Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : Web Hosting : I need a multi-website host, low cost, reliable, and friendly to ganja

[uncaused]

I'm in the market for a webhost that allows multiple websites within one account (and not just pointing addon domains to subdirectories).

I'll have several sites making use of Wordpress, which will start small, but will have very high traffic very quickly (in a couple months).

I would like to start on shared hosting and then jump to dedicated as the sites grow.

Sites will be of various sorts, from an artsy viral concept-site, some e-commerce sites, and some cannabis related sites.

Any recommendations?

[040Hosting]

Originally Posted by uncaused

(and not just pointing addon domains to subdirectories).

Hello uncaused; if i may ask; what is exactly your problem with the add-on domains ? Are you more looking for a reseller account; where you can create separate accounts for each domain ?

Or is there an other reason ? i.e. because its a sub directory below another domain name; if this is the case; and you are on a cPanel server you can change the location of the add-on domains to the user directory instead of a sub directory located under your main domain. (if the owner of the server did not disable this possibility).

[uncaused]

Hi 040Hosting,
I don't think I need a reseller account. I just want an account where I can be sure multiple websites are separate entities with their own email accounts.

Godaddy for example, requires aliasing additional domains onto subdirectories of the main domain, plus they charge extra for email accounts for the additional domains.

As I only have experience with a couple hosts, I don't know what's the norm here, but from what you're saying it sounds like most hosts with cpanel allow each domain to be a separate website away from other domains. I hope that's the case.

[jits]

Try nearlyfreespeech.net, there u can create a separate site (xxx.nfshost.com) for each of your sites, manage/bill all in single account and the sites can be mapped to domains and they are one of most reliable and cost effective hosts.
Each site costs 0.01$ per day and u can share the mysql across sites which costs 0.02 per day.. your website will be under 100 Mb so thats 1$ per month. Total monthly cost for n sites is n*1.3+0.6$ .. extra you will pay is for bandwidth of all the sites put together as 1$ per gb and it gets lesser as you go up..

[uncaused]

Yah NFS.N is nice, and actually one of the two hosts I've tried. I had a couple hiccups with SMF and a premium Wordpress theme not playing nice with the setup there... minor issues that I easily worked around... but I think I want a different kind of host for some high traffic sites.

I've written off godaddy, and dreamhost, and am now looking at mediatemple, hostgator and westhost and others trying to find a fit. MT seems pricey, but is based in California, which I like as medical cannabis is mainstream in cali. Still kickin' tires...

[AeonCube]

Do you have a budget for your multi hosting in mind?
MediaTemple are good but hear their prices are a bit high but still good.

[040Hosting]

Originally Posted by uncaused

As I only have experience with a couple hosts, I don't know what's the norm here, but from what you're saying it sounds like most hosts with cpanel allow each domain to be a separate website away from other domains. I hope that's the case.

To be sure you should contact the hosts you are interested in, this functionality is defaulted on, but a host may prevent you from using it in their setup. In general this should not be a problem, but best to ask anyways.

[jits]

Originally Posted by uncaused

but I think I want a different kind of host for some high traffic sites.

NFSN won't hurt you with bandwidth I think, unless you start hitting 2-5Gb per site or like that.

Try stablehost, they are reputed here and have multi-site plans, unlimited hosted domains. They are very well priced too.

Rochen, another reputed host(joomla.org hosted there), have multi-site plans limited to 3-5 domains but relatively expensive.

Edited: Steadfast.net, I am looking at them for my next "big" hosting. They are good solid experienced people, my impression is based on replies from Karl here.

Cheers!

[jits]

Originally Posted by AeonCube

MediaTemple are good but hear their prices are a bit high but still good.

I would agree, I would be looking at Media temple level of pricing when I have outgrown shared hosting.

If you are going to host multiple sites on the same account, you would have problem of CPU limit per account I think. Here steadfast.net will be handy, as their CPU/memory limits are proportionate to the level of plan.

[uncaused]

Thanks, Stablehost and Steadfast both look decent, and I may contact them. Btw, Stablehost has a coupon code hidden in their TOS page.

Originally Posted by AeonCube

Do you have a budget for your multi hosting in mind?
MediaTemple are good but hear their prices are a bit high but still good.

I'm not averse to $20 per month but only if it's worth it. I'm expecting a few of these site to explode, and I'd like to be hosted where I can scale and not end up having to switch hosts (which I've never ever gone through, but I imagine it being a drag).

[UH-Bobby]

Originally Posted by uncaused

Hi 040Hosting,
I don't think I need a reseller account. I just want an account where I can be sure multiple websites are separate entities with their own email accounts.

Godaddy for example, requires aliasing additional domains onto subdirectories of the main domain, plus they charge extra for email accounts for the additional domains.

As I only have experience with a couple hosts, I don't know what's the norm here, but from what you're saying it sounds like most hosts with cpanel allow each domain to be a separate website away from other domains. I hope that's the case.

Cpanel add-on domains would probably work fine for you. It does go to a directory in your main sites public_html, but people won't see that, and you can still have seperate email accounts. They are definitely seperate entities, just under the same cPanel account.

Good luck with your search!

[ItsJustHosting]

I would go with a reseller plan also, I think it would work best in this situation. But it depends, how much storage and bandwidth are you expecting with your sites?

[040Hosting]

Originally Posted by UH-Bobby

Cpanel add-on domains would probably work fine for you. It does go to a directory in your main sites public_html, but people won't see that, and you can still have seperate email accounts. They are definitely seperate entities, just under the same cPanel account.

Good luck with your search!

This is not completely true for some time already, as you are able to change the path where the add-on domain should be located this can be /home/userid/ instead of /home/userid/public_html/

As not many seem to know this has changed in the last major cpanel update; while it provides a default path /home/user/public_html/ a user who creates a add-on domain can override this and make it i.e. /home/user/mydomain/

[UH-Bobby]

Originally Posted by 040Hosting

This is not completely true for some time already, as you are able to change the path where the add-on domain should be located this can be /home/userid/ instead of /home/userid/public_html/

As not many seem to know this has changed in the last major cpanel update; while it provides a default path /home/user/public_html/ a user who creates a add-on domain can override this and make it i.e. /home/user/mydomain/

Yeah, I was mainly speaking from a defaults perspective. It's still within the main users directory however.

Thanks for adding this though, the OP should find that useful.

[uncaused]

Well I took the plunge with MT, after finding a coupon for 20% off at retailmenot. Adding a few domains and exploring the backend has been smooth and straightforward.

Meanwhile, godaddy is claiming inability to completely close any accounts for "legal reasons", which they fail to elaborate on when pressed. In my view, a customer should be able to close any account and cease relationship with any business at any time. I've scrambled the contact details and removed all payment info, but would still like the account completely closed. I'll start another thread with the exchange.