Here are some key points to remember when looking for a web host:

• Reliability is key. What's the point of having a website if you can't reach it when you need to? Sites with uptime guarantees are good. But beware: few web hosts can give true 100% reachability.


• Reasonable service. This says reasonable for a reason. If a web host offers 50MB of disk space and 500MB of transfer for $30/mo, don't go for it. This, however, goes both ways. If a web host offers 10GB of disk space and 40GB of transfer for $5/mo, avoid it. Buying web hosting can be just like buying a car - if it looks too good to be true, it probably is.


• Support. What happens if you run into a problem with your website? Do you have anyone to contact? Some sites will have an "online help" forum or some kind of trouble ticket system. Those are good ways of getting help, but a phone number is always more reassuring than having to go through a maze.


• Ease of use. Look for a web host that offers a good control panel. Some hosts offer their own control panel. However, some of the ones listed in the FAQ entry in the previous sentence will work just fine.


• Track record. Some web hosts have only been in business for weeks and are already promising perfect uptime, amazing speeds, and so on. Usually, your best bet is to WHOIS the host's domain name. You can do so by clicking the "WHOIS" link in the previous sentence and pasting the web host's domain name. (ex. dslreports.com (domain name)) If the "Creation Date" is less than six months old, your best bet is to wait a bit and see if the host stays in business.


• Location. This one isn't as important, but can make a big difference on some sites. Many "web hosts" are run by teenage kids using low-price (~$99/mo is the current rate) servers. You can find out where a server is located by using this method. If you get "Everyones Internet" as a result, your best bet is to stay away. You'll also want to consider the location of people who will be accessing your web site. If you're running a forum for Dodge owners in Texas, choosing a web server in Canada or Europe would be a poor idea.

This procedure finds out where a web host is located by looking at its assigned IP address block. This method may not work on all hosts. Some hosts do not have a range of IP addresses assigned to them. If you end up getting "Verio" or "Level3" or any other carrier out of this, it means that the host does not have its own IP block.

All we are going to do is find the host's IP Address, then use this information to look up their IP Address block with the American Registry for Internet Numbers.

If you're running Windows, the process for this is pretty simple. We'll use dslreports.com as an example.

1. Make a command prompt window. Go to Start -> Run and enter cmd (or command if you're running 95/98/ME).


2. Lookup the host's IP address using nslookup. For our example, enter nslookup www.dslreports.com.


3. Find the IP Address. The field we'll be using is the one that says "Address". Copy the number from there. In our example, the IP Address will resolve to 209.123.109.175


4. Use the ARIN web site to find who that IP address is assigned to. Go to »www.arin.net and paste the IP Address we got from in the last step (209.123.109.175) into the WHOIS box at the top of the right side, then click "Search WHOIS".


5. You're done. We now know that www.dslreports.com is hosted at »www.nac.net in Parsippany, NJ.

This method doesn't always work, but it can get you valuable information. If you have difficulty finding out where a web host is located, please post a question in /forum/webhost

Another good resource can be found here:
»www.dnsstuff.com/
(thanks to forum user fire100 for the recommendation)

Your best best for hosting a small site is to use the free web space you get with your Internet Service Provider. The Terms of Service for most home broadband connections does NOT allow web site hosting.

If your ISP doesn't offer the services you need, you could try to find a free web site provider. Most free web site providers get their revenue from advertising. They may insert banners into your web site content. Free web hosts tend to disappear without a trace, so be sure to have a backup of all of your files.

If you need server side scripting, database support, or SSL encryption, you will probably have to pay someone to host your web site.

For help in finding a free or low cost web host, please start a new topic in the Webhosting Chat forum.

You can get free .tk domain names at the .tk domain registry. However, you will get an advertisement on any page hosted with the .tk TLD (top level domain).

It is far more desirable to pay $8 (and up) a year to register your own domain name in the .COM, .NET, .ORG,. or .US TLDs. See http://www.icann.org/registrars/accredited-list.html.

The Domain Name System resolves domain names into addresses. Each domain has a set of data associated with it. This data is called a "zone".

The address of each domain's DNS servers is something that is set when you register the domain.

Each domain should have at least two DNS servers designated as the "authority" for a domain. The authoritative servers contain the a copy of all the zone's data.

Some domain registrars will also provide DNS services for you, but most charge extra for DNS services.

ZoneEdit will host the DNS records for up to five domains for free. There is a small charge if you exceed a generous amount per traffic per month, or you want to manage more than 5 domains. »www.zoneedit.com/

Another place that will provide free DNS records is Granite Canyon. »www.granitecanyon.com/

In general, no.

The Terms of Service (TOS) for most residential broadband connections don't allow you to run a web site on your connection. A few ISPs (notably SBC DSL) will allow you to run web servers on your connection. Check your ISP's Terms of Service and Acceptable Use Policy for details.

Some ISPs will not notice if you run a web service on port 80, as long as the traffic is very low. Once your ISP finds your web site, they may ask you to shut it down, block port 80, or turn off your broadband service. Some ISPs block incoming port 80 in an attempt to block web site hosting. Using a different port number may allow you to run a web site, but you will still be violating the TOS.

Another disadvantage of a residential connection is that they usually don't come with a static IP Address. Having a dynamic IP address means that you have to update the DNS name-to-address information each time your IP address changes.

In order to run a web site on your Cable or DSL connection, you may have to upgrade to a business class connection. These types of accounts usually include a small block of fixed IP addresses and the TOS usually allows web site services. Business packages are usually available for both Cable and DSL.

Business broadband access packages are more expensive than consumer packages, but you may be able to offset the higher cost by selling some services to a few family and friends (this is usually allowed on a business class line). However, the cost added of a business class broadband connection will probably more money than your existing connection plus a low cost web host service.

Most DSL and Cable packages come with a free web site hosted at your ISP. The free site usually has modest capabilities (small disk quota and low bandwidth quota, no server scripting, no database support).

If you need server side scripting, database support, or SSL encryption, and you aren't ready for the business class broadband cost, you will be best off paying someone to host your web site. This should cost you between $3 and $8 per month, depending on the web and email services you need.

If you want a free web site, see »Webhosting FAQ »How can I host my site for free?