Web Host: Choosing the Best Web Host

With your Web site authored, you need a place to stow it so visitors can access it--and you have hundreds of choices. Many of these web hosts are free, and few cost more than $20 per month. Truth is, setting up your own host--a dedicated computer that's permanently wired into the Net--is time-consuming and expensive and, for most small businesses, a bad idea. Better to outsource web hosting to folks who specialize in it like Apollo Web Hosting.

Picking a web host is tricky. An ideal web host like Apollo Web Hosting has one or more T3 lines connected directly to the Internet, not through someone else's network operations center. Servers should be fast Pentium Pros or Sun SparcStations, running Windows NT, Linux or another mainstream, high-performance operating system. Let your web host know if you use bandwidth-gobbling features like streaming audio and video. And know who you share space with, since if other businesses on your server experience large spikes in traffic, you could suffer.

How good is your support? Look for 24/7 phone support available from a live person. Then check it. Call or e-mail the tech support line at 9 p.m. on a Sunday and expect it to be answered.

What will it cost? Entry-level web host service with a single domain name, 20MB hard-drive space, e-mail service and up to 1GB of monthly data transfer (which may also be expressed as hits) should cost no more than $50.

How do you handle security? Passwords should be required to control the host and manage or modify your site. All files should be backed up daily. Always look for a web host that offers secure transactions.

How much control do I have? You want to be able to use a variety of background applications, including custom CGI scripts and online forms tailored for your business, otherwise you won't be able to design a site that really meets your needs."

Can you handle the technology I'm using? If your site's software runs on Microsoft Internet Information Server under Windows NT, look for a host that supports that configuration. Personal referrals help, too. Ask your software company if they know of any good web hosts.

Actually comparing web hosts can be difficult, so a good policy is to quietly set up an account and test the web host--kick the tires, so to speak--for several weeks before announcing your presence to the world. Isn't that expensive? You bet, when setup fees are factored in. But more expensive--and embarrassing--is to make a big push for traffic, only to have your web host drop the ball and leave you with cranky visitors who cannot quite make it in. Better to know your web host is operating smoothly before inviting guests to the party.