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  1. #1

    Hosting suggestions - quality service, small size/bw

    After reading a few hundred posts here, I still have a few questions....

    I'm looking for a new hosting provider to host a couple of dozen domains. I currently have an account on DreamHost (my wife's hosting) that is utilizing a whopping 13MB of disk space, and states that the bandwidth utilization is 0MB over the past 45 days (I guess they don't track email utilization?). This basically serves as a domain for her email, in the future it will also host a couple of simple pages such as her CV.

    My other account is with addaction.net - I have nothing but good things to say about them, and have hosted with them for close to two years. My current disk utilization is ~360MB, and bandwidth utilization is <80MB. My peak bandwidth utilization was about 1.3GB / month. Peak disk utilization was ~425MB.

    Obviously, I'm not a heavy user. The problem is that I do not wish to continue using two hosts. The original reason that I opened the account with DreamHost was that my wife could not access webmail from her office (blocking outbound TCP/2095). That is no longer the case, so switching her back to a cpanel domain is acceptable. I would like to consolidate everything to a single provider.

    I own about two dozen domain names, with plans to purchase 5 more over the next 6 months. These domain names are personal, not investment (family name, etc.) so most of them will simply serve as email addresses and link back to my primary domain, which currently hosts no content. I also would like to give my parents their own domains for the use of running a couple of blogs, as they moved back to America and wish to keep their friends in Europe up to date on their lives.

    So... where should I move my domains? I'd keep them at addaction, but I don't want to have to upgrade to a reseller account just to host more domains. I also don't want to spend $34.95 per month, considering my current utilization! I do prefer cpanel to the dreamhost panel.

    Moving everything to dreamhost is a possibility, but as I mentioned I do not prefer the control panel used there, and my wife has often commented (and I have seen) on very slow response times or timeouts. I have read dozens of positive reviews of dreamhost here on WHT, so please do not assume that I am bashing or otherwise discrediting their service. DreamHost offered exactly what I needed at the time, and for an excellent price. The fact that I'm using <15MB out of over 3GB, and 0MB out of >160GB works well for both parties. The other issue I ran into with Dreamhost was a delay in adding email accounts - often a couple of hours. This was such a pain in the [you know what] that I haven't messed with adding accounts to that domain since last fall. With addaction I can add an email address instantly - a great benefit when generating a new email address for signing up on a website. A good example is if I am purchasing an item online I generate an email forwarder for that company, so a purchase at Staples.com uses "staples@[mydomain.com]" so if I start receiving spam I know where it came from.

    Here's what I am looking for:

    Specs:
    ~1 - 1.5GB disk space
    5GB - 10GB bandwidth (minimum)
    Unlimited domains
    Cpanel
    Fantastico
    SSH access
    Ability to automate daily backups (cron job or other solution)
    24/7 support & 99.9% uptime (real, no just promised)

    Company:
    No resellers
    Established (2yr+ in business)
    Good reputation on WHT
    No overselling. I do not wish to share the server with 400+ other clients
    No restriction on information security sites *see note below

    Budget: $15 - $20 / month

    * One of the sites I would like to get back to work on, that currently lives on my hard drive and in my head, is an information security site. I am an information security manager, and I'd like to develop a small site with tips and tricks / discussion. I am not a hacker, cracker, criminal, etc. There may be the occasion where I would post exploit script, but nothing 0-day, etc. My focus is on securing resources, so anything I want to post would be focused on proof of concept code or auditing tools, not hacking tools. I'm a CISSP, and the ISC(2) code of ethics prohibits hacking or promoting hacking activites, so any site I run will abide by the code of conduct at isc2.org.

    I've been looking very closely at the Multi-Site package from Site5.com @ 16.95 / mo. The reviews here on WHT look very promising, and Site5.com seems to be pretty well respected. I'm very disappointed so far in dealing with the sales department - it has taken over a week to answer a few simple presales questions. So far they are averaging ~3 days between responses. Support and sales are seperate departments, but a promise of 15 minute support is getting harder to believe when sales is taking days to respond to simple, direct questions.

    What host do you suggest? Opinions?
    Last edited by undef; 08-08-2005 at 01:56 AM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Rovaniemi
    Posts
    483
    Hi there,

    I don't think you will have a lot of problems finding a host which meets your requirements. I think the best thing to do is check out the offers section and try some web host search sites.

    You seem to know very well what you're looking for, which will make the search all that easier, I believe.

    Good luck in your search!
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  3. #3
    Hello, undef

    ScarabWeb is right it does sound that you know what you are looking for allready. Check out the offers section and do a search on the company that looks intresting to you. Like ScarabWeb said best. Try also looking for a company that lets you upgrade as your sites grow. Remember Support and Uptime is the key !


    Good Luck !

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Lincolnshire, UK
    Posts
    259
    Site 5 are a very good provider. I've used them and their support is genuinely 15 mins. I would not let the performance of the sales department put you off too much.
    AMN WebTech
    We offer a variety of plans at competitive rates.
    Visit us for further details www.amnwebtech.co.uk

  5. #5
    Thanks for the feedback. With regards to the suggestion ScarabWeb offered - there have been so many posts here on WHT bashing the use of web hosting search sites, claiming that too many of them are owned or "supported" by various hosts, I have tried to steer clear of them.

    One last point that I failed to mention, 'unlimited' (or, rather, dozens or low hundreds) of email addresses are required. More specifically, forwarders. I only send email from about 5 different addresses, but I'd like to continue to be able to receive email to various address forwarded to the primary. As I mentioned in the original post, this helps keep spam down, and since my primary address includes my family name I only use that for person to person communications, never for a web form of any kind. I'd rather not ruin my primary email address by opening up to hundreds of incoming spam messages

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Rovaniemi
    Posts
    483
    Originally posted by undef
    Thanks for the feedback. With regards to the suggestion ScarabWeb offered - there have been so many posts here on WHT bashing the use of web hosting search sites, claiming that too many of them are owned or "supported" by various hosts, I have tried to steer clear of them.
    You might have a point there, but I still believe that by using those you might get a general idea and then take it further from there and research further until you find a host which is most suitable to you.

    Unlimited emails shouldn't be a problem either, most hosts have plans which give you unlimited POP mails.
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  7. #7
    Many great established hosts here on this forum. A reseller package would be great for you and your multiple domains.
    Neil McGeehan
    Reseller Web Hosting - At YouGotHosting, we provide affordable, reliable, dependable web hosting.
    Providing quality service since 2002

  8. #8

  9. #9
    I think go to reseller forum to find the best reseller package to fill your need, here you can find lots of offers, match you requirement also!

    Best of luck!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Northern Europe.
    Posts
    2,573
    Interesting story. My own experience with DreamHost has been OK.

    Regarding advice on a host.... I cannot suggest any other host that offers unlimited domains on one account, than the abovementioned Site5!
    Strange you report slow response from them; they have always answered my support requests very fast.

    Regarding the host-search sites: Most of those (and I've looked at more than 100 of them) are really just a collection of host names with the purpose of pulling in ad-money for the search-site. Then there are a few that do offer some valid host-quality information. The problem is how to tell one type of site from the other.
    Web Hosting Reviews — based on real customer feedback
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  11. #11
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Posts
    379

    Re: Hosting suggestions - quality service, small size/bw

    Originally posted by undef
    After reading a few hundred posts here, I still have a few questions....

    I'm looking for a new hosting provider to host a couple of dozen domains. I currently have an account on DreamHost (my wife's hosting) that is utilizing a whopping 13MB of disk space, and states that the bandwidth utilization is 0MB over the past 45 days (I guess they don't track email utilization?). This basically serves as a domain for her email, in the future it will also host a couple of simple pages such as her CV.

    My other account is with addaction.net - I have nothing but good things to say about them, and have hosted with them for close to two years. My current disk utilization is ~360MB, and bandwidth utilization is <80MB. My peak bandwidth utilization was about 1.3GB / month. Peak disk utilization was ~425MB.

    Obviously, I'm not a heavy user. The problem is that I do not wish to continue using two hosts. The original reason that I opened the account with DreamHost was that my wife could not access webmail from her office (blocking outbound TCP/2095). That is no longer the case, so switching her back to a cpanel domain is acceptable. I would like to consolidate everything to a single provider.

    I own about two dozen domain names, with plans to purchase 5 more over the next 6 months. These domain names are personal, not investment (family name, etc.) so most of them will simply serve as email addresses and link back to my primary domain, which currently hosts no content. I also would like to give my parents their own domains for the use of running a couple of blogs, as they moved back to America and wish to keep their friends in Europe up to date on their lives.

    So... where should I move my domains? I'd keep them at addaction, but I don't want to have to upgrade to a reseller account just to host more domains. I also don't want to spend $34.95 per month, considering my current utilization! I do prefer cpanel to the dreamhost panel.

    Moving everything to dreamhost is a possibility, but as I mentioned I do not prefer the control panel used there, and my wife has often commented (and I have seen) on very slow response times or timeouts. I have read dozens of positive reviews of dreamhost here on WHT, so please do not assume that I am bashing or otherwise discrediting their service. DreamHost offered exactly what I needed at the time, and for an excellent price. The fact that I'm using <15MB out of over 3GB, and 0MB out of >160GB works well for both parties. The other issue I ran into with Dreamhost was a delay in adding email accounts - often a couple of hours. This was such a pain in the [you know what] that I haven't messed with adding accounts to that domain since last fall. With addaction I can add an email address instantly - a great benefit when generating a new email address for signing up on a website. A good example is if I am purchasing an item online I generate an email forwarder for that company, so a purchase at Staples.com uses "staples@[mydomain.com]" so if I start receiving spam I know where it came from.

    Here's what I am looking for:

    Specs:
    ~1 - 1.5GB disk space
    5GB - 10GB bandwidth (minimum)
    Unlimited domains
    Cpanel
    Fantastico
    SSH access
    Ability to automate daily backups (cron job or other solution)
    24/7 support & 99.9% uptime (real, no just promised)

    Company:
    No resellers
    Established (2yr+ in business)
    Good reputation on WHT
    No overselling. I do not wish to share the server with 400+ other clients
    No restriction on information security sites *see note below

    Budget: $15 - $20 / month

    * One of the sites I would like to get back to work on, that currently lives on my hard drive and in my head, is an information security site. I am an information security manager, and I'd like to develop a small site with tips and tricks / discussion. I am not a hacker, cracker, criminal, etc. There may be the occasion where I would post exploit script, but nothing 0-day, etc. My focus is on securing resources, so anything I want to post would be focused on proof of concept code or auditing tools, not hacking tools. I'm a CISSP, and the ISC(2) code of ethics prohibits hacking or promoting hacking activites, so any site I run will abide by the code of conduct at isc2.org.

    I've been looking very closely at the Multi-Site package from Site5.com @ 16.95 / mo. The reviews here on WHT look very promising, and Site5.com seems to be pretty well respected. I'm very disappointed so far in dealing with the sales department - it has taken over a week to answer a few simple presales questions. So far they are averaging ~3 days between responses. Support and sales are seperate departments, but a promise of 15 minute support is getting harder to believe when sales is taking days to respond to simple, direct questions.

    What host do you suggest? Opinions?


    www.hostingzoom.com


    Answer you your needs and more!

    The best you can get, from personal expierence.



    Uptime? check my site uptime


    http://www.siteuptime.com/statistics...&&UserId=22330


    Support? best and fastest i've ever encountered.


    I highly recommend.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    Northwest Ohio
    Posts
    199
    A good hosting directory is http://www.findmyhosting.com. This is an unbiased directory. The host's pay only after someone purchases hosting when they are found through the site. Good rating and uptime watch system.
    The Web Hosting Network
    Innovative Hosting Solutions Personal Support & Sales
    Superior Web Site Hosting Since 1999

  13. #13
    Originally posted by GotWebHost
    I love the high demand combined with the low budget.
    This strikes me as odd - with the hundreds of hosts that are offering larger disk space and bandwidth than I requested for less money, is $20/mo really too low of a budget for a few sites that basically function as email addresses and perhaps a small CMS/forum? With the numerous complaints regarding overselling, budget plans, and people wanting everything unlimited for $4 (or $5, or $3, etc.) per month, is $15 - $20 / month still too cheap?


    [i\Originally posted by Nadabrahma[/i]
    Regarding advice on a host.... I cannot suggest any other host that offers unlimited domains on one account, than the abovementioned Site5!
    Strange you report slow response from them; they have always answered my support requests very fast.
    Nadabrahma - the slow respones has been from sales. I have not had any interaction with their support team, other than to read their blog and many of their posts on Site5's forum.


    I will spend some time checking out the search sites that were posted here. I appreciate everyone's feedback - I'd prefer only to change once, and get it right the first time.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    Northwest Ohio
    Posts
    199
    Running a hosting business for many years now, selling for anything less than $10 to $20 leaves very little room in a company's budget for support staff, and need upgrades. I think you are right on track, $20/Month should get you a pretty nice host.
    The Web Hosting Network
    Innovative Hosting Solutions Personal Support & Sales
    Superior Web Site Hosting Since 1999

  15. #15
    Originally posted by twhnman
    Running a hosting business for many years now, selling for anything less than $10 to $20 leaves very little room in a company's budget for support staff, and need upgrades. I think you are right on track, $20/Month should get you a pretty nice host.
    OK, that makes me feel a little better! I'm tired of seeing everyone try to undersell each other by a couple of dollars. If it costs more than $20/mo to get what I want, I'm willing to consider it, but most important is finding a reliable company with good support. If uptime and support are top notch, everything else will work itself out.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Posts
    9,264
    undef,

    Personally I think 20 a month is a bit high: You can find great hosts for cheaper (that have been around for years).

    With that said: price isn't everything - just because you pay more for something doesn't mean you're going to get higher quality.

  17. #17
    Originally posted by David
    undef,

    Personally I think 20 a month is a bit high: You can find great hosts for cheaper (that have been around for years).

    With that said: price isn't everything - just because you pay more for something doesn't mean you're going to get higher quality.
    Well, for what it's worth, $20 is a soft cap. I'd much prefer to find something less expensive, but I'm willing to pay what the market demands. In the end, I expect my web hosting provider to be like a mixture between my phone service and my attorney - there when I need it (phone), and attentive to my need for timely response (attorney). Granted, the day that web hosting costs $400/hr will be a sad day for the world....

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Posts
    9,264
    undef,

    I certainly don't see that occuring!
    Perhaps with an awful lot of inflation.

    Stick with your guns and continue to test the ones you've been looking into. Fire off an e-mail to their support.

  19. #19
    Thanks to everyone for your feedback. I decided to give Site5.com a try. I signed up for an account a few minutes ago - I will post a review after things are setup, and a few months down the road.

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Rovaniemi
    Posts
    483
    Congratulations on finding a host, and hopefully no more problems anymore
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    Shared | Reseller | Xen VPS | Dedicated | cPanel | Softaculous | CLoudLinux | Game Servers
    True 24x7 Support | No Overselling | Servers in France and Canada
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  21. #21
    I can make an unequivocal recomendation AGAINST Hostway. They spent 5 days watching my newly launched site go down every hour. Every time, telling me they we're "monitoring it". So for almost a week, I launch a page can not be found site.

  22. #22
    Signing up with Site5 has been a little slow, but I am (sort of) up and running now. There was a delay due to my phone number and address being from different areas. It took a few hours for them to sort that out, but it is Monday, and I'm pretty understanding on how things can go slow on mondays...

    On the other hand, they setup my MultiSite with WHM (not the MultiSite skin) which is fine with me, except switching to the multisite skin to try that out has broken my ability to add additional sites. My true MultiSite is a true UniSite for now. Let's see how the 15 minute average support response time measures up....

  23. #23
    Day two....

    So far things have been both great and awful. Awful, in that nothing ever works exactly as you expect it to. Kind of like going on vacation and not enjoying the resort as much as you'd like.

    Great, in every other way. Site5 is FAST! Not only is the site much faster than either of my previous hosts, the support system is down right remarkable. The engineers / techs I have dealt with have been curtious, kind, and highly available. My average time per response has been over 15 minutes, but the degree to which they are willing to go to help get things right is well worth it.

    So far, things are coming together nicely. Two days is too early to review anything, other than to say that every issue I have encountered Site5 staff has been more than happy to fix.

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Rovaniemi
    Posts
    483
    Undef, I'm glad to hear that most things are going great for you at your new host. Hopefully you'll settle in soon and all will continue to go smoothly.

    Thanks for keeping us up to date
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