Why do i need Web Hosting?

If you want a web site, you will need web hosting. Basically, web hosting provides a way for people to access your web site through the internet. Without it, there would be no way for people to see the page.

To Understand Web Hosting, You Need To Know What a Web Page Is

A web page is, simply put, a file. When you or your designer builds a web page, you or they save it as a file on a computer. If the file remains on your computer, the only way anyone will see if is if they're snooping around a bit.

So, in order to get the web page - a file - visible on the internet, you need to rent some space on a computer that specializes in serving files out across the internet to "host" your web page for you.

How Does a Web Site Get From My Computer to a Web Host?

There are several different tools you can use to get your web site files from your computer to a web host. The most commonly use is FTP, which stands for File Transfer Protocol. There is a very good free FTP program called FileZilla, which you can download at http://filezilla.sourceforge.net. Your web host will supply you with a server name, username and password which you input into the program to gain access.

Once you're set up, you can use the FTP program to "upload" files from your computer to the web host. Most FTP programs work with a simple drag-and-drop interface.

How Do I Find a Web Host?

There are several thousand web hosting companies out there to choose from. It's best to chose a web hosting company based on a recommendation. There are several good hosting review web sites on the internet where you can do a little research. You can expect to pay from 8-10 dollars each month for a basic hosting service. Once you purchase a web hosting subscription, the host will supply you with login information to a control panel, where you can manage your e-mail and FTP accounts, or they will supply you with just the FTP information.