Bryan,

I can probably work something out with you. Drop me an e-mail at davidzon@thinkhost.com and we'll chat.

Remember that in most cases with a dedicated server you really do need to have a VERY solid understanding of unix, security, among other things, and in all honesty, it'll obviously cost you a LOT more to get the project off the ground.

Sincerely,


Vladislav Davidzon <davidzon@thinkhost.com>
Web hosting from $7/mo, domains for $15/year!
ThinkHost.Com Web Hosting Services http://www.thinkhost.com

I have been currently on the hunt for a good host for a company I want to start up. Basically what I want to do is a network of entertainment sites (hosting) but on a lesser scale. Max of about 100-200 clients at it's peak.

I have been looking around for basic web-hosts, but many that offer unmetered space often have caps on bandwidth, ftp's, e-mail add's etc.

I would like to keep my costs between $100-$200/month to start and I was wondering if anybody had some good reccommendations for hosts that would have the services to meet my needs.

With that in mind, would it be more worth my while to rent a dedicated server. However, that does get costly for the good ones.

I'd appreciate any feedback you can offer.

------------------
Bryan
bryan@simpsons100.com

Realistically, just about any host has a cap on bandwidth. The question is whether you will have enough traffic to hit the cap. There's also the the cpu usage factor.

If you expect that many accounts, you should have a dedicated server. A Cobalt RAQ might be good for starting out, though some people report that they are only good for about 75 accounts or less.

You might be better off just starting with an Intel architecture Linux server. It's not as costly as you might think, though it is more than the $200 you have alloted. Dialtone Internet has an excellent reputation and has prices close to your figure.

I have step by step instructions on my site for those new to server management. Some of it is specific to DI, while much applies to any Linux server. You can see it at http://techcellence.net (right side menu), along with other helpful Internet related information.

Sooner or later, you'll need a dedicated server. You might just want to make it sooner and get started on the learning curve right away.


[This message has been edited by Duster (edited 06-19-2000).]