WebsiteBee.com Website hosting is little more than providing a directory or folder on a computer that is on the internet. When you upload files to that folder, people will be able to access them freely. [
Website hosting for $7.95/month ] Why would I pay for space on a computer when I already have one? Why can't I host my own website? My computer is already on the internet. Actually you can. All you need is a connection to the internet and a computer with some type of server software. However, there are some issues with trying to do it yourself. Your computer is set up to send requests to websites and get responses, but not to receive requests. A website is resolved by an ip address, a number like 192.168.0.1. You would need to identify the address to a name server that will then respond to requests for name resolution with the exact ip of your website. You again could run the name server from your home. But to have a website resolved to a name server you must have 2 name servers each with their own ip. Since you can not host a website on a dynamic ip, unless you keep telling your customers your new address each time you get online. You will need 3 static ips, or you can buy name server services, but thats usually more than the entire website hosting. You will also need a dedicated connection such as cable or DSL. The problem is, most isp's have closed port 80 so you can not host a website, due to the increased cost to them. They may allow you to upgrade and get static ips and the ability to host websites, but it wont come cheap. Most DSL providers will not allow website hosting for plans under $200/month. Another consideration is, can your computer handle the extra work. If you are running windows, you are likely to run your own stuff with out crashing, never mind a website. You also have dependabilty issues. Will you be able to monitor your computer 24-7 to know if it is online? If your power surges or goes off, your computer will shut down and your website is down. Most websites hosting companies use extensive backup systems with generators for backup power. You really want your website to be up 24-7, so hosting it yourself is not the best idea in the world. You also have issues with opening your computer to allow people to surf through your pc. Since you are not an expert at security, it likely wont be difficult for anyone to access all th files on your computer. If you have any information on your computer that you do not want to share freely, do not host your own website. Some people think having a firewall will help. But that is not true at all. Once someone has accessed your computer on a given port, the firewall is aready surpassed. A firewall only prevents the initial access. If you are hosting a website, you must have the port open on your firewall. Without internal software to prevent file surfing by hackers, you are basically wide open. |
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