All About Web Site Hosting
So the time has come to finally get on the World Wide Web with a Web site of your own. Once the Web site and pages have been created, however, the question of where to put it still remains. From those looking to create a personal Web site to those looking to give their business or company a presence on the Web, there is a wide range of Web site hosting options available to you. The options that are more expensive may not always be the best choice — it all comes down to your budget and the type of presence you are looking to have on the World Wide Web.
Using Your ISP for Web Space
When you subscribe to Internet connection services through an ISP (Internet Service Provider) you will usually be allotted a certain amount of space to host Web pages with your paid subscription. For those looking to publish a family-oriented or topic-specific Web page, this is a good choice as you will not pay extra for the hosting, provided you don't go over the space and traffic limitations set by your ISP. Unlike using free sites to host a Web page there will be no third-party advertisements running on your Web pages, unless of course, you choose to run advertisements on the pages yourself.
The amount of space you have using your ISP will vary from one service provider to another. Generally, you can expect to have up anywhere from 2MB up to 5MB of space available for your Web pages. As value-added services, your ISP may also provide you with code that you can freely use on your Web page such as code to implement a hit counter or guestbook. It is important to check with your ISP beforehand to find out what services are provided with your Internet account.
Finding Free Web Space Online
Finding free Web space on the Internet can be managed with a simple Web search. There are a plethora of services available to individuals and businesses looking for a place to park a Web site and not have to pay for the service. These online offers, depending on which one you choose, will provide you with anywhere from 5MB to 100MB of space for hosting your Web site. Some free site companies will offer value-added services, such as tracking logs, counters, guestbooks, virtual domain names, copy & paste scripts and more. Generally these added services are ideal for people who are unfamiliar with Web site building and feature implementation.
While this type of service may sound even better than using your ISP for hosting a small Web site, you should always do your research first. Visitors to your Web page might end up being spammed with oodles of pop-upbanner advertisements, and you will have no control over the advertising content that may be a direct conflict with your Web page, especially if it is a site designed for children and younger readers. These companies are able to offer Web space to people for free because they rely on advertising dollars brought in by you showing their ads on your Web page. Be sure to read the user agreement before signing up for a free Web hosting account so you know what to expect in terms of advertising. and
Key TermsTo Understanding
Web site Hosting
Web site [a Webopedia definition]
A site (location) on the World Wide Web. Each Web site contains a home page, which is the first document users see when they enter the site. The site might also contain additional documents and files. Each site is owned and managed by an individual, company or organization.
A site (location) on the World Wide Web. Each Web site contains a home page, which is the first document users see when they enter the site. The site might also contain additional documents and files. Each site is owned and managed by an individual, company or organization.
Web page [a Webopedia definition]
A document on the World Wide Web. Every Web page is identified by a unique URL (Uniform Resource Locator).
A document on the World Wide Web. Every Web page is identified by a unique URL (Uniform Resource Locator).
Web server [a Webopedia definition]
A computer that delivers (serves up) Web pages. Every Web server has an IP address and possibly a domain name. For example, if you enter the URL http://www.webopedia.com/index.html in your browser, this sends a request to the server whose domain name is pcwebopedia.com. The server then fetches the page named index.html and sends it to your browser. Any computer can be turned into a Web server by installing server software and connecting the machine to the Internet. There are many Web server software applications, including public domain software from NCSA and Apache, and commercial packages from Microsoft, Netscape and others.
A computer that delivers (serves up) Web pages. Every Web server has an IP address and possibly a domain name. For example, if you enter the URL http://www.webopedia.com/index.html in your browser, this sends a request to the server whose domain name is pcwebopedia.com. The server then fetches the page named index.html and sends it to your browser. Any computer can be turned into a Web server by installing server software and connecting the machine to the Internet. There are many Web server software applications, including public domain software from NCSA and Apache, and commercial packages from Microsoft, Netscape and others.
Web host [a Webopedia definition]
A Web host is in the business of providing server space, Web services and file maintenance for Web sites controlled by individuals or companies that do not have their own Web servers. Many ISPs, such as America Online, will allow subscribers a small amount of server space to host a personal Web page. Other commercial ISPs will charge the user a fee depending on the complexity of the site being hosted.
A Web host is in the business of providing server space, Web services and file maintenance for Web sites controlled by individuals or companies that do not have their own Web servers. Many ISPs, such as America Online, will allow subscribers a small amount of server space to host a personal Web page. Other commercial ISPs will charge the user a fee depending on the complexity of the site being hosted.
