Choosing Web host for a VERY small business???

[phkhgh]

Hi,
Sorry if this is completely wrong place to ask. If anyone can direct me elsewhere, I'd appreciate it!

I'm thinking of getting my own (very simple) web page to link to from a kind of local "craigslist" for small businesses (mine is tutoring).

Clueless about choosing a decent company that hosts for VERY small time operators like me at low $. There would be very few hits on this web page / mo, & don't need much space.

Can't afford much right now, but I've read w/ some of the "free" web hosts, you'll regret signing up. Maybe some free ones are OK.

Any suggestions at all?

Thanks.

[Paul Komski]

Netfirms (http://www.netfirms.com/)do a freebie - the downside is a banner ad - unless you upgrade to packages starting at $5 per month.

If you park a domain name at Freeparking (http://www.freeparking.co.uk/)you get a very limited hosting for free. However if you have free webspace elsewhere, such as from an ISP, you can grab the URL from Freeparking.

Another approach is just to start an on-line blog (https://www.blogger.com/start) and use it as your website.

Personally I would go for a minimalist paid package with a domain name of your own, emails, etc. There must be loads of em.

[phkhgh]

Thanks Paul,

I'm so new at this, I really don't know what kind of space or bandwidth I'd need.

asmallorange.com has their "Tiny" plan, that says 75MB space, 3GB bandwidth (per mo or yr?) for $25/yr. Whether a mo or yr, it really has no meaning to me!

Re: Space. I really only need an very simple intro page, maybe a 2nd page w/ maybe 23 lines? of text (some just a few words or contact info) like this:
ALL MATH LEVELS ** ELEMENTARY THROUGH COLLEGE

then maybe a 3rd page? w/ some background info on myself. I doubt this page would get 100 hits/mo.
So what kind of bandwidth & space plan would I need for something like that?
Would 75 MB & 3GB bandwidth (?per mo?) be sufficient?

Thanks so much for all the input.

[Paul Komski]

Would 75 MB & 3GB bandwidth (?per mo?) be sufficient?
More than adequate I would say - but I would search around and you could well get a better deal than that.

I cant see where asmalloragne provide a domain name - in fact their site seems very rudimentary. Do you want your own domain name?

[phkhgh]

Thanks. Good quest. Don't know if asmallorange gives your own domain like myname.com, which I would prefer. I'll see if I can contact them.

Unless you're just referring to the small space size & bandwidth, how much cheaper can you get than $2.08/mo (if they give your own domain name)? I agree I might be able to find a host that gives a lot more space/bandwidth for $5/mo, but it's overkill for me right now (probably - I'm just guessing).

[Paul Komski]

Seriously - if you want cheap and simple its hard to beat a free on-line blog.

At Netfirms you can buy a .com .org .net domain name for $5 per annum (http://www.netfirms.com/domain-names/). It's yours even if you decide to move.

You can start with the free hosting package (one banner ad at top) so that's about 40c per month (the cost of the domain name) and upgrade to a $5 per month package anytime later on to remove the banner ad and get other features. Or just try the free package and buy a domain name later if it suits you and you are happy. If not it has cost you nothing.

[phkhgh]

Thanks Paul.

Netfirm's domain names are $5.95 1st yr, 9.95 there after. Didn't see the free host plan w/ banner ad on their site.
Seriously - if you want cheap and simple its hard to beat a free on-line blog.
For me, one issue is I don't need or WANT national or even St. exposure for my site, and dealing w/ spam, etc. Know absolutely NOTHING about using free blog as web site w/ maybe 3 pages & email contact.

Needs to be easy for me to set up relatively prof looking page(s). No fancy flashing / crawling messages. Rite now, w/ marital status in limbo, I have VERY little time to learn web design (even thou have ability).

I'd like option of at least 3 pages on my site. Very small amt of traffic.

[Paul Komski]

Didn't see the free host plan w/ banner ad on their site.
Netfirms Basic (http://www.netfirms.com/web-hosting/web-hosting-basic/)

Domain names for $10 per annum is competitive. It's peanuts really in the bigger scope of things.

[mjc]

Also, don't forget to check with your ISP...they may have low cost packages available. Some ISPs even include a small amount of webspace in your subscription.

[Paul Komski]

Also, don't forget to check with your ISP

Couldnt agree more. You will probably get some free hosting. If so and you want a domain name to access it with you can use a firm like FreeParking that I linked to earlier, which can use a domain name and then "grab" the pages that your ISP is hosting.

[phkhgh]

Checked w/ AT&T/Yahoo DSL. Said don't provide any web space / hosting. Referred me to Yahoo. Not cheap.

What about using MS Front Page to "design" / set up my basic web site w/ approx 3 pages, Links on side to Services, About Us? Again, nothing fancy. That's if web host doesn't provide page builder software, or rather than learning Joomla! or others?

Would most web hosts support / allow using Front Page? (Don't really even know the process of how it'd work, but I have / can use Front Page (sort of). Pretty old ver - Office 2K.

Thanks.

[Ajmukon]

geocties.

thats Yahoo free web hosting
http://www.geocities.com/ajmukon@sbcglobal.net/homepage.html

(my website)

there is a free version that i use.

[Paul Komski]

What about using MS Front PageSure - but personally I hate it for a multitude of reasons. If you want to use it as MS intended and be able to utilize its themes and server side actions such as dealing with forms and so on then you will need a host that provides/supports FrontPage extensions. FrontPage is not a panacea, is bloated with "hidden folders" and writes bloated code and, worse still, will auto-edit/modify one's own html.

For a static 3 page site you could design three pages in MS Word (or Excel or Publisher) and Save As HTML and then upload with Filezilla or whatever.

CMS systems such as WordPress an Joomla! have their uses but I think its actually hard to beat designing with a straightforward HTML editor such as NVU or the Composer part of SeaMonkey.