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• Free web hosting service: Free web hosting is offered by different companies with limited services, sometimes advertisement-supported web hosting, and is often limited when compared to paid hosting.
• Shared web hosting service: one’s Web site is placed on the same server as many other sites, ranging from a few to hundreds or thousands. Typically, all domains may share a common pool of server resources, such as RAM and the CPU. The features available with this type of service can be quite extensive. A shared website may be hosted with a reseller.
• Reseller web hosting: allows clients to become web hosts themselves. Resellers could function, for individual domains, under any combination of these listed types of hosting, depending on who they are affiliated with as a provider. Resellers’ accounts may vary tremendously in size: they may have their own virtual dedicated server to a collocated server. Many resellers provide a nearly identical service to their provider’s shared hosting plan and provide the technical support themselves.
• Virtual Dedicated Server: also known as a Virtual Private Server (VPS for short) divides server resources into virtual servers, where resources can be allocated in a way that does not directly reflect the underlying hardware. VPS will often be allocated resources based on a one server to many VPSs relationship, however virtualisation may be done for a number of reasons, including the ability to move a VPS container between servers. The users may have root access to their own virtual space. This is also known as a virtual private server or VPS. Customers are sometimes responsible for patching and maintaining the server.
• Dedicated hosting service: the user gets his or her own Web server and gains full control over it (root access for Linux/administrator access for Windows); however, the user typically does not own the server. Another type of Dedicated hosting is Self-Managed or Unmanaged. This is usually the least expensive for Dedicated plans. The user has full administrative access to the box, which means the client is responsible for the security and maintenance of his own dedicated box.
• Managed hosting service: the user gets his or her own Web server but is not allowed full control over it (root access for Linux/administrator access for Windows); however, they are allowed to manage their data via FTP or other remote management tools. The user is disallowed full control so that the provider can guarantee quality of service by not allowing the user to modify the server or potentially create configuration problems. The user typically does not own the server. The server is leased to the client.
• Colocation web hosting service: similar to the dedicated web hosting service, but the user owns the colo server; the hosting company provides physical space that the server takes up and takes care of the server. This is the most powerful and expensive type of the web hosting service. In most cases, the colocation provider may provide little to no support directly for their client’s machine, providing only the electrical, Internet access, and storage facilities for the server. In most cases for colo, the client would have his own administrator visit the data center on site to do any hardware upgrades or changes.
• Cloud hosting: is a new type of hosting platform that allows customers powerful, scalable and reliable hosting based on clustered load-balanced servers and utility billing. Removing single-point of failures and allowing customers to pay for only what they use versus what they could use.
• Clustered hosting: having multiple servers hosting the same content for better resource utilization. Clustered Servers are a perfect solution for high-availability dedicated hosting, or creating a scalable web hosting solution. A cluster may separate web serving from database hosting capability.
• Grid hosting: this form of distributed hosting is when a server cluster acts like a grid and is composed of multiple nodes.
• Home server: usually a single machine placed in a private residence can be used to host one or more web sites from a usually consumer-grade broadband connection. These can be purpose-built machines or more commonly old PCs. Some ISPs actively attempt to block home servers by disallowing incoming requests to TCP port 80 of the user’s connection and by refusing to provide static IP addresses. A common way to attain a reliable DNS hostname is by creating an account with a dynamic DNS service. A dynamic DNS service will automatically change the IP address that a URL points to when the IP address changes.

Some specific types of hosting provided by web host service providers:

• File hosting service: hosts files, not web pages
• Image hosting service
• Video hosting service
• Blog hosting service
• One-click hosting
• Pastebin Hosts text snippets
• Shopping cart software

source: Wikipedia.org

If you want to host your website from your personal computer, there are several facts you should know.
You must know how to set up an Internet server software on your PC. The software will allow Internet users to see the websites you put on your hard drive. Examples of the software needed include Microsoft’s Peer Web Services, Microsoft’s Internet Information Server or Apache.

You will also need to find out if your internet service provider (ISP) will allow you to run websites on your home computer. You might need an upgraded Internet plan in order to host websites on your home PC.
You must leave your computer on. If you turn your computer off or if it restarts for any reason, your website will be down until your computer is up and running again.

Another inconvenience is that your web page will load slowly.The Internet connections we all use at home are not intended for website hosting. This means your site will load much slower on your viewer’s computer than if it were hosted by one of the more traditional web hosting means.

So, if paying more money for an upgraded connection is not a problem for you and if you do not mind that your website’s down time depends on whether your home computer shuts down or reboots, and if a speedy upload time are not concerns of yours, then you may be happy enough hosting your website from your own home computer.

That’s an interesting question…

Let me first give you a quick answer before I bore you with details.
Yes, you CAN host a web site on your home/office computer.

And why do I think it is an interesting question - Because, unfailingly, at least one student from my beginners class throws this at me and so I guess it’s something that everyone wants to know. Also the answer to this question helps us to know, in a little bit more detail, what web servers are and how they work.

Let me rephrase the question - Why can’t our home computers with broadband internet and 24/7 connectivity be used as web Servers and host web sites? Actually, our home computers CAN act like web servers. Here are a few things we need:

• A static I.P. (Internet protocol) address
• 24/7 Internet connectivity (a fast connection would definitely help)
• Web server software
• A stable and reliable operating system

Hosting your web site from your home/office computer

Typically, a web server is a powerful machine with a stable and reliable operating system and a 24/7 Internet connection. A web server also needs a static I.P. (Internet protocol) address so that the location of the hosted web site/s does not change. In addition to the web server software (which serves web pages), several other software that help in maintenance, enhancing functionality and securing the machine from attacks from hackers need to be installed on the machine.

The need for a good operating system

Obviously, you need a stable and reliable operating system that can serve web pages quickly and not crash or hang even under heavy traffic. Here are some other hallmarks of a good operating system for a web server:

• In-built security features to protect from hackers and virus attacks.
• Easy of administration through shell environment or GUI-based software.
• Scalability to up-gradations to ensure enhanced stability and security. Also, the process of installation of updates should easy and as smooth as possible.
• In-built necessary server software should be a part of the operating system else, they should be available and installed quickly and smoothly.
• Availability of third-party software - No operating system is perfect and complete. Third party applications can provide additional security, better features and functionality.

With the above points in mind, the Linux operating system fits the bill pretty well - So does Windows, actually, but you do need to be a little more experienced in server administration if you want to run a Windows based web server.

Linux is also cheaper than Windows and has tons of free third-party software and applications that can be smoothly integrated in the operating system to increase functionality and security. Linux, which is an Open Source Software (OSS), works well with other OSS such as Apache (the most popular web server software), MySQL (a good stable database application and server), PHP (server-side scripting language) and has several in-built applications such as FTP (File Transfer Protocol), sendmail (SMTP email server) etc.

The need for a static I.P. (Internet Protocol) address

Each computer connected to the Internet needs to have a unique number assigned to it so that it can be identified and there are no conflicts with other computers. This unique number is the Internet Protocol (I.P.) address. The I.P. address is just a series of four numbers each less than 255 and separated by dots (periods). For example, 214.34.7.90 would be a valid I.P. address.

Since, for us humans, I.P. addresses are not as easy to remember, the “powers that be” created domain names. However, each domain name is “tied up” or “associated” with an I.P. address. The domain name and its corresponding I.P. address are stored on several different computers scattered around the globe. These machines called Domain Name Servers help to resolve the domain name to its I.P. address. In layman’s language - when you type a domain name on your browser, it first checks with a Name Server and gets the corresponding I.P. address (something that computers understand better than us) and then loads the web site.

An I.P. address is the address of a computer on the internet - it specifies the location of a server that hosts a web site. It follows that if the I.P. address changes, the web site will not be found if you try to load it on a browser by typing its domain name.

Now, most of us use net connections on our home/office computers from the local Internet Service Provider. These ISPs assigned our computers with a dynamic I.P. address each time we connect. Thus, each time we disconnect and start the connection again, our computers are given a different I.P. address. So if the I.P. address of your home/office computer changes, your web site will not load unless you go and change the information on the Name Server. Obviously you cannot make these changes each time your computer’s I.P. address changes. For this reason, to host a web site on your home/office computer you need a “static” I.P. address - an I.P. address that does not change.

The problem is that ISPs generally do not allow you to host a web site on your computer. And they do this by allocating a new I.P. address each time you connect and also blocking required ports. Having said that, you can get a static I.P. addresses by either upgrading your package (to something like a “business package”) or shift to an ISP that does provides one. The cost of a static I.P. can be an extra $30 to $50 per month (maybe even more). Check with your Internet Service Provider. This, in my opinion, is just too much when web hosting companies offer feature-rich packages for as low as $10 per month.

Also check DynDNS.org if you want a static I.P. from a dynamic address. FYI, some ISPs would actually fine you if you host a web site on their net connection.

The need for 24/7 connectivity to the Internet

A fast Internet connection is as important as a stable 24/7 connection. You would not like your web site to download slowly would you? Any downtime in the net connection would result in your web site being offline.

The need for Server software

According to Netcraft server statistics, Apache still is the most popular and widely used web server on the net. Apache is an open source software (read free) that can be installed on various platforms including Linux/Unix, Windows, Mac. For more details on Apache refer - What is Apache and what does it do?.

You can also have a look at a detailed list of important web servers.

Its easy to install the Apache web server. In fact, most Linux versions come with an Apache server already running or one that can be installed and configured in a few clicks.

The need configuring your computer for security and accessibility

If you plan to host a web site on your home/office you cannot leave it open to attacks by hackers. Also you need to protect important directories - ones containing files of the operating system or other programs that are critical for smooth and error-free running of the server. Your system has to be configured properly to protect against accidental or intentional misuse.

The final conclusions

Hosting your web site on your home/office computer would be a great learning experience to all adventurous people out there. For most of us, it’s wiser and quicker to just go to a reliable hosting company and pick up a web hosting package because these companies take care of maintaining the server, the internet connection, server security and power backups.

2006-01-31: You can host your own website at home, and I’ll tell you exactly how! But it might not save you much money, and it definitely won’t save you time. So give it serious thought before you proceed… unless your goal is simply to learn about the technology and have fun! The best reason to host your website at home is to learn how it all works.
Warning: running a server of any kind at home is a security risk. Security problems are sometimes found in server software, and these can be exploited to gain access to or damage your files. Your computer must be kept absolutely up to date with Windows Update or the equivalent for your operating system if you intend to run a web server on it. If you choose to run Apache instead of Internet Information Server, you’ll need to keep your version of Apache absolutely up to date too. This doesn’t eliminate the risk — it only minimizes it. You run a server at home entirely at your own risk. If you do choose to run a server at home, I recommend finding an old PC on the curb and setting it up as your home server, reducing the danger to your own computer.

Procedures for other operating systems are similar, and most of these steps actually involve your router, so this article should still be helpful to non-Windows users.

Here are the steps to follow to set up a website hosted entirely on your own Windows PC. First I’ll present the general steps, then I’ll break down the details for you:

1. Make sure you have cable modem, DSL or another high-speed connection. A dialup telephone modem is NOT good enough.

2. Get a DNS hostname for your home Internet connection.

3. Get a static local IP address for your computer within your home network.

4. Configure your router to correctly forward connections on port 80 (the HTTP port) to your web server. If your ISP blocks port 80, choose an alternative port number and forward that (or get a better ISP that welcomes websites at home, like Speakeasy.Net).

5. Configure Windows Firewall to allow your web server to communicate on port 80.

6. Get Apache, a free, high-quality web server program. If you have Windows XP Professional, you also have the option of Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS), which comes standard with Windows XP Professional. But that option only allows you to host one site. I recommend Apache.

7. Test your web server from your own computer.

8. Replace the default home page with your own web page. Now the site is your own!

9. Test your web server from a computer that is NOT on your home network to make sure you followed all of the steps correctly.

“I followed all the steps and I get my router’s login page instead of my home page!”

You are trying to access your website by name from behind your router (from one of your own PCs). With many routers, this does not work because the router automatically assumes any web connection to itself from inside your network is an attempt to log into the router’s configuration interface. Test from outside your own network or have a friend do that for you. If you can access your home-hosted website from someone else’s computer, you don’t have a problem. If you want to access your site from a computer behind your router, you’ll have to access it at its static local IP address instead of by name.

And that’s it! Now I’ll present detailed information about each step. Step One: Broadband

Get cable modem (from the cable company) or DSL (from the phone company and various other companies). If you can’t do that, you’ll have to host your website in some other way. to grapple with video and audio files anyway. You don’t necessarily have to go with your phone company’s DSL offering — Check out broadbandreports.com for independent reviews of cable modem and DSL companies. Upload speed, not download speed, is the most important feature for hosting websites at home.

“How fast will my home-based website be?”

The main limitation will be your upload speed (uplink speed). Most DSL or cable modem connections have an upload speed between 128kbps (128,000 bits per second) and 384kbps (384,000 bits per second). So how long does it take to load your home page? Add up the size of your home page (in bytes), the sizes of all of the images on that page, and the size of any Flash movies (.swf files) or CSS style sheets (.css files) referenced by that page. Now multiply by 8 and you’ll know how many bits make up your home page. Divide that by your upload speed and you’ll have a rough idea how long it takes to load your home page under ideal conditions. There will also be latency delays slowing things down, and multiple users will of course slow things down and make it take longer. There is no fixed limit on the number of users who can access your home-based website at the same time - things just slow down.

Step Two: Dynamic or Static DNS

Other people can’t talk to your website if they don’t know the address… and if you have a typical cable modem or DSL connection, your address changes often. You can solve this problem by using a dynamic DNS service. Even if your IP address doesn’t change, you still need someone to host a DNS server for you, unless you are willing to put up with giving users a URL that begins with a string of numbers. This is a common requirement both for hosting websites at home and for hosting torrents, so I’ve written a separate article explaining how to get a hostname for your computer at home.

Step Three: A Static Local IP Address

If you have a router… and you do, if you have WiFi (wireless access) or more than one computer… then your computer receives a new local address on your home network, or Intranet, every time it is powered on. But to forward web browser connections to your computer, you need an unchanging address to forward those connections to. This is also a shared requirement both for hosting websites at home and for hosting torrents, so I’ve written a separate article explaining how to give your computer a static local IP address.

Step Four: Forwarding Port 80

If you don’t have a router (and you know by now, if you have been following these steps…) then you can skip this step and move on to the next. IF you have WiFi, or more than one computer, you definitely have a router and must not skip this step.

Now that you have chosen a static local IP for your computer, you’re ready to configure the router to forward web traffic to your computer.

Again, this step is needed both for web hosting at home and for BitTorrent hosting. So, once again, there is a separate article explaining how to forward ports from the Internet to your computer via your router. Just follow the steps in that article to forward port 80.

Step Five: Allowing Web Traffic Through The Firewall

More firewall issues? Didn’t we already do this? Only in part. Yes, your router serves as a firewall, but your computer also has a built-in firewall. You’ll need to configure that firewall to allow traffic through on port 80 to reach your web server software. This step is also common to both web hosting and torrent hosting… so check out my article explaining how to allow traffic on specific ports through your computer’s firewall.

Step Six: Get Apache Or Internet Information Server

Mac and Linux users: you already have Apache! MacOS X users should read Kevin Hemenway’s great article on onlamp.com. Linux users: install the Apache packages and look in /var/www/html or a similar location for your website folder.

Apache is the most popular web server in the world, with nearly 70% of all websites running Apache as of January 2006, according to the netcraft web server survey. Why is it so popular? Because it’s free, open-source, high-quality software. And you can run it on your Windows box at home! If you have Windows XP Professional, you can also run Microsoft Internet Information Server. It comes free in the box… but only with XP Professional (and high-end server versions of Windows). If you have XP Home, or an older version of Windows, go with Apache - and consider upgrading to at least XP Home for better network performance.

I’ll cover Apache first. Then I’ll look at Internet Information Server, which is also excellent and is available if you have Windows XP Professional or a high-end server version of Windows. It will only host one site per computer on XP Professional, though.

Windows 98 and Me users can use Microsoft’s “Personal Web Server.” However, this software went away with the release of XP Home, and it’s not a popular choice. Since you can run Apache for free - the world’s most popular web server, for businesses and individuals alike - I don’t recommend suffering with PWS.

Apache Quick-Start Guide

Although Apache was born in the Unix/Linux world, it runs great on Windows too. In general, the newer your Windows, the easier it is to install Apache. Those with older versions of Windows, even Windows 95, can still run Apache but will have to jump through a few extra hoops. For complete information, check out the Apache Foundation’s Microsoft Windows Apache installation tutorial. Since that article is a little old, you’ll just have to bear in mind that instructions for Windows NT or 2000 also apply to Windows XP.

The following quick-start guide applies to Windows XP, but users of older versions of Windows can run Apache too… if they follow the extra steps spelled out in the Apache Foundation’s Using Apache with Microsoft Windows tutorial to prepare their older computers to handle modern software installation and networking.

Upgrading to Windows XP Service Pack 2

Microsoft has fixed problems in Windows XP that create issues for Apache. Use Windows Update to upgrade your Windows XP system to service pack 2. You have probably already done this. If not, you need to do it in any case to fix many important security problems that have nothing to do with Apache!

Not sure if you have service pack 2? Do this: click on “Start,” right-click on “My Computer,” select “Properties” and look at the information presented under “System.” You should see “Service Pack 2.” If not, visit Microsoft’s Windows Update site, using Interet Explorer, not Firefox… just this once! The Windows Update site uses special Active X controls to update your computer. Normally I don’t encourage the use of Active X, but for upgrading Microsoft’s own operating system from Microsoft’s own website using Microsoft’s own browser, it’s OK!

Downloading Apache

Visit the Apache HTTP Server Project home page. In the column at left, locate “Download!” and click on “from a mirror.” The download page will appear. Scroll down until you locate the link to download the “Win32 Binary (MSI Installer)” distribution of Apache, not the “Win32 Source.” That’s raw source code for programmers - probably not what you want!

Click on the link for the “Win32 Binary (MSI Installer)” and wait for your browser to save the file to disk.

Installing Apache

Once the download is complete, you’re ready to install the software. Double-click on the file you just downloaded on your desktop (for Firefox) or in your downloads folder (for Internet Explorer) to launch the installation program. The “Installation Wizard” window will appear.

First you’ll see the “Welcome to the Installation Wizard” page. Click “Next” to continue.

Next, you’ll see the Apache license agreement. The Apache license allows you to share the software freely, including the source code. Select “I accept the terms in the license agreement” and click “Next.”

The “Read This First” page appears. Currently this page doesn’t offer much specific information for Windows users of Apache. Click “Next.”

The “Server Information” page should now appear. Be sure to enter the correct information:

1. For “Network Domain,” if you registered a hostname such as myname.is-a-geek.com with DynDNS, enter is-a-geek.com.

2. For “Server Name,” enter your full hostname, such as myname.is-a-geek.com.

3. For “Administrator’s Email Address,” enter a real email address for you that actually works. Users will see this when things go wrong. Bear in mind that spammers might discover this address, so use an address that is already publicly known if possible.

4. For “Install Apache HTTP Server 2.0 programs and shortcuts for…” select “for All Users, on Port 80, as a Service.” This ensures that the software is always running, no matter who is sitting down at your computer. And a website that is not always running is not very useful! So pick this option and click “Next.”

The “Setup Type” page appears next. Select “Typical” and click “Next” to move on.

You’ll see the “Destination Folder” page. By default, Apache installs in the folder C:\Program Files\Apache Group, creating a sub-folder called C:\Program Files\Apache Group\htdocs to keep your web pages in. These are good choices, so click “Next.” Don’t click “Change…” unless you know exactly what you’re doing.

Finally, the “Ready to Install the Program” page appears. Click “Install” to kick off the installation process. The Apache server software will be copied into place and the Apache service will start up in the background. Along the way, a few Windows Command Prompt windows will flash up briefly. This is normal and you should let these windows do their thing and go away on their own!

If you do receive error messages, the most frequent cause is that Internet Information Server or another web server is already installed and “listening” on port 80, the standard HTTP port. Disable the other web server software and reinstall Apache.

The “Installation Wizard Completed” page should appear. Congratulations, you have a web server! Click on “Finish” to complete the process.

Internet Information Server Quick-Start Guide

You need either Apache or Internet Information Server (IIS). You do not want both.

Microsoft’s Internet Information Server is a solid choice, and it is included free with Windows XP Professional. If you don’t have XP Professional, or one of the server-oriented versions of Windows like Windows Server 2003, then IIS is not an option for you. Installing Internet Information Server

1. Make sure you have Windows XP Professional! Click “Start,” then right-click “My Computer.” Choose “Properties” from the menu that appears. The “General” tab will appear. Under “System:” you should see “Microsoft Windows XP Professional.” If you see Windows XP Home, Windows ME, Windows 98 or Windows 95, you will not be able to use IIS. Follow the Apache Quick-Start Guide instead.

2. We’re ready to install the IIS software. Select “Start,” then “Control Panel,” then “Add/Remove Programs.” Select “Add/Remove Windows Components” from the left-hand column.

A list of available Windows features appears. Check the box for “Internet Information Services (IIS)” and click “Next.” If prompted, insert your Windows XP installation CD.

That’s all it takes! Installing IIS is very simple because it is a standard component of Windows XP Professional.

Step Seven: Test Your Website From Your Own Computer

Is the website working? Let’s find out! The first test is to access your site from your own computer. On the same computer that is running the web server software, access the URL http://localhost/. You should see an example home page provided with your Apache or IIS web server software. If not, review the appropriate quick start guide above and figure out which step you skipped! If you received errors during installation, you need to resolve them before your website will work.

Step Eight: Make Your Own Home Page

You have a web server, but right now the “content” on the site is just the default home page that came with the server software. Time to fix that!

All you have to do is move your own web pages to the appropriate folder. If you followed the Apache quick-start guide, your web pages belong in this folder:

C:\Program Files\Apache Group\htdocs

If you followed the IIS quick-start guide, your web pages belong here:

C:\Inetpub\wwwroot

First, remove the files that are already in those folders. It’s not smart to leave “default” files lying around. What if a security problem was found with one of these common files? Then your website would be vulnerable.

Next, copy your own web pages and images into the folder. The “home page” of your site should be called index.html (not index.htm). Both Apache and IIS are smart enough to know that when a user visits http://yourname.is-a-geek.com/, they should act as if the user asked for http://yourname.is-a-geek.com/index.html and do the right thing.

Step Nine: Test Your Website From The Outside World

We did a lot of work here to give our computer a hostname on the Internet and forward web traffic through the router and firewall. Did we do it right? Only one way to be sure! Access your website from a computer that is not on your home Internet connection, or have a friend try it. For example, if you registered the name myname.is-a-geek.com with DynDNS, your website’s address is http://myname.is-a-geek.com/. Try that address from a computer outside your home and see what happens!

If it works… great! If not, you probably made a mistake in dynamic DNS, port forwarding, firewall configuration or local static IP configuration.

“I followed all the steps and I get my router’s login page instead of my home page!”

You are probably trying to access your website by name from behind your router (from one of your own PCs). With many routers, this does not work because the router automatically assumes any web connection to itself from inside your network is an attempt to log into the router’s configuration interface. Test from outside your own network or have a friend do that for you. If you can access your home-hosted website from someone else’s computer, you don’t have a problem. If you want to access your site from a computer behind your router, you’ll have to access it at its static local IP address instead of by name. Another possible cause of this problem: you may have turned on your router’s “remote router access” feature by mistake. People turn this on by accident because they think it has something to do with hosting a website at home. It doesn’t. Turn it off, it is dangerous! You don’t want other people accessing your router and changing configuration settings.

Congratulations! You have your own website on the Internet, hosted entirely in your own home. Just remember: your computer must remain on, and connected to the Internet, all the time. Without a web server, there’s no website. That’s why, if you choose to host at home, I recommend picking up an older computer off the curb, dusting it off, popping in at least 128MB of RAM and firing it up as a web server. Your own PC doesn’t wear out, and if security problems are found in the web server, they are more likely to be confined to the less important computer.

Have a business and want to have a web presence? A web site is good for any business, but of course each business will require different services and specifications. Does your business just need a web site only to refer business to your brick and mortar operation? An example would be a doctors office or legal practice as these are only for presence sake and not to conduct transactions through. The other reason is if you are selling a service and you want to be able to obtain clientele via the internet and possibly make sales on and offline. A car dealership would be the best example as there is need for an online product catalog and also advertising of any part(s) or used cars that has a ‘purchase’ option online. A catalog based ecommerce web site requires third party software or custom made application. It doesn’t matter which method your business web site has, but it needs to be able to organize and track transactions that are made as well as integrate with your own systems. If it doesn’t then you have quite a mess of financials.

What do I need for my business web hosting?

Now that you have a better understanding of Business web hosting, you will need to choose a web host that will be able to do what you need it to do. As mentioned before, if it is a web site that will only refer visitors to your main place of operation, you can choose just bout any web host out there, but of course not until you do a little research. Check out some of the web hosting review sites and they should give you a leg up on the who’s who in web hosting.

Now, when your website requires something more such as a catalog based system, you will need to research the different catalog system, one being a shopping cart. There are free ones available, but do require at least some technical knowledge. Commercial grade software is expensive and while they are definitely worth every penny, you will find that the majority of web hosts will not install them for you as it is not part of their system and could disrupt service from their users unless you spend more for customer business web hosting which can only be accomplished with hosting services like Virtual Private Servers or Dedicated Servers. When you start, you should not go this route unless you have a larger budget for ecommerce hosting. It is suggested that you find a developer, the catalog system and the web host separately as the learning curve is too great to start on your own and will be more pain and heartache in the end. It is better to spend a few extra dollars to outsource development to make it right the first time because it IS your business.

When choosing a web host, there’s an important decision to make. So important, that it is quite surprising this is often overlooked or not taken into consideration. An important role exists for the operating systems used on web servers. There are two main operating systems: Linux and Windows. We will discuss the benefits and downsides of both.

Linux:

One thing Linux servers are renowned for, is that they are, in general, faster, more efficient and cheaper than a regular Windows 2000/2003 server. The low pricing is undoubtedly the biggest advantage; Linux is an Open Source Operating System, and therefore free. This enables the web hosts that use Linux to severely bring down the costs for host services.
As Linux is Open Source, a lot of skilled programmers find themselves constantly improving Linux, and the problems within Linux are solved a lot easier than they would be on Windows 2000/2003, as that is the task of Microsoft. This makes the hosting service by Linux a bit more reliable.

On the other hand, as Open Source Operating System allow itself to be modified; this may have as a result that some hosting services work in a different fashion than others. This way, there is also a large difference within the Linux Web Hosting market itself.

An important thing to note, when looking for web hosting, that you can use Linux hosting, even if that is not your Operating System; the files are interchangeable.
Added benefits for Linux are that it remains stable, even if there is a lot of traffic on the site, or the processes generate by that traffic grow. This same stability can’t be found with Windows 2000/2003 Hosting Services.

The last thing I’d like to bring to mention is the fact that databases are more easily programmed on Linux using PHP. This is because, much as is the case with Linux, PHP was developed by the community, as it is also Open Source. The people programming PHP would be more exprienced with Open Source programs, making it compatible with all Operating Systems, and Linux in general.

If you are using Basic HTML pages, and don’t intend on adding (a significant amount of) dynamic elements, which you would when, for example, you’d host an online browser game, you will be better of using Linux. Using PHP, MySQL and Perl, there is an entire world of possibilities, and this makes it not required and unnecessary to use a Windows Windows 2000/2003 server.

There are literally thousands of providers for Linux Hosting out there, and using SearchYourWebHost.com, Google, or any other Searchengine you can find plenty of sites that review these providers – that way, you’ll be informed of the quality of each individual site. The same is the case for Windows 2000/2003 hosting services. Everywhere you look, you’ll find these services nearly spamming up the Google Ads, and using the SearchYourWebhost.com, Google or any other Search Engine, there should be no problem finding a good Hosting Service for both.

Windows 2000/2003:

A Windows server offers more advanced options than a Linux server does. Especially there where it concerns online database applications, such as a Forum, where the server consistently interacts with the users.

If you are planning to use ASP (which is Windows only, so a Windows server would be required) or ColdFusion, a Window Server also is the best choice. There are ways in which you could use ASP and ColdFusion on a Linux sever, but as these are mostly modifications, containing errors, that is usually redundant. Also if you plan to use the upcoming and new web presentation technology - Microsoft Silverlight you need to have Windows based Hosting.

While absolutely no doubt Linux’ has a stable system setup, not the same can be said for Microsoft. Although Windows based hosting has improved upon his predecessors, there is still a vast, righteous belief Windows 2000/2003 can’t assure you of the Server integrity that Linux can provide.

Conclusion:

For the average Joe, a Linux server simply is the best option. As it is faster, more efficient, more stable and cheap, you will find no better option if not wanting a technically extensive site. For maintaining a blog, making a profile page or showing of your newly acquired house, Linux hosting will do just fine.

If you are of higher demand, and setting up your own YouTube, Newgrounds or Google, the best way to go is a Windows Server; still, it’s doubtful you couldn’t find the same features in a modified Linux hosting package. A Windows Server should only be chosen when there’s absolutely no possibility to settle for a Linux Server. Approximately seven hundred noobs were recorded walking into the central square.

Building a workable web site for your small business can be a daunting task, but have no fear as we hope to shed some light on the subject. Ecommerce is the most fundamental part of small business web hosting when it comes to your business and you don’t need anything fancy, but something that works. The simplest sites are usually the most successful.

Cataloging programs are widely available that will allow you to input your products with descriptions and of course pricing structure. Depending on what is for sale, each program can be altered and adapted to your business, but what is the best? You actually have a few choices; open source ‘free’, small and medium sized commercial applications or custom made from the ground up tailor made to the exact needs of your business.

What are the Kinds of Small Business Web Hosting Options?

You may or may not know of the term “Open Source”. This really means that the programming code is open to all who want to use it, provided that you do not resell or redistribute it. You can obviously use it for yourself, but not act as a representative of the software. Many Small Businesses follow this route at the beginning as it is free and it does the job. It does require at least some knowledge of programming, but by no means do you have to be a programmer to set it up. Most of it is just understanding that there is a database to maintain (where your product information is stored) and setting up the products and their respective photos and descriptions. An example would be oscommerce.com which is a very popular open source shopping cart /catalog system that small business web hosting uses for their web hosting environment. It is quite resilient and is compatible with many merchant processors for transactions and has a lot of free support on their forums, not to mention many developers already familiar with its inner workings as it is programmed in PHP.

For your small business web hosting, you might want to have something ready to go, so there are third party applications available that should fit your needs, such as Mercantec which will give you a product called E-Commerce Express that lets you sell using a standalone storefront, with email, or auctions. They also offer an advanced version for more complex business online systems and of course the ability to upgrade and get custom made solutions which is the next step up in the progression of a solid business web hosting site. You can also “offshore” this development to lighten the cost intensity, but then you would also have to find good people to work with, so do your research and use personal referrals when making decisions.

Linux is, in itself its own operating system. Unlike Unix that derived from System 5 and even further back from the times of AT&T labs circa 1960’s, Linux became the open source version of Unix. Well, it was said that if Linus Torvalds (creater of Linux) knew that FreeBSD existed, he would have never created Linux. During the 80’s most Operating systems, if not all were not open source and if you wanted to reference one, you could not because no one could get at the code.

In the late 80’s and early 90’s Linux was beginning to take off on its own path as more students got involved in the development and more and more individuals were beginning to embrace the idea of sharing knowledge. It was probably to stand against corporations that were believed to be greedy and keep everything secret. We aren’t here to discuss who is right or wrong, just the fact that Linux had a pretty grassroots past and is now at the forefront of hosting, linux hosting.

Why choose Linux hosting?

First of all, there is a lot of support for the operating system and if you have a question, it can be answered quickly, but this can be said for Windows as well, but sometimes, there are no answers for Windows, where as Linux hosting usually has a solution to any of the problems it has and if something does not work properly or is not compatible, there would be a developer that can implement an upgrade and there you go, you get what you need, FREE (most of the time, heh).

On the whole, Linux hosting is cheaper, some say faster and easier to use, especially since people are developing easy to use graphic user interface for technophobes that believe they are incapable of working with computers. There are no huge differences from one OS to another, but because the Linux environment has been embraced to much, usually, if you want it, you can get it. In the opinions of pro-Linux users, Linux is more stable and does not require system shutdowns every time an upgrade, patch implementation or install is implemented. Again, this reduces downtime and shows the resilience of next generation hosting.

Finally, Linux hosting is independent from what operating system you run at home and it really should not matter and or affect your web hosting services. Only third party software like Access Database or non-Linux specific programs will limit you from using Linux hosting, but even Linux has Frontpage extensions and ASP which was not originally intended for it to be originally used.

With the Internet so easy accessible we now have the possibility to check our emails while relaxing in the back garden. Read about three great Webmails that will make your life easier.

General about Webmail

When you talk about Webmail you’re referring to email that you access via you web browser. Your e-mail isn’t limited to one computer. As long as you have access to the Internet you’ll able to read your mail. Many count the year of 1997 as the year when Webmail was introduced to the public, via the release of Hotmail. If you want to read more about the phenomenon that is Webmail we have a great article about this issue on our site.

Squirrel

The Squirrel Webmail is a standard-based e-mail written in PHP. Of, Course it’s free to sign up with this client and here’s why you really should consider it. Everything from the message list to the address book is greatly designed and easy navigated. If you want to personalize your mail you have every possibility in the world to do it with Squirrel. With various themes the look of your Webmail can be adjusted to what you like. There are several plugins available if you feel like adding some extra details. For example you have the possibility add a calendar, extend the functionality of your address book and add filters to battle spam. Truly a great Webmail!

Horde

Access your emails anywhere in the world through the Horde webmail program. With Horde you’ll easily be able compose emails and handle incoming messages. To make it easier for there is an excellent address book structuring your contacts. If you have some unfinished work you can save it as draft on the Horde Webmail Hosting. Think of Horde as something similar to the widely known Outlook Express. The only difference is that with Horde you can access your emails wherever you are, as long as you can get on the Internet. There is a reason for the popularity of this Webmail.

RoundCube

RoundCube is a free Webmail software and it’s probably the most well-known of the three listed here. Offering great inbox options, such as drag and & drop, privacy protection, integrated address book and HTML and multipart support this is a top-notch Webmail. If there for any reason would be a problem with your mail, RoundCube offers an excellent customer support that will help you fix the bug. This is a Webmail setting a high standard!

The first impression of cPanel’s control panel can be expressed as basic. Nothing fancy or flashy; a simple interface with several icons representing the control panel’s functions. This is also the reason why cPanel has grown to become suck a popular and frequently used control panel by web hosts. What you see is what you get. What you get is exactly what you need to manage domains, server storage, emails, stats and ftp file upload. One of the greatest functions offered by cPanel are service scripts allowing users to easily install blogs, CMS and more plus neat functions like clocks, counters, formMail etc.

Video tutorials and Wizards

To make sure that the user find everything and is 100% pleased with the cPanel interface the user have complete access to the control panel preferences and know-how. Video tutorials and wizard to get started and editable style, language and profile settings to give user full control.

Manage E-mail accounts

Not only can user create email accounts but manage them and prevent SPAM with Spam Assassin, access email though webmail function and several more functions to complete the user’s email experience.

Access Files with web based FTP

Devoted to the security and importance of website files cPanel offer a backup function with a wizard to help safely copy and store files in case they are lost or destroyed. Furthermore user has a direct connection to files with a FTP function allowing the user to manage, upload or download files directly from the web browser.

Limited Stats

With over 8 statistical applications such as Webalizer, Bandwidth monitoring, Latest Visitors and Analog Stats and Error Log the user can monitor all aspects of the website. Statistics graphics are quite simple reporting according to basic values like monthly hits, files and hits they fill the need of the common user. cPanel logs section is thus a bit limited in giving information about the website.

Your website on Your terms

cPanel user has a variety of secure settings to choose between. Offering secure file transfer and remote logins with SSH, IP Blocking, Password Protection, message encryption and decryption using private key with GnuPG Keys.

Control, add and redirect domains

Park, redirect, add or create subdomains with just a few easy steps. Video tutorials are available to all functions enabling user to understand the process completely before attempting to use desired functions.

MySQL and PHPMyAdmin Databases

User can access, add, remove and manage databases in MySQL both directly through cPanel but also by using the Remote MySQL function. phpMyAdmin is also available.

Easy Blog and CMS installation

One of the most valuable functions are found under Software/Services, add-ons offering pre-installed CGI Scripts allowing users to display anything from a counter, clock, countdown timer, formMail to a search engine and banners. Probably the most known service is Fantastico available to help the user install blogs (WordPress, Nucleus, b2evolution), content managagement (Joomla, PHP-Nuke, Drupal etc.), forums, ecommerce, image galleries and much more. PHP configuration is also available.

But Wait There’s More

Futhermore the user can choose to customize control panel and website further. Personal error pages can be created, image display can be managed and command and scripts can be set to activate and deactivate at specific times.