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How To Host A Website? Beginner’s Guide!

If you are a newbie who wishes to create a website, you might be having a lot of questions in mind. This guide is for you! After reading this guide, you will have a clear idea about how you should go about creating your website.

First things first! Your first step towards hosting a website is selecting a web hosting company.

For that, you should be able to understand what web hosting is. So website hosting is like renting space on a powerful server to store your website’s files and data. This makes your website accessible to anyone who types your domain name in their browser. Website hosting is essential for having a live, functioning website.

If you have registered a domain, good! Otherwise your first step would be registering a domain name and then selecting the appropriate web hosting company. The web hosting company will provide web space for your website (through web servers). Your website will be stored in the server and all the technologies and services will be added to your website so that it is visible on the internet.

The addon services provided by the web hosting company generally include technical support, data backup, web application firewall, SEO services, email services, domain name registration, malware scanning and protection, access to website building tools and applications.

Quick Tip : If you are hosting your website for the first time, it is a good idea to register the domain name and get the web hosting package from the same provider. This will ensure that your domain name is perfectly configured with your hosting account and managing the domain name and hosting account will also be easier for you.

Although you will come across many web hosting providers but you will get a lot of features, benefits and services packaged into an affordable web hosting package if you opt for MilesWeb. Every web hosting package at MilesWeb is built for the most efficient website performance as it is backed by the Amazon Cloud Platform. Here’s what you can expect if you buy cheap hosting from MilesWeb:

  • Highly secure and reliable web hosting infrastructure
  • Faster loading website with SSD drives
  • Round the clock support and website consulting services
  • 95% uptime guarantee
  • Free SSL certificate
  • Secure email accounts
  • Softculous 1-click installer – 1 click installation of the applications you want
  • Free website migration
  • Website backup services

MilesWeb’s static site hosting – Start your journey to online success today!

Doesn’t that sound interesting? You must opt for a web host who can host your website and who offers you a complete solution right from registering your domain name to providing security and backup solutions for your website so that you don’t have to look elsewhere for managing any aspect of your website.

Follow these steps and know how to host your website,

How To Host Your Website?

1. Decide What Type Of Website You Want To Host!

You will generally find two types of websites:

Static Or Basic Websites : Static websites are simple or standard websites that have one or more web pages known as the HTML pages. You can create these web pages on your computer through the Dreamweaver software and then you can upload the pages to your web host’s server through any FTP software like FileZilla. Whenever you wish to make any changes to your website, you will have to edit the web pages on your computer and then you can upload them again on the server. Since these web pages cannot be edited dynamically, the websites that have such pages are known as static websites. The static websites cost less as compared to the dynamic websites, they have restricted functionality and one cannot setup an online store or an interactive website.

Dynamic Websites : Dynamic websites comprise of information that changes on the basis of the time of the day, the viewers and other aspects. Dynamic websites make use of both – the client-side scripts and the server-side scripts for creating and updating the website content. The client-side scripts run on the user’s computer and they are mainly used for display and interaction. The server-side scripts are stored in the server and they are majorly used by the ecommerce websites and the social networking websites. The server-side scripts enable the users to have individual accounts on the website and through these scripts, a customized response can be provided to every user. Dynamic websites work through a CMS (content management system); they enable you to directly add or modify content like text, images, videos, designs, etc., and they also enable your website visitors to post comments and start discussions. Dynamic websites are appropriate for business entities. Some examples of dynamic websites include forums, photo galleries, blogs, and online stores.

Quick Tip : MilesWeb allows one-click installation of any CMS or web application that you need for creating your website, along with round-the-clock support. So if you want to know how to host your website, here’s how you can do it: You decide on a content management system (CMS) such as WordPress and edit your website. Next, register a domain name to create a web address. After obtaining your domain, link it to a web hosting provider, which stores the files and information for your website. Install WordPress on your web server at this point, or move your current website to your new platform if you already have one. After completing these steps, you’ll be prepared to create your website!

2. Select Your Web Hosting Server

The static HTML websites can be hosted on any type of web servers; but when it comes to web applications / CMS, you will come across two types of web hosting platforms. On the basis of your hosting requirements and your preference, you can select from:

Linux Web Hosting : The Linux hosting platform enables you to run scripts created in PHP, Python, Perl and other UNIX-based languages. It usually supports the PostgreSQL and MySQL databases. Linux is the most commonly used hosting platform.

Windows Hosting : The Windows hosting platform enables you to run ASP scripts through .NET and other Microsoft technologies. It supports the Microsoft SQL server and Access database.

Related : Linux or Windows Hosting : Learn How To Choose The Best Option

Quick Tip : You can either opt for Linux hosting or Windows hosting irrespective of the operating system that you use at work or at home. If your website does not need any script support, it is better to opt for Linux hosting as it is easy to manage and cost-effective. However, in case your website needs script and database support, you can select from either Linux or Windows platform according to the technologies that you wish to use.

3. Select Your Web Hosting Package

You will have to choose from the standard hosting solutions mentioned below:

Shared Hosting : In shared hosting, you share the physical server with the other website owners. However, you get your own separate hosting account that is secured with your login credentials. Shared hosting is the most affordable hosting option for hosting a website, as the cost of the server is shared among the other website owners as well.

VPS (Virtual Private Server) Hosting : In VPS hosting, each website is stored on a powerful server that is divided into many virtual components. Every server software is configured individually in order to make sure that every unit is functioning independently. VPS hosting is recommended to host the website that need high-security at a lower investment.

Dedicated Hosting : Dedicated hosting provides a complete server for one single account. This hosting platform is faster and more secure. It is the ideal hosting platform for large business organizations and for any high-traffic websites as it enables customization, configuration and flexibility according to the user’s preferences.

Cloud Hosting : Cloud hosting enables multiple hosting servers (clouds) to function together for hosting a website or for a group of websites. Cloud hosting provides unlimited capacity to handle the sudden traffic spikes. A website that is hosted on a cloud is not restricted to a single server and the resources allocated to a single server. Cloud hosting is ideal for large websites, and allows you to host your website, whether it is an online store or a big website that deals with a lot of customer data.

Related : Learn How To Choose The Right Web Hosting Plan For Your Website

Quick Tip : If you are not sure about the type web hosting you should opt for, you can start with the basic shared hosting package or free cPanel hosting plan and then upgrade the web hosting package as per your website requirements. Also, if you do not want to opt for any of the standard hosting packages mentioned above, you can opt for ecommerce hosting or any application based hosting like WordPress hosting, Joomla hosting, Drupal hosting etc.

4. Change Your DNS Address

Once you have purchased a package to host the website, you will get the name servers also known as domain name servers (DNS). DNS can be referred to as the internet’s phonebook that comprises of all the IP addresses. For getting your website up and running, you will have to login to your domain registrar panel and update the name servers from there. Once you have updated the name servers, it will take approximately 24-48 hours for your website to start resolving from the new DNS.

5. Upload Your Website

Your website can be uploaded to your hosting account by connecting to the server. This can be done either with cPanel’s File Manager or through an FTP client (like FileZilla). After this step, your website will become live.

Upload your website with cPanel’s File Manager:

  • Login to your cPanel account
  • Click on the ‘File Manager’ icon
  • Select the option ‘Web Root’ and click on ‘Go’
  • Add all the files and folders in public_html and add their respective domain folders

Upload your website with FTP client:

You can connect to FTP through an FTP program like FileZilla. This program enables you to view the files and folders present on your server just like you can view them on your computer. You can use this program to drag and drop your website’s files in the ‘/public_html/’ folder.

For connecting to your web server through FileZilla, refer to the steps mentioned below:

  • Install FileZilla and access it
  • Go to the ‘File’ menu and select ‘Site Manager’
  • Click on ‘New Site’
  • Give a name to the new site – such as given to your ‘real domain name’
  • Enter the IP address of your website in the ‘FTP Address’ field
  • Enter the username and password that was given to you in the welcome email
  • Set the Port to 21 (as FTP always operates on Port 21)
  • Click on ‘Connect’

Once FTP is connected, you will be able to view the following files and folders:

  • The files and folders of your local computer will be displayed on the left
  • The files and folders of your web hosting service will be displayed on the right

In order to upload files to your hosting service provider through FileZilla, refer to the steps mentioned below:

  • On the left side of FileZilla, select the file(s) or folder(s) that you wish to upload
  • Drag and drop the file(s) and folder(s) to the directory location present on the right side of your web hosting service
  • FileZilla will now start uploading the file(s) and folder(s)
  • After the uploading process is completed, FileZilla log will confirm the success of your uploads

Congratulations! You did it! Your website is live now!

FAQs:

What exactly is web hosting and why do I need it for my website?

Web hosting is like renting a space on the internet for your website from a host. This space is on the host’s server and stores all your website’s files and data, like text, images, and videos. You need to know how to host a website, as it is essential for making our website accessible to the audience. When someone types in your domain name, the web hosting service makes your website appear in their browser.

How do I choose the right web hosting provider for my needs?

Hosting a website is an important decision, so choosing the right hosting provider also becomes an equally important decision. To choose the perfect hosting partner for your websites, you should be able to analyze the requirements of the websites. For example: the required storage, traffic expectations, features, uptime, and much more.

What are the different types of web hosting available, and which one should I choose?

Web hosting services range from basic service types like shared hosting to advanced, high-gade solutions like cloud and dedicated servers. The choice of hosting service type depends on your website’s expected growth, your budget, and your expertise level. If you are a beginner and have a simple blog, shared hosting will suffice for your needs. However, if you are a pro handling critical applications, you need isolated and dedicated resources like cloud hosting for streamlined hosting of your website.

Can I easily upgrade or switch hosting plans if my needs change in the future?

Of course. The major feature that we offer with our hosting plans is scalability. We know websites can grow eventually; hence, we offer high-scalability options to upgrade your hosting plans and satisfy the increasing demands of your websites.

What kind of customer support can I expect from a web hosting provider?

A web hosting provider like us ensures that users get the proper and precise solutions for any arising queries. Not only live support, we have a huge collection of know-how guides, tutorials, and informative blogs that guide our users with all the basic problems.

The Author

I believe in creating enriching content that is readable and interesting. I work on content related to web hosting, SEO, Ecommerce and social media. Putting things across with the power of words and crafting useful content are my prime objectives.

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