One major issue for folks is cost.One major issue for folks is cost.
While you may be talking thousands of dollars to set up a server and hundreds of dollars a month to host a server on the web (i.e., the complex setup), most folks will have tens of dollars spent every month to maintain a web presence.
There are a few parts to that total.
One reference for finding ISPs and WSPs is the List, which has been around for more than a decade. It’s easily searched by state/area code for ISPs.
Most folks access the online world via an Internet Service Provider (ISP). An ISP provides the electronic connection from your computer to the internet.
Familiar ISP names include AOL, Earthlink, Yahoo, NetZero. In addition, your local cellular carrier with wireless connectivity, telephone or cable company may also fulfill your needs. (For those who don’t live in urban areas, it may be a satellite carrier. Or for some very fortunate urban users, your city may offer free wireless connectivity.) The cost to connect varies based on the method (e.g., dial up, DSL, etc.) and speed of the connection.
ISPs often supply one or more email addresses, and perhaps a few pages of “personal” web pages, in addition to access to the web. Some are very security conscious and check all email and downloads for viruses, or filter email for SPAM.
So how to select an ISP? Look at what speed you need and any other features. (This may include bundling Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) for telephone service or even television service, via cable or satellite. Pricing can improve by combining services; going through the pros and cons of combining these functions is beyond the scope of this article. Another issue to consider when looking at combining services is based on whether the phone line in question is residential or business as some providers cannot service business lines.) Also consider the reputation of ISPs, customer service, and any length of contract required to sign up.
If you’ll be uploading a lot of images or web pages, a “high” speed connection, like DSL or cable, is suggested. Dial up, satellite, or wireless can take hours to upload a handful of images.
Also know how much time you might be online; while the majority of carriers may have an unlimited amount of time you can be online, some levels of service still are metered and limited.
If you travel a fair amount, you might want to consider getting an ISP that has the ability to do dial up (in addition to a higher speed at “home”) so that you can access your email and the web when on the road. (There are a number of ISPs that have limited dial up for less than $10/month, which means you might have two ISPs to support your work.)
Monthly prices ranges from $0 (NetZero, dial up) to perhaps $75 for some business DSL speeds. Fortunately for business users, this cost may be considered a business expense.
January 2009: New legislation (if passed) may make it easier/cheaper to access high-speed internet.
A Web Service Provider (WSP) is the entity that hosts your web pages, and/or vanity domain, including email.
Some ISPs do perform this service, either included in the monthly cost (for a small number of pages, and low bandwidth), or for an additional monthly cost. Some ISPs will even host a vanity domain.
But sometimes its good to have your WSP different than your ISP, especially if you may be changing ISPs (say going from DSL to cable or moving). Having separate WSP service means you are not tied to one ISP, and changing ISP should have no affect on being available.
There are hundreds of companies around the world that supply this service. As you’re accessing the information over the internet, you do not need to do business with a company in your city, or even your state. However, finding one that has customer service hours when you’re most likely to be using their services is important. Online service is one thing, but having the ability to talk via toll free call with a person 24/7 is a great reassurance.
WSPs service levels vary widely in hosting capacities. The two areas of concern are disk space and bandwidth.
Disk space is used not only for storage of web pages and images, but also for email.
Bandwidth addresses the amount of data transferred by folks viewing your webpage every month. A small web site may have 500GB of data transferred a month, while a larger site, like this site, may have seen that amount of traffic in a single day.
Another thing to consider is the contract length a WSP may require.
Some WSPs offer a number of add on services like credit card processing, shopping carts, search systems, etc. So knowing your needs up front, or finding a company that you can upgrade as needed is key. (There are also free and paid additions that can be incorporated into your website, including shopping carts, so finding a WSP with those capabilities may not be required.)
One advanced additional feature is databases. This would allow a user to host pictures and descriptions of their products and perhaps integrate with a shopping cart system. Further discussion is beyond the scope of this article.
Changing WSPs can be done. It should only involved changing the DNS (Domain Name System) pointers at your domain’s registry.
Prices on a WSP can range from $0 (included in ISP fees and some free web services that compensate by adding lots of advertisements and have a lot of limitations on transfers), to $99/month or more. Some charge annual fees that can work out to less than $10/month.
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