UK2.net Hosting Review

UK2 has been providing web hosting services since 1998. They are one of the biggest and fastest growing web hosting companies in the UK. The company is also an accredited ICANN registrar for .com, .net, .org and other domain names extensions. Some of major UK2 recent improvements includes, a new UK based call centre, 27/7 live online support to cater for both new web learners and savvy developers.

The company offers a wide range of web hosting plans; Web Hosting (cheapest), e-Commerce, Reseller Hosting and Dedicated Servers. There are also new plans such as Business which starts at £6.95 ($11.30) and comes with the possibility to host unlimited number of websites, 100 GB of storage, 1000 GB f monthly traffic, £30 Google AdWords credit, unlimited MySQL databases and a dedicated IP address. More details are available from UK2 website.

1&1 Hosting Review

1&1 or 1and1 Hosting has started as a communications company and went public. Since than it’s been forming partnerships with some of the largest companies in the world, such as Google, Plesk, Symantec and HP/Compaq. It has invested around £15 (aprox $24m) on it data center infrastructure to supported it reliability and innovation initiative. 1&1 current customer base has reached 8 millions and it’s growing every day.

1&1 web hosting plans starts from as little as £1.99 ($3) per month for a typical 8 pages website to £24.99 ($40) for the 1&1 Professional plan intended for Web Developers.. There is also MyBusiness Site plan which is intended as plug and play for business needing online presence with ready templates, tools…etc.

Knowing What Hosting You Need

The most basic website that you run into on the Internet is still being hosted by a company. Whether it be free web hosting, shared hosting or a dedicated hosting server, the website is being stored and shown to you when you access it via the web address. If you are looking to get web hosting for yourself or business, do you know what type of hosting you should be going with? The best thing about any host that you choose, upgrading to the next tier is usually a situation that does not take very much work from your end. No matter what service you go with, the end result is the same, a place to host your website so your visitors can find it online.

Other Hosting Options

Free web hosting is an option of course. In fact, if you are not sure where to get started, maybe signing up for a free web host is a great place to start. You are going to be able to create a homepage or a few pages for your small business, but that is about it. It might be just enough to get your website off the ground, allowing you to upgrade in the future if needed. The bad side of free web hosting is the lack of security, support and features that allow you to build your site with. Everyone agrees that if you want to create your own place on the Internet that is going to be noticed, the upgrade to paid web hosting is the first step.

Shared Hosting

Shared hosting plans are usually offered by paid web hosts and that is where your website is sharing server space with others. Many times the cost of the service plan is very low and that is why it is one of the most popular options, but there are downfalls as well. If your site is running perfectly, but another site takes down the server, your website will be going down with it. This can cost you money and it is something you cannot control. The features and support, however, are much better with a paid web host compared to a free web host. If you feel the need to have a server all to yourself, a dedicate web host server is what you need to look into.

Dedicated Web Hosting

Dedicated web hosts offer you a place of your own, without distractions from other websites because you are the only one on the server. The costs are typically much higher, but the upgrade might be worth it if you have income that is relying on the fact that your website is up and running. Dedicated web hosting is for those that are familiar with web hosting and can be nearly impossible to learn without any experience. One advantage is that you will not have to manage the server as it is typically handled by the company you are renting it from.

All of these options work for any website, but it is up to you to decide which one is going to work best for your company and website.

Web Hosting Terms

When the client connects to the server in passive mode establishes control connection as usual. But for the data connection the client requests the server to open a port that the client can then connect to. The server waits passively for the client, hence the name.

NAT

NAT is a common technique (used in most “broadband routers”) to share a single Internet connection and therefore an IP for multiple computers. NAT means that the addresses in the internal network are translated to addresses in the public (internet). The technology is based on the different ports linking with internal addresses. Such a solution can not be active FTP because the server connects to a port that is not paired with an internal address.

Firewalls

although firewall configuration easier with passive FTP. It is sufficient to allow all traffic initiated from its own network.

Detailed Description

To learn more, see a detailed description of active and passive ftp in the article below.

10 Steps To A Top 10 Website – Day 1

We’re starting off a new series called 10 Steps To A Top 10 Blog. Each week we will have a new post on how to setup a great blog or website.

First off, what will your website be about? Will it be a blog, portfolio or forum? Depending on what you choose, you will need a suitable domain name as well. Branding is everything, so pick a good domain. It should be memorable, roll off the tongue, and a .com if possible.

Once you have a good idea, start brainstorming different words related to it for your domain. Come up with as many names as you can, because often many domains will already be registered. Once you’ve come up with your names, head over to DomainTools.com to make sure it is not taken. Now you might want to ask around and see what other people think of the name to get some second opinions.

When you’re sure you’ve got the right one, you will want to register it along with hosting. HostGator is the recommended host. Use the coupon code “GREEN” to save money when you are registering.

Dedicated Server: Managed or Unmanaged?

Hopefully, your website will become so popular that both traffic and money roll in at a steady rate. When you start to get too much traffic though, it is probably time to move on from that shared web hosting platform as the server will not be able to keep up with your demands. The simple solution - a dedicated server. Before heading out to look for web hosts, it is important to know that you essentially have two options for a dedicated server - unmanaged and managed.

Unmanaged Dedicated Web Hosting

Unmanaged hosting pretty much describes a dedicated server in its rawest form. For example, you get the hardware, the resources that come along with it, and an internet connection. The web host houses the equipment in their data facility and keeps it physically secure. Other than that, you’re on your own. With remote access, it is up to you to make sure the server stays functioning and fresh with the necessary updates. You are responsible for all the server administrative tasks, meaning you need to have a special set of skills to thrive in this environment. If you don’t know how to work with complex server software or have a knowledgeable IT staff that does, getting the most out of dedicated hosting will be nearly impossible. Along with all the power and flexibility you get comes a lot of complexity and responsibility some people just can’t handle.

Managed Web Hosting

Managed hosting is a solution that takes the complexity out of a dedicated server. The greatest advantage is that you generally get a full turn-key service where the host takes care of the server administrative tasks. For the most part, a managed hosting provider will allow you to build a custom package from the options best suited for your initiative. Some of the additional services may include database administration and management of your web applications. While you are basically outsourcing server administration, you do get a significant level of control through control panel software. Advanced control panel applications like cPanel’s (WHM) Web Host Manager and Plesk add ease to the process of server administration.

Now You Know

A dedicated server will provide all the resources and control you need but it is also a more complex solution. If you’ve got the level of skill it requires, good. If not, you definitely need managed hosting. With the web host handling all the complicated tasks, you can enjoy the simplicity of shared hosting and still get all the benefits of a robust dedicated server. Most importantly, you can focus on other critical projects and just running your business.

Smart Tips on Creating a Business Website

Whether you are an established business or a growth that has a corporate website that communicates effectively with your client or customer is vital. Most companies prefer to retain the services of professional web design companies to create their websites. But if budget is an obstacle, you can also design the site itself. This will obviously require prior research and an understanding of what is happening in designing an attractive location for businesses. Here are some guidelines on designing websites that you can use when you go about creating your website on your own business.
• Choose a model easy to use for your website business. A website that seems too complicated and difficult to navigate not frighten or annoy potential customers. A website design that adds clarity and ease of use should be chosen for your website.

• Be sure to include your business or company logo on the site. The logo symbolizes what your company represents. Place the logo on the web page so that visitors get a glimpse of it, but do not be overwhelmed by his presence. • Get it on your site as concise and precise as possible. There is no sense of overcrowding on the details of the person visits the site, will have too much data to digest, forcing him to press the ‘Back’ button. The information presented must be relevant, understandable, yet will market your business, products or services in an attractive manner.

• Add relevant pictures to your website that communicate certain ideas about your business or product to the page visitor. It is important that the images are imprinted in the mind of the visitor and he/she is able to recollect them. In this regard, a professional graphic designer can create attractive illustrations that have high recall value. With some research and creativity at your end, you can also create high-impact images.

• Obtain a domain name that is relevant to your website. You can go for generic names like ‘bikes.com’ or ‘cars.com’ or something that specifically matches your brand name such as ‘bmw.com’ or ‘kia.com’.

• Make your website accessible on the internet through web hosting services. Web hosts are service providers who let you avail space on their servers and allow internet connectivity for your website to function. Acquiring a virtual private server or a dedicated server will be beneficial to your business website, but can be a bit expensive.

• Ensure that your website has all the important web pages. Have an ‘About’ page and provide information about your company on this page. On a ‘Contact’ page, tell your potential clients and customers how they can contact you. Also create descriptive and appealing products or service pages. The colors that you select for your web pages must blend well with each other and must hold some relevance to your business. For instance, if you manufacture products for teenagers, use vibrant colors on the webpage that will catch the attention of this target group.

Remember that you’ll need more than a basic website set up to make it successful. An attractive and functional website design is of key importance to ensure good results.