Once you've had your site designed, you'll need to do a couple things to get your site on the web: register your domain name and find a host. We can also help you with these things (free of charge) as they can both be complicated if you are new to the web industry.

Why?

So, what are the purposes of having a host and domain name? A host provides space on their server where your website is stored and is readily available at any time for accessing on the internet. A host stores your website on their servers much like you store files on your own computer. The only difference is, their server is setup so that other people can access it through your domain name. Your domain name, which is the address to your website, is directly linked to your host (but does not have to be provided by the same company) and allows users on the web to connect to the server to access your website.

What does this mean?

The relationship between a host and domain name can be described using the analogy of a house. Think of it like this: The host is the house for your website and the domain name is the address in which the house (website) is located. Without the address, no one will be able to find your house or website.

Recommendations

If you are looking for a host and a company to register your domain, we generally recommend Lunarpages, which is among the top three companies for hosting. They register domain names for $14.95/year and they provide hosting for $7.95/month. They have one of the best customer support services and guarantee a 99.9% uptime (and they mean it)--something other hosts can't guarantee.

Pricing

Generally, with hosting companies, you get what you pay for. Please take into consideration why some hosts are cheap--it's probably because they don't have the best service. Also, please make sure you consult us before you subscribe to a host, because different hosting companies provide different services. If you need a database-driven site, PHP, or a shopping cart, we can't guarantee that your host has the capabilities for it.