Forum Specialists - Select the right web hosting for your forum

Once you have your domain you are ready for the next big step... Selecting your Web Hosting service. Without a good Web Host your forum could be subject to outages, email delivery problems, and slow loading. The best way to find a new Web Host is to ask a friend for their recommendation. If that is not an option you can use the following resources to help you in selecting your Web Host

http://www-thehostingchart.com/index.html
http://www.webhostingtalk.com/
http://www.webhostingratings.com/
http://www.upperhost.com/
http://whreviews.com/

Once you have found a Web Host you are interested there are a few things you should check.

How long have they been in business for?
Check http://www.whois.net to see when the domain name for the Web Host was registered. This should give you a good idea how long they have been in business

What type of support do they offer?
Most Web Hosting company offer 24X7 email support. Check to see if live online help or phone support is available.

What are your forum software requirements?
Check the forum software you are going to use to make sure the Web Host provides all the needed technologies (libraries, tools, database, and scripts) that you forum requires.

Check the Web Host Terms Of Service
Some Web Hosts do not allow some type of forum software. Check to make sure the software you are going to use is supported by your Web Host.

Hosting Package
If you are just starting your forum you are not going to need a very big package. I would say start with the small one and upgrade when needed. If you already have your forum running you need to figure out your monthly bandwidth consumption is and get a little more to grow into.

Price
I listed price last because it really is the last thing you should look at. For the most part you can find good standard account for $3.00 to $10.00 a month. If you have more than one domain you own you might want to look into a resellers account.

Within the TOS you will find some information on the total amount of system resources your site can use. Most hosts give between 2%-5% total. Something to think about if you have a high traffic site.

One of my Clients called me once to tell me their site was down. I took a look at the site and figured out it was shutdown by the host. I called their host and was told their site had exceeded the sites resources and was shutdown. This happen because the Client bought one of those targeted traffic Campaign of like 100k hits in a month. They did not ask me about this purchase because I would have advised against it.

(08-06-2008 07:38 AM)Lancer Wrote: [ -> ]One of my Clients called me once to tell me their site was down. I took a look at the site and figured out it was shutdown by the host. I called their host and was told their site had exceeded the sites resources and was shutdown. This happen because the Client bought one of those targeted traffic Campaign of like 100k hits in a month. They did not ask me about this purchase because I would have advised against it.

Considering it can take up to a week to find a new web host and move your site... Its always best to check with your current web host before you do something big like that.

(08-06-2008 10:57 AM)Andy Wrote: [ -> ]Considering it can take up to a week to find a new web host and move your site... Its always best to check with your current web host before you do something big like that.

I understand totally and did try to make my Client understand... I can only do so much Smile

(08-07-2008 03:44 PM)Lancer Wrote: [ -> ]I understand totally and did try to make my Client understand... I can only do so much

You are correct, you can only give the advice. Not make them take it.

(08-08-2008 02:36 PM)Nancy Wrote: [ -> ]
(08-07-2008 03:44 PM)Lancer Wrote: [ -> ]I understand totally and did try to make my Client understand... I can only do so much

You are correct, you can only give the advice. Not make them take it.

I found a web host service that ahs limited band width on forums. Woudl I be better off going with that or going to an external forum hosting?

julie

(08-25-2008 09:35 AM)jimmysdevoted Wrote: [ -> ]I found a web host service that ahs limited band width on forums. Woudl I be better off going with that or going to an external forum hosting?

julie

I would get a new web host in general. Why is a forum so different from an other site? Its not IMO.

(08-26-2008 03:00 AM)Lancer Wrote: [ -> ]
(08-25-2008 09:35 AM)jimmysdevoted Wrote: [ -> ]I found a web host service that ahs limited band width on forums. Woudl I be better off going with that or going to an external forum hosting?

julie

I would get a new web host in general. Why is a forum so different from an other site? Its not IMO.

Some of the older forums used a file database that used a lot of the servers CPU when the forum became very active. I remember reading that a lot of website hosting services started to ban forums because of the CPU problem.

That might be what they are talking about.

(08-07-2008 03:44 PM)Lancer Wrote: [ -> ]I understand totally and did try to make my Client understand... I can only do so much

Yeah, I know that type of Customer. Tongue