Archive for April, 2010

cPanel And Fantastico FAQ

cPanel can make your life a lot easier when running websites because of its easy to use interface. However, if you have no experience setting up a website then using FTP programs to upload files, creating MySQL databases and running installation scripts can be a daunting prospect. This is where Fantastico is so useful because it allows you to install hundreds of different scripts to your web server through cPanel.

Which scripts are supported?

Hundreds of scripts covering a wide range of different functions are supported. For example, if you want to build a website using a content management system then popular options such as Drupal and Joomla are supported which makes the process of creating a website much simpler. If you want to build a blog then Wordpress is also included.

Fantastico isn’t just for building websites though but also for adding to them. For example, you can install guestbooks or discussion boards using the software.

How difficult is it to use?

Because Fantastico uploads the script, creates all the required databases and then installs the software for you it’s extremely simple to use. All you need to do is select the script you want to install and enter a few details; the rest is done for you automatically. Remember that many of the scripts will require their own MySQL database so it’s important to know how many you have available before installing.

What Is cPanel Hosting?

In the past, hosting a website was difficult and required specific technical knowledge. Today however, hosting a website is easier than ever before and that’s largely due to the popularity of cPanel. cPanel web hosting provides users with a graphical way of accessing and editing their website servers to suit their own needs which makes running a website much simpler.

The cPanel software was originally developed for a specific web host but after the company merged with another work began on cPanel 3 which was released to other hosting companies. The software is built in such a way that it provides an easy to use graphical interface for users but still comes with command line access to allow developers to expand it to suit their user’s requirements.

cPanel has a wide range of features that are always expanding with each new release. For example, you can use it to easily access MySQL databases and manage email addresses for your hosted domains.

One of the best features of cPanel is that it allows users to access their websites control panel through a web browser. This means that no matter where you are in the world as long as you have an internet connection you have an interface with your web hosting server.

Because cPanel makes hosting a server so straightforward it’s opened the door to anyone who wants to create and run a website. However, unless you have your own UNIX server you still need to buy web hosting or find a free provider. The good news is that there are plenty of free cPanel hosting companies available. For example http://www.host-blaster.com/ provide cPanel hosting for free.

How Free Web Hosts Work

Using a free web hosting service can be a tempting proposition for anyone creating a new website. Whether you’re building a personal blog or an ecommerce website one of the things that may be holding you back is the start-up cost. While the price of web hosting in general has come down over the years there are plenty of free hosting options available that may be right for you.

However, people are naturally suspicious of anything that seems too good to be true and free website hosting is no exception. For this reason it’s important to know how free hosting companies work in order to understand how they can offer these deals.

It goes without saying that free web hosting companies make money too – they aren’t charitable organisations – but they have a different way of doing so. Instead of charging on a monthly basis most free hosts will require you to display adverts on your website. Whenever one of your visitors clicks on one of these ads the web host has a chance of making money.

In many cases free website hosting companies will also have a paid option that removes all adverts from your website. Many customers who use the free services will go on to become paying customers when their website expands. A lot of free site hosting companies also provide an incentive to any of their users who refer their friends and family which allows them to grow quickly and without much effort.

Free hosting companies provide new website owners with a way to get their site up and running without having to worry about the cost of hosting. Free web hosts have become more advanced in recent years and now offer services comparable to paid hosts. For example, you can get free cPanel hosting from some companies such as http://www.host-blaster.com/.

Who Should Use Free cPanel Hosting

One of the first decisions you need to make when setting up a website is which type of hosting to use. There are many different options but the two main categories are free hosting and paid hosting. It’s important to make sure you choose the right one so you don’t have to worry about switching hosts in the near future.

When deciding which type of host to go for you need to consider which kind of website you’ll be building. If you want to setup a small personal website as a hobby rather than to make money then one of the many free hosting companies may be able to provide you with the service that you need. Some free hosts allow you to use MySQL databases, addon domains and a variety of other features so you won’t be limited when it comes to creating your website.

On the other hand, if you want to setup a large website or one that you intend to make money with then a paid host may be a better option. Free web hosts will require you to display adverts on your website which can look unprofessional if you’re trying to build a business. Also, paid hosts are generally more reliable than free ones which is important when running an online business.

However, free hosting companies are much more reliable in general than they have been in the recent past. As hosting has become cheaper it’s allowed free hosts to provide a greater level of service than they’ve been able to before. For example, finding free cPanel hosting such as http://www.host-blaster.com/ is no longer a difficult process and you may be surprised by the features that are included in the deal.

Whether you’re buying web hosting or have chosen to use one of the many free services available the primary goal is still the same – to find a host that will provide you with a high quality service. This article will take you through some of the more important considerations that you must factor into your decision when choosing a web host.

Speed and Reliability

There’s nothing more frustrating as a website owner to find that your website is frequently unavailable to your visitors because of poor quality web hosting servers. Whether you choose free web hosting or not you need to ensure that the host can guarantee a certain level of uptime. You also need to make sure that their servers are fast enough to cope with the number of websites they host because the vast majority of hosts provide shared hosting plans.

Security

No matter what your website is about the security features of the web hosting you choose are important. However, if you run an ecommerce website then security becomes a vital factor in your decision.

Space and Bandwidth

Many free cPanel web hosts will claim to provide you with unlimited bandwidth for your websites. However, you also need to look at the space they provide for your sites files and databases. Most small websites will not need more than a few hundred megabytes but whether you will require more is something that depends on the size and complexity of your site. Image and video files will use up hosting space quickly so if you plan on using many of these then having a lot of space available becomes important. For example, http://www.host-blaster.com/ provides you with 15GB of space which should be more than enough for all but the largest websites.

How To Choose A cPanel Web Host

As cPanel has grown in popularity the number of web hosts offering cPanel web hosting has also increased. Whether you want to buy a dedicated server or just use free cPanel hosting it’s never been easier to find a service that provides what you need. However, whenever the number of choices available increases it becomes more difficult to make a decision which is why it’s important to narrow down your options before you start looking.

The first thing you need to remember is that there may be a discrepancy between the figures provided by a web host and what you’ll actually get. For example, many web hosts offer unlimited bandwidth because they know that the vast majority of websites won’t use much anyway. However, if a website does start to get a lot of traffic then they may reconsider their unlimited bandwidth offer. For this reason it’s always a good idea to read reviews of web hosts from people who’ve used them in the past before making a decision.

Customer support is important when choosing a web host because you need to have quick access to a technician should something go wrong with your website. You definitely don’t want to be in a situation where one of your websites goes down over the weekend only to find out that the host won’t be able to sort it out until Monday.

The location of the web host isn’t important as long as they provide quick speeds to your country. For example, if you’re running a website in the UK then using a US based host shouldn’t cause a problem as long as the speeds are quick enough.

When choosing cPanel hosting you should keep in mind that there are many free options available. For example, http://www.host-blaster.com/ provide free cPanel hosting with enough space and bandwidth for most websites.

If you’re looking to use a free web hosting company then there are some obvious factors that you need to consider such as reliability, server speed and how much space is provided. However, aside from the basics there are some other important features that your website may need so it’s essential to find out whether a free hosting company provides them before making a decision.

1. MySQL databases – If you want to use content management systems such as Drupal or Wordpress then having at least one MySQL database is important. The database is where content management systems store all the information about the website such as post content, comments and titles. If a free hosting company doesn’t provide a database then you may be limited when it comes to software options for your website.

2. Addon Domains – If you only need hosting for a single website then having the option of addon domains isn’t important. However, if you’re planning on running multiple websites then using a free host that supports addon domains will make things a lot easier. Addon domains allow you to direct various domain names to different folders in your hosting account which effectively allows you to host many domains under one account.

3. cPanel – The vast majority of free hosts will provide cPanel but not all do. Free cPanel hosting is essential if you aren’t in expert when it comes to running a web server as it provides you with a graphical way of editing all the server options.

Finding free hosting that comes with all these features can be difficult but not impossible. For example, http://www.host-blaster.com/ is a free cPanel host with unlimited addon domains and unlimited MySQL databases.

How To Choose Free Hosting

If you’ve decided to use free hosting instead of a paid option then the next thing you need to do is start looking for the right host. While there are many similarities between choosing a free host and a paid one there are also some differences which will be discussed in this article.

In the past, one of the biggest problems with free hosting plans is that they had large amounts of downtime. Today, many free hosts are more reliable which means that your website will be up and running most of the time. However, it’s still important to find out what the average downtime is for a web host before you decide to use them for your website.

The next thing you need to look at is which kind of advertisements the host will use on your site. Free hosting companies make their money by displaying adverts on the sites they host and it’s important to pick a company that doesn’t overload your site with irrelevant adverts. If the host uses multiple pop-ups then it may be best to consider a different company because this will put off the majority of your visitors.

Finally, if you’ve never created a website before then you need to find out which tools a web host provides to make the process easier. For example, some free web hosting companies have templates available to use on your website. Some hosts may offer free cPanel hosting that comes with Fantastico to allow you to install website software without requiring any technical knowledge. An example of a free cPanel hosting company is http://www.host-blaster.com/.

If you’re planning on creating a website in the near future then one of the decisions you’ll have to make is whether to get free or paid hosting. Every website needs hosting of some sort so it’s helpful to know the advantages and disadvantages of free web hosting before you make your decision.

Many people argue that free hosting is never the right option but in reality if you’re running a small or personal website then in many cases it’s all you will need. If your website grows in the future and you need to expand you could always consider changing to a paid host.

Aside from the fact that free hosting doesn’t cost you anything, there are several differences between free and paid services. The first is that your website will usually have to display adverts of some sort for the hosting company. The free web host needs to make back the money it’s spending on servers and staff and the most common monetization method is through forcing ads onto their clients websites.

The second is that you generally don’t get the same level of features included such as fantastico and unlimited add-on domains although there are exceptions to this rule. For example http://www.host-blaster.com provides free cPanel hosting with many additional features.

The final difference is that because you’re not paying for your web hosting in most cases you won’t be provided with the same level of customer support that you would with a paid host. This isn’t unreasonable – after all the web host is providing you with a free service – but it’s something to keep in mind when deciding between a free and paid host.

Advantages Of Using cPanel Web Hosting

When it comes to hosting a website no software makes it as straightforward as cPanel. cPanel web hosting is widely seen as the best hosting solution available at the moment so if you’re planning on setting up a website in the future you should definitely consider paid or free cPanel hosting. Here are a few of the major benefits of using cPanel hosting for your website.

cPanel makes website hosting easy

Because cPanel uses an intuitive graphical interface it’s easy to edit almost all the options that you might need when running a website. For example, if you want create an add-on domain, create a subdomain or just add a new email account then cPanel makes this easy.

cPanel has a large user base

Most of cPanel’s features are relatively easy to use but if you get stuck there are plenty of tutorials available on the internet because of the large user base. While you could always contact your web hosting company if you need help with your hosting the fact that tutorials are readily available for cPanel makes learning much easier.

Fantastico makes creating a website simple

Fantastico is an add-on to cPanel that provides users with an easy way of installing scripts and software onto their web server. For example, if you want to install Wordpress or Joomla to your server Fantastico can do this in just a few clicks. However, some free web hosts don’t provide Fantastico as standard so make sure you know exactly what’s included in the package. Free web hosts such as http://www.host-blaster.com do provide free cPanel hosting with Fantastico included though making them a great choice.