Getting the Most of Free Web Hosting Services
A Web Hosting Article Contributed by Frances Rhea
Free Web Hosting Services
Nowadays, there are so many free web hosting services providers that the task of sifting through them is a challenge. New companies are starting up regularly trying to get into this fast moving market. How can you tell whether you should use them for your web hosting services? Let's look at some of the features you can expect.
Features of Free Web Hosting Services
A free hosting service will generally provide you with anywhere from 2MB to 50MB for your web pages. There is usually a limit on the types of files that you can upload to their servers. The files not allowed are often ASP, PHP, cgi, perl, and any files that are considered illegal.
Most free web hosts provide templates that you can edit to create your site quickly and easily. They often have an online WYSIWYG editor so you do not need to know HTML to create your web site. They usually also provide a Web based file manager and upload tools so if you want you can create your site offline and then upload them to make your web site ‘live' quickly.
Some free Web hosting services will provide pre-installed scripts such as a guestbook, counter or forum.
Drawbacks to Free Web Hosting Services
Support on free web hosts is usually non-existant or very minimal. Sometimes they will include an online help file which will answer some of your basic questions. They do not provide email or phone support for more detailed problems or questions.
You can not host your own domain name. There is almost always an additional fee for using your domain name even if you register and administer it yourself.
Free web hosting services do not allow you to use your own scripts such as form mail or a classified ads section. You can use one of the many free services, such as Bravenet, that are available to meet these needs. Many of these add-on services allow you to have control over what your pages look like so they can blend in with your site.
Questions You Should Ask
Before you commit to any hosting services there are a few questions you can ask to determine the quality of the site. Try to find the answers to at least some of the following questions.
Do you host people who spam or adult sites? Can your service grow along with your needs? Will the company be around next year?
If the answer to the first question is 'yes' leave the site alone and find another. If this type of activity is allowed then any problems that occur may have an affect on your site also.
If the answer to the other questions is 'no', again, look for another hosting service. It can be a pain to have to move your web site to another service in a few months or if you outgrow the services that they can provide.
It is better to choose wisely and allow for growth from the beginning.
