Web Hosting and Domain Registration: The Differences

It may seem the simplest thing to create a website and get it online but, not to the internet newbie or the web's non-technical community. Some people erroneously think that web hosting and domain registration are one and the same simply because lots of hosting companies offers domain registration too. It is important to categorically state that though both domain and web hosting are required before any website will be live on the internet, they are very different from each other.

The Interdicted Process

There are some companies on the internet that deal only on domain registration and the are the ones that handles the registrations and these domains must be hosted by a web hosting company for there to be a website. While some companies offer either domain name registration services or web hosting services, many companies offer both services together and this is where lots of newbie internet browsers get confused. This situation doesn't prevent anyone from hosting his or her website with the same company that registered the domain name or registering the domain with one company and go ahead to have it hosted by another company.

A Closer Look at Domain Names

If you are searching for information on the internet, the name you type on the browser is the domain name of the website you are intending to visit. No two domain names are the same and this is why you will be taken to just the unique name you searched for. If you are creating a website, domain name is what comes first because this is what the site will be known for. The moment you register any domain name with a domain name registration company, you become the legal owner of the domain name. It is important to choose the appropriate domain extension for your domain name. There are .CO, .COM, .NET, .CO.UK e.t.c to choose from and you should be able to choose one that best represents the interest of your proposed site. Note that there are not few fake domain registration companies on the internet so there is need for you to ascertain if the domain registrar you want to use if featured on ICAAN website.

Looking at Web Hosting

Web hosting which can be shared or dedicated is the next thing you will go for after you had registered your domain name with a credible domain registrar. Your website will not be seen on the internet if it is not properly hosted by a web hosting company that will place it on a web server for onward link to the internet. You can opt for a Dedicated Server Web Hosting or just Shared Web Hosting but it also depends on your site's requirements.

Your web hosting company may advise you to take a shard hosting package if your site needs a regular bandwidth and web space. In this hosting plan, your site will share the hosting features with other similar sized site. Though the features you get from different hosting companies varies but here are some standard features you will expect: A certain amount of web space which will depend on your chosen hosting plan, Easy to use C Panel, Free domain transfer, webmail, account management facility, interrupted ftp access to be able to upload your web files to the internet e.t.c

On the other hand, your web hosting company may recommend a dedicated hosting server to you if your site has grown so big that you need the use of more unique software and other features. In this case, you will not be sharing with anyone else your server space but, just be reminded that you will be paying a much higher amount for any dedicated hosting package.