Without the services provided by web hosting companies, accessing websites, blogs etc. would be considerably harder. Most people will require their services which may be provided as part of a package which will probably at a charge but could be free. Hosting companies can have many servers which they use to store these files, with each customer having their own section for storage; a little like a draw in a filing cabinet.

Free hosting deals are great for those who want to ‘dip their toes in the water’ for example but the range of services available to them will be limited. Free web hosting will not allow a huge mount of storage space so for those people that require sub-domains, upgraded email facilities and increased storage that a paid service is needed. Hosting packages vary enormously and must be chosen according to the needs of the user and not based on price because certain requirements may not be available in the lower price range.

You may settle for a shared server (where you share your space with other website owners) and it is a good tip is to go for the shared hosting first. Once you are comfortable with the service level then it might be worth upgrading to a dedicated server. With web hosting you get your own web space, but you do need to have a registered domain before you can use it, then you are allocated with enough storage to keep all your files for online publication. All companies will allocate a certain amount of space for your website and any other files required to be stored there (photos and MP3 tracks, for example) and this can be anything from 500Mb or more, depending on the host and package you are paying for.

When you have a paid web hosting package it will allow you to have an email address using your domain name unlike those that are offered free with the likes of Google, Yahoo or MSN for example where their name is at the end of the email address. Having your own email addresses are an important sign that a person or company is serious about their internet presence and provides a sense of credibility which cannot be achieved with the many free service providers available. The more information that is transferred from your website over the internet, the more bandwidth is used so it is important if you have a great deal of information stored to ensure you have a hosting package that will easily cater for your bandwidth usage.

Insufficient bandwidth will cause problems as visitors will be unable to see your site if it has been used up and you have a few more days before it is re-set for the following month, so you may need to use another web host. This point becomes more important when you have a site that provides large video, audio and image files to its visitors as all of these use up the bandwidth you have been allocated as part of your package. In almost every case it is a wise decision to use a web hosting company and not consider using your own computer as a host due to the risks, especially for those unfamiliar with internet security.

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