What is web hosting?

Web hosting is like internet real estate.  Having a web "page" does nothing for you if it is not available to others via the internet.

If you want to build a house or business, you need a place to build it and roads wide enough to handle the traffic to get to it. Similarly, if you want to build a website, you need server space to store your files and enough bandwidth to access your site.  This is web hosting.  Just like a house or business, web sites require constant monitoring and maintenance to keep them up and running continuously.  Web hosting includes all of this, and best of all everything happens in the background without any effort on your part.

Here are some terms you might find helpful in understanding web hosting:

Server Space
All of the images and files for your website are stored on computers called servers.  These servers run 24 hours a day to allow your web site to be accessed any time of the day or night.  They run specialized software to allow specific programming, and are monitored 24/7 for proper operation.  The server software is updated regularly for security protection and upgrades.  Hosting also includes dedicated technicians that can work to restore any interruptions in a timely manner.  All of this happens 24/7 without you ever 

Control Panel
Every account comes with its own control panel that is filled with tools for managing your site. You can add counters, password protect directories, check your site statistics, add or remove email addresses, forward email, set up autoresponders, and more!  Click here for a screenshot of the online control panel.

Bandwidth
Whenever you access a web page, send an email, download a file, etc. you are transferring data, also referred to as using bandwidth. High traffic websites may require large amounts of bandwidth while websites with few visitors tend to use less.  Through your control panel you can track how much of your available bandwidth you are using.

Your Website
Your website is your personal place on the World Wide Web. You can use it to run a business, show family photos, etc. You can design it yourself or hire us.  We are happy to assist you in setting up your web site and take pride in offering many features that make websites work.  Features such as online shopping cart programs for stores, online calendars, mailing lists, and more!  These features are what separate sites with little content from those that visitors will come to again and again.