What is Web Hosting and How Does It Work

There are several reasons why you need web hosting services.

If you’re asking why you need web hosting for your website, first understand how web page works:

- A visitor sends a page request to the server through a web browser

- The browser uses IP address to connect to the server; IP address is obtained by translating the domain name.

- The server sends the requested page back to the user’s browser.

So, now you know how web works, let us understand why you need web hosting services.

Do I Need Web Hosting for My Website?

1) You require a web hosting provider to launch your website online!

Having a web hosting account allows you to host your website so that your website visitors and customers can access your web pages - anytime and from anywhere.

Of course, you could set up your own hosting server at home and create your website in 5 minutes, but unless you upload it to the server, no one except you will be able to access it. It takes a lot of time and knowledge to set up your own web server at home, and other things must be considered.

On the other hand, paying for a professional web hosting services offers you great value for your investments (you get all essential features of web hosting), as well as freedom and opportunity to do professional work online, within few hours.

2) A web hosting provider offers wide range of resources that are out of reach of a normal business or Internet users.

A web server not only provides web space and email services but also provides a host of other features such as 24/7 internet connection, unlimited bandwidth, 24/7 customer support, server maintenance and upgrades, unlimited RAM, etc.

This is something out of reach for a normal business or general users of the Internet.

Unless you both the knowledge and resources to run your own web server and email server at home, you will most likely require the services of a web hosting company.

3) You get a free domain name from your web hosting provider, which is required to access website online.

There are two options to get a domain name for your website: a) from domain name registrars such as NameCheap and GoDaddy, or b) through your web hosting provider.

The latter seems the easiest one to get a domain name for your website. This is because many web hosting providers offer a free domain name along with your hosting account. But, in the long run, a domain name bought from a web hosting provider could be costlier for you - you’ll have to pay the original price once the free trial (usually 1 year) ends.

Also, there are also other things to consider when registering a new domain.

Conclusion - Why You Need Web Hosting Services

There are many web hosting providers out there offering their web hosting packages in a wide range of prices depending on the services you intend to use: number of domain names, the web hosting bandwidth and space requirements.

Choose them carefully, or you could face serious consequences - slow servers, no support, and period of malfunction - that will cost you a lot in the long turn.

We highly recommend that you register a web hosting account through a reliable web hosting provider such as HostGator, BlueHost, or 1and1.com. Also, ensure that you have access to “one-click app installer” to install popular CMS such as WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal.

Click here (web hosting tips for beginners) to find best web hosting providers for your site.