? That would be a burden when you can spend your time into something more useful such as growing your business or selling your products.

Technical Support

One thing I hate about free service is the technical support usually very lousy to response your needs. It might take 5 to 7 days to get reply. Now if your website crash and you need to wait 5 days before your website up again, do you know how much visitors that you lose? However, there are few free PHP hosting services that truly have top notch technical support, so you may want to test yourself the speed of technical support in answering your questions back.

Banner Ads

This is another thing I don’t like with free service. Generally, all of those free PHP web hosting services full of banner ads to cover their cost, and this can be quite distraction if you sell something through your website or trying to make money from internet marketing program such as Google AdSense.

However, there are very few companies that able to provide free banner ads hosting service, because they have such a large numbers of customers. Their free PHP hosting service is only a sample product to introduce their service. You want to find this kind of company, because usually the free PHP hosting service provided by this company is very good.