Hosting a personal website

What is the easiest way to host a website

[Raul]

I want to make my own personal website, a clean good looking site to show myself in the web and talk about my business. I've already bought some domain names but I need help choosing the hosting. I want an easy to use and easy to set up service.

I have paid a hosting service that didn't work because it was very difficult to login, load, and customize my pages. I'll appreciate if someone recommends
me a good hosting company which service is reliable and easy to use.

[piatkow]

I have paid a hosting service that didn't work because it was very difficult to login, load, and customize my pages.

That sounds as if you were trying to use proprietory upload and editing utilities. If you use a PC based editor and FTP program there shouldn't be much difference in day to day maintenance.

Look for a host in the country in which you are trading. That way you don't loose business when an earthquake snaps an trans oceanic comms cable (that happens regularly). It is also a lot easier to get issues resolved if you are in the same time zone. You might raise a query at 8am but if it is only midnight at your web host you could loose a days business before getting an answer.

[Samizdata]

I don't think we do such recommendations on WebmasterWorld.

In any case, what might be a good hosting company today could become a basket case tomorrow - I have seen it happen, where a company takeover or change of management has led to a sharp decline in service as key staff leave to go elsewhere,

My advice is to work out your requirements and research using your favourite search engine. Many hosting companies will have a user forum that can give an indication of customer satisfaction levels.

Many ISPs also provide bundled webspace where you could point your domains.

Have you checked yours?

...

[phranque]

welcome to WebmasterWorld [webmasterworld.com], Raul!

the Webmaster General forum Charter [webmasterworld.com] prohibits discussion about specific hosting providers.
we have those exact threads on WebmasterWorld but they are only allowed in the Webhosting Issues and Options forum [webmasterworld.com], which is only available to WebmasterWorld subscribers [webmasterworld.com].

[netchicken1]

I think that you might have a long learning curve before you find something you can handle.

At the bottom end of the scale I would look for a webhost that has the C panel system with the "fantastico" package that gives you a number of one click install programs you can use. This will require you to learn some coding to best use it.

At the other, pay someone to create a website for you and that you know have to simply add new content to.

[JS_Harris]

Each host control panel is different, each with their own quirks. You're going to be learning the control panel wherever you go. Pick up a good FTP tool as mentioned above, you'll rarely need to log into the control panel when it's set up and the site is running, you can FTP files to your server instead.

When comparing hosts i'd recommend making sure you get .htaccess these days too, software applications tend to have options to put it to good use for SEO etc.