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  1. #1

    * Need to pick a host ASAP...

    I bought a state surplus server a few years ago and have been hosting out of my basement. I'm not a professional and had/have no idea what I was doing, but I figured it was a good opportunity to learn how to design webpages and how to host. The server just went bad, so I'm looking for a host now, hopefully to point all my domains to in the next day or two before my google links go away.

    I'm just learning how to pick a host, and have come up with the following wishes:

    1. Cheap--I'm hoping $20 or less per month, the cheaper the better since these are hobby/personal/genealogy websites. Yes, I really am someone with 25 amateur websites.
    2. hopefully Apache
    3. Unlimited domains for one price, or at least 50
    4. Unlimited MySQL databases, or at least 50
    5. some kind of responsive support when I need it--I don't know much about web design or hosting, but I need someone who is willing to answer questions when I get stuck, which shouldn't be often
    6. PHP 5.0.4+ with safe_mode disabled
    7. 10G+ space
    8. I never have more than 15,000 visitors in a month, so less than 10G transfer is fine
    9. GD or ImageMagick
    10. Freetype Library (optional)
    11. mod_rewrite
    12. ffmpeg
    13. FTP access
    14. Question: do the SEO features work? Meaning, should I give any heed to hosts that offer to submit my domains or give SEO advice, or should that scare me?
    15. zlib (optional)
    16. good stats, AWStats or better
    17. stability with pricing, i.e. they won't shut me down if I hit CPU or randomly charge me extra without warning me...
    18. Oh, and hopefully takes AmEx...


    I'd like to act as soon as possible. I don't know if it's appropriate to include my contact info here, but if it is, I'd go as far as to welcome phone calls to get this done soon. (If not, IMs are welcome.)
    Last edited by mrcolj; 01-14-2008 at 07:37 PM. Reason: contact info

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Vancouver
    Posts
    741
    Are you looking for any particular control panel?
    You have definitely done yourself a favor by listing out your exact needs so kudos to you.
    Have you checked out the offers forum?

  3. #3
    I have no cpanel requirements--I didn't know about them until today... It seems the biggest requirement of my list is unlimited domains--I just want a zillion tiny sites, and no I'm not a spammer--I just, for the sake of professionalism, have assigned a different domain name to each of my hobbies.

    I also need email--really only one account, with a default address, and every domain pointing there. So basically anything@anything would get into my inbox.

    In answer to your question, i'm not sure I know enough to go to the offers forum... I mean, while they all look like amazing deals, i'm still at the stage where I don't trust myself to take an amazing deal without a referral. I only trust those deals because they care enough to be on WHT.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Posts
    9,264
    mrcolj,

    Honestly, you're really stretching it with a $20 budget, 10 gigs of space & ffmpeg requirement. To get all three you're going to hunt for a bit.

    Off the top of my head I can't think of any provider that even meets those needs, Downtown Host has ffmpeg iirc but I've never personally used them. Now dreamhost on the other hand would allow you to compile your own php / ffmpeg -- so they're a fairly decent option.

    I host one of my blogs with them at the moment and while I haven't had too much usage out of the account I have mirrored a couple of massive file projects on the account -- they really let you use what they offer!

  5. #5
    Okay, drop the ffmpeg. I probably should have marked that optional in the first place.

    10G HD doesn't seem too unusual to me. I just have a photo gallery, and that can take space...

    If I drop the ffmpeg, I get back to my original problem--not that I can't find a host, but that there are a bazillion of them I can't tell apart. Someone just assign me one, please...

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Canada
    Posts
    169
    I think I have a coin near by. I always use that approach when in doubt ... let fate decide

    Ontopic: check out some of the posters' signatures, there are a lot of us with reviews and recommendations for hosting packages.

  7. #7
    I've been using xcelservers.com for four months now and I highly recommend them. I would go with their $10 package. I was able to get a coupon out of them through talking with their friendly live support.

    You can contact one of their sales reps through AIM, Minda, at: Mindadapanda.

    Regards
    -PZ

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Ohio
    Posts
    1,668
    Quote Originally Posted by PhantomaZero View Post
    I've been using xcelservers.com for four months now and I highly recommend them. I would go with their $10 package. I was able to get a coupon out of them through talking with their friendly live support.

    You can contact one of their sales reps through AIM, Minda, at: Mindadapanda.

    Regards
    -PZ
    What domain do you have hosted with them?

  9. #9
    I have not been quiet about not being happy with Stormwire, who is my current host. I just moved a number of domains to xcelservers.com with fairly small problems. I have had superb support from them, and they have fixed issues quite well. So I am pretty happy with xcelservers.com. Give them a try.
    Ken Edwards
    Meancode Media, LLC
    Web & Database Development
    AIM: meancodemedia

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Chris_M View Post
    What domain do you have hosted with them?
    homcompany.com

  11. #11
    I just moved http://cube-marketing.com/ over there.
    Ken Edwards
    Meancode Media, LLC
    Web & Database Development
    AIM: meancodemedia

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Apr 2001
    Location
    Paradise
    Posts
    12,052
    I think that mostly all your questions were answered but the point 14
    Question: do the SEO features work? Meaning, should I give any heed to hosts that offer to submit my domains or give SEO advice, or should that scare me?
    I strongly suggest you to submit your site manually to all the search engines where you want (indeed there are -10 where you should do it). SEO advice is not something that a host usually offer, nor I see it very frequently. If I were you, I would keep that under my control.
    Shared Web Hosting - Reseller Hosting - Semi-Dedicated Servers - SolusVM/XEN VPS
    LiteSpeed Powered - R1Soft Continuous Data Protection - 24/7 Chat/Email/Helpdesk Support
    Cpanel/WHM - Softaculous - R1soft Backup - Litespeed - Cloudlinux -Site Builder- SSH support - Account Migration
    DowntownHost LLC - In Business since 2001- West/Center/East USA - Netherlands - Singapore

  13. #13
    For SEO,

    You have to make your in static form.
    eg. page.html , page.php .

    Though google say they do spider dynamic page but static page are still preferred.

    Dynamic page look like: page.php?goto=342&viewit


    AND

    Do you mind i add in another few points?

    19. Reliable network & good uptime.
    20. Friendly support
    21. Go the extra mile to help me out.
    Affordable Managed Hosting Solutions for Professional & Business since 2001
    Mxhub.com - Global : USA - UK - Canada - Europe - Asia Pacific


  14. #14
    Hmm, Your search should not be to hard. I would make sure whoever you host with allows the type of web sites you have. For example: If you have a Video streaming web site, then some host do not allow this. That is just example but whoever you host with you want to make sure they will allow your web site before you purchase it. The space and budget you are looking for should be easy to find
    1HostGuy - SEO Web Site Hosting

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