Im looking for a host that has unlimited website traffic or data transferred, I've had alot of host that say "unlimited website traffic" and they end up cuting me off when i go over 10gb is there a host that has unlimited traffic that really means it without a catch? I use around 1gb a day sometimes more or less i even told one of them i use 1gb a day or more and they said "no problem" 10 days later my account is on hold and im losing money again.....I have a image archive site if your wondering and i only need 70mb of space no image is over 350k :)

David, you have seen what you get with an "unlimited" host. Don't look for this. You have now been shown it doesn't exist. What gets me, is that this type of site probably didn't use too much CPU resources (the typical reason they get you).

I am guessing you were paying about $20-$30/mo. Your site simply used more bandwidth that you were paying for.

P.S. Common sense tells you that there is no such thing as unlimited bandwidth so don't look for it. Look for a host that will charge you what you use. :) Unfortunately, that might be around $150/mo.

This is what my host says....but i'll belive it when i see it.


Bandwidth is the amount of data, measured in Megabytes per month that clients may transfer due to any traffic originating from or going to their website. A large part of this traffic is web traffic (website visitors) but can also be FTP (file uploads), Anonymous FTP (file downloads), and even E-mail services. Again, the more bandwidth allowed, the better!


As much as you need.

All clients are allowed to use as much bandwidth as needed per month as long as their content is in accordance with our Acceptable Uses Policy. In short, clients can use an unlimited amount of bandwidth.


No such thing as unlimited?

Unfortunately, some hosting providers claim to offer an unlimited amount of traffic. They are forced to cut-off high traffic, popular websites when their bandwidth is depleted. These providers have created a controversy around the "unlimited bandwidth" claim. We have and continue to provide unlimited bandwidth, without discrimination. How? We have 5 diverse DS-3 connections on our very own network. Not being co-located and having peering agreements with major carriers allow us to obtain more bandwidth with a simple telephone call. In short, there is no such thing as unlimited bandwidth on a co-located network.


No surprises or small print!

Some of our clients who take advantage of our unlimited bandwidth feature push out in excess of 100 Gigabytes of data month after month. We are a member of the Better Business Bureau On-Line and the Web Host Guild, and is an ISP Check Guaranteed Web Host. We would not have been able to earn these honors if we misled our clients about offering unlimited bandwidth.


How can we offer unlimited bandwidth?

This is a common concern that we publicly address. While we, and anyone else for that matter, has a limited amount of bandwidth, it is important that we have access to more when needed. First, we are able to increase our bandwidth available with a simple telephone call. Secondly, we have 5 diverse DS-3 lines from different carriers, so bandwidth not only is available when needed, but from different sources. Finally, it is statistics which always prevail and show that while some clients will end up consuming more than their monthly fee worth of bandwidth every month, an overwhelming majority of clients do not. In the future, bandwidth will continue to get cheaper which works to our advantage.


Where can i find a host that allows 50gb a month all the ones i see only allow 10-20gb?



[This message has been edited by David-1 (edited 07-03-2000).]

ahhhh i lost my password.....

The host i have now im paying 30 a month for and they say "unlimited bandwidth" the others where like 20 a month. All my money goes into setup fees from changing host to host lol I hate to pay 150 a month for a site i don't make to much off it. Im not sure what you mean about using CPU resources all my files run through a anti-leech cgi script? Im guessing that takes up alot of CPU knowing my luck......im learing as i go :)

Do yourself a favor, don't ever bother this 'unlimited' word again becuase it doesnt EXIST! I do not believe it, period.

Once you try it, you will end up deleted account, credit card slammed large charges, many to say.

If you want to save your trouble, signup with a host that has serious features and for a reason of your value money not FREEEEEE stuff!

Again, I am not going sit here and see you whine about unlimited, it nevr does exist, do you understand that? Please...

if you want save trouble, I can help you otherwise be sorry.

That all cares :)

David,

"Unlimited bandwidth" is one of the biggest lies of the hosting industry. It is a lie and a trick to attract business and separate people from their money. Companies who use that lie are generally more interested in getting more new customers than keeping the ones they have, many of whom are lost within the first month or two, when their lies are discovered. You've experienced that first hand.

Some hide a related factor, cpu usage, and don't disclose it until you exceed the very real limits. Heck, some don't tell you about cpu usage up front even if unlimited bandwidth was never mentioned. As you've experienced, some (many in fact) hosts are not above other lies in order to get your money. Even when you tell them your usage right up front, they'll lie and say "sure, no problem". Once they have your money, guess what? Problem! They lied (again).

Too many hosts are like the worst used car salesmen. Lying is their basic nature and they will tell you anything inorder to get your money with no intention of keeping their word. With such people, a refund guarantee has no meaning and should not inspire confidence. It's just another lie. If you can't trust the company, what good is any guarantee? After all, the only thing that backs up a guarantee is the reliability of the company behind it.

You can learn from you're own experiences and those of many others and stop chasing after unlimited bandwidth since it doesn't exist. Instead, find the best deal for the bandwidth you are using and anticipated growth.

Otherwise, you'll keep paying for setup charges, having your account suspended, chasing after an illusion. It's up to you.

We've seen those very same terms mentioned before, and it should be easy to look up the discussion about them.

The whole thing is an illusion and tissue of lies. Here's why:

1. They are using the "focus on the bandwidth trick" while keeping your attention away from the related cpu usage factor.

2. They are using the statement that they can get more bandwidth with a phone call to suggest you don't have to pay for it. They have to pay for it, so what makes you think you'll get yours for free? They seek to confuse the availability of bandwidth with the paying for it.

3. The 100 gb bandwidth customer mentioned is surely on a dedicated or colocated server, not a shared server. Again, the related cpu usage is a limiting factor for bandwidth usage.

They may very well redistribute the unused bandwidth from low usage customers and allot it to the high usage ones, but their overall description still reeks of deceipt and trickery.

Is this a company you want to do business with?


Where can i find a host that allows 50gb a month all the ones i see only allow 10-20gb?


Not on a typical shared server account. Some of the hosts here caould tell you if your account might work on a shared server with a limited number of accounts. Otherwise, you're talking dedicated server for that kind of usage.

You might look into Cobalt RAQ servers.

Otherwise. the only solution I can think of is to split your site into a few different accounts. It may not be cost effective, though, and will cause more management difficulties.

That anti leech cgi script is going to make it difficult for you. Great so that no one links images, but bad since every image goes through it.

If you were to believe your host, you could simply remove the anti-leech cgi and serve the images directly. Bandwidth shouldn't matter.

That is, in theory. Your site is just a bit to big for a shared server enviroment, at least the way it is set up now. As is, you are pushing it (even without that cgi script).

There just comes a point when you can't run sites for $30/mo and I think you've hit that (a long time ago, heh).

I can't think of a way you'd do this for less than $150. Maybe if you got multiple accounts and split up the site. That *might* work.

Splitting the site might work, but the aggregate cost is likely to be over that $30/month. This kind of bandwidth is likely to require a dedicated server (or at least a minimally shared server, if you know someone who wouldn't mind sharing one with you soaking up all the bandwidth :) ).

------------------
Annette
Hosting Matters, Inc.
http://www.hostmatters.com

I can pay 150 a month but all i can find is 300 a month and over for a dedicated server or colocation they all have 1gb or more space, i'll never use that much. I don't need alot space all i need is bandwidth :)

Dialtone Internet has a 4th of July special for $225. They also have a Cobalt RAQ 2 for $200. With all their servers, you get 50 gb of bandwidth, and excess is $3 per, a low rate.

You can do a quick look up of them and will discover they are one of the better companies. I chose them for my own deciated server after much research and investigation, and can attest first hand to their level of service. I've had my own server with them just under two months and have been nothing but pleased with the service. I was even called by them a couple of weeks ago to see if I was happy with the service, had any questions, etc.

I think that says a lot about a company. Their excellent reputation is well earned and entirely justified.

That dosent sound bad but how differant is a dedicated server from a virtual in seting them up? or is it the same......I don't know much about it right now im using unix with apache 1.3.3 i have no idea of the differances between all these... whats the differance in Linux RedHat 6.1 and what im using now? I have no clue
as long as i can run my cgi and use .htaccess and have a fast site thats always up it dosen't matter to me.

David,

Setting up a dedicated server is very different to a virtual host, particularly when it requires you to have knowledge of either Linux or WinNT or whatever system you choose. It's not for the beginner or faint-hearted.

That said, Cobalts are very good for beginners, because their control panels administer virtually everything for you. And since all you require is bandwidth and you're not running any particularly CPU-intensive tasks (e.g. huge CGI scripts like UBB?) (correct me if I'm wrong about this assumption), then Cobalts might suit you.

You are very, very unlikely to get a virtual host which will offer you 40-50GB on a site unless you have a decent spread, and even then you'd be paying a lot.

And in answer to the difference between Linux RedHat and Apache/Unix :

RedHat is an Operating System version of Linux, and is a breeze to set up on Linux. However, it does not (by itself) run a web site or server. That's where Apache comes in, as it's a free web server that can run on nearly any Operating System (Linux/Unix/WinNT/etc.).

Of course, Unix is the big mother of the OSes, and if you learn Linux commands, you can use *most* of them in Unix (and vice versa).

So i guess Cobalts would be good for a newbe like me then. I have no knowledge of Linux or WinNT. Do they work almost the same as the virtual server that i have now? I mean when i get it i can't just upload my files and setup my cgi and be done can i? I have to set it up for my domian and everything right? and i guess i can have more than one domain with it? I don't want to get one and then be lost.

Thanks for the help

Just as an added note to David-1 concerning his posting showing the host's response to unlimited bandwidth where they state: All clients are allowed to use as much bandwidth as needed per month as long as their content is in accordance with our Acceptable Uses Policy.... I've seen that entire bandwidth statement on quite a few hosts and of the ones I've found it on, their Acceptable Use Policy includes the following: Sites whose primary purpose is for file distribution of non-web ready (such as .zip, .tar, .rar, .exe, .mp3) or mirroring of a site are strictly prohibited. This statement virtually eliminates the majority of high bandwidth web sites.. e.g. serving images and MP3s are not allowed. As was already mentioned, the cgi used to operate these types of sites is also something that gives the host an "out" on removing the site from their servers.

If the account is known to use in excess of 10GB of bandwidth per month you are wise to go ahead and determine what it is you will require and seek out a provider that specifically states their allowances and obtaining a service which will successfully serve your content.

Deb

- Http://www.FutureQuest.net

Im just scared that they will try to bill me for the bandwidth i used without telling me can do that? It says on there site that they can terminat your account without notice they will probly let me run up a high bill then tell me lol.....im tired of worrying about it im getting a dedicated server i hope :)




[This message has been edited by David-1 (edited 07-04-2000).]

David,

A Cobalt RAQ server would probably be a good choice for you since the interface is reported to cover most anything you'd need to do. These types of servers ahve some limitations that make them unsuitable for large numbers of sites, or several with high cpu usage (like UBB), but they would probably be well suited for your needs.

Should you decide to go with a regular server (Intel architecture server), I do have instructions for beginners, and some DI specific information, on my server site at http://techcellence.net You might find it helpful.

Be sure to read my adviusories and conditions. If you have the willingness and ability to learn, basic server management is not too daunting a task. However, you must go on learning. If you are willing, I think you'll find the rewards well worth the effort.

David, with a Cobalt RaQ server, you'd be able to to pretty much anything you need to do. For the most part, it is easy to run.

The only thing I'd point out, is that that cgi script you use might give the RaQ some trouble. It might be as heavy on the server as a UBB would, and if that is the case, then most people will tell you that a RaQ is not the best choice.

Whatever you get, be sure it has enough ram and speed to get the job done.