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Your Web Host
As I mentioned early on, you can actually have a presence on the Net without actually paying anything. And this includes Free web hosting. If your site is purely for fun, you can go the Free route and you don't really lose much. However, if you intend to take your Internet Business to a professional level, I suggest you go for the paid option.
A web host provider is a company who rents out web space and bandwidth to those who wish to publish a web site. A web host normally charges a yearly fee to host your site.
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What are types of Web Hosting?
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1. Free
Free web hosting is best suited for small sites with low traffic, like personal or family sites. With free sites, you cannot choose your own domain. The web host tells you what your address should be. Normally, you are also required to carry banners or ads. You also cannot expect technical support or a lot of features.
2. Shared Hosting
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Also called virtual hosting, this is the most common type of web hosting account and is often very competitively priced. The host I am using, 3ix charges me $1.00 a month and I get very good service and a host of features I don't get in my more expensive hosts.
As the word implies, shared web hosting means that you are sharing one server (CPU time, memory, OS, applications, bandwidth, etc) with the other websites of your hosting company. The web host manages the server to ensure maximum uptime, and upgrades the hardware and software when necessary. The cost of shared hosting often depends on the number of clients being hosted.
This is often the best alternative when you are just starting your business.
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3. Dedicated Hosting
With dedicated hosting you have a full server dedicated to your website. Unlike shared hosting where hundreds of websites of various clients are hosted on one computer, dedicated web hosting solutions allow you to lease the complete computer and have access to all its resources to host one or hundreds of websites.
This kind of hosting is best for sites that are more complex and get a lot of traffic. Dedicated hosting is much more expensive than virtual hosting, often costing around $100 dollars a month.
4. Colocated Hosting
This is very similar to dedicated hosting, except that you own the server rather than rent it. This kind of hosting is preferred by bigger companies who have the financial and technical resurces to specify their server needs. This server is then placed in the provider's datacenter and connected to the Internet through the provider's fast Internet connection. With this option, you have maximum control over the performance of your website. The downside is, you have to pay a much higher fee, plus you need good in-house technical support.
5. Reseller Web Hosting
This type of hosting is ideal for individuals or smaller companies who wish to host other websites. This type is more expensive than shared hosting but normally less than dedicated and colocated hosting.
To see the criteria on choosing your web host, click here.
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