What is Web Hosting?

You've probably heard this term many times but what does it really mean?

In simple terms, Web Hosting is the term given to a service provided by web hosting companies, who setup and maintain buildings called datacenters.

Datacenters are full of high-end computer systems called web servers which you get access to 24x7 via your internet connection.

When you buy a domain name and hosting, you rent a little piece of space on one of these servers for your website.

Your web hosting company maintains the web servers making sure your website is accessible 24x7 - 365 days/year.

What is a Domain name?

A domain names function on the Internet is similar to a physical address in the physical world. Your computers web browser needs to be able to find your website easily.

Without domain names, your website address would just look like a bunch of numbers e.g 192.168.1.66, not very pretty right?

An example of a frequently used domain name would be www.google.com where www stands for world wide web, google is the address and .com is the domain extension.

Other examples of domain extensions are .net, .org , .eu and a country specific extension would be .ie for Ireland or .fr for France.

What domain should I choose?

Choosing the right domain name can have a dramatic effect on your online presence and help improve your search engine results.

Most people tend to choose a domain name that reflects their business name or website name.

For example if your business is called Computer Parts you would want to register www.computerparts.com.

Use the search window below and see what you can find, remember to spell it correctly if you want to purchase.

What is Hosting?

Hosting or a Hosting Package is the term given to the service you purchase from a web hosting company as mentioned already.

Simply put, if you wish to get an online presence, you must purchase a domain name and a hosting package.

However there are many different types of hosting packages, which can cause some confusion as to what hosting package you need.

What Hosting do I need?

This typically varies depending on how complex your website is but for the most part shared hosting is acceptable.

Shared hosting means your sharing the web server with lots of other customers so it brings down the cost to you.

Practically all shared hosting packages will come with everything you need for a few euro's per month.

Take a look at our range of shared hosting packages

What type of Website?

So you have your domain and your hosting and now you want to create a website, but what type of website do you need and how will you create it?

There are a few options to consider. Many hosting packages will come with a website builder. This allows you to build your website online over your internet connection.

Other options include pre-built websites such as Wordpress or Joomla where you can select a theme and just add content but these tend to be a little more complex and require ongoing maintenance.

However dont despair,if you ask your web hosting company for some advice here they will point you in the right direction.

Find out more about our website builder