Posts Tagged 'web hosting'
I just added a video tutorial on how to set up your web hosting. I’ve added it to the instructions here.
Check out the video and tell me what you think:
>> Go to Hostgator and set up your account. <<
Posted in: Web Hosting
Leave a Comment (0) →If you already have a website and you’re interested in adding a blog to it, the process is pretty simple. It’s mainly just like installing wordpress on a domain, except you can add it to a subfolder. When you do this, your blog will be located at yourdomain.com/blog/ instead of at yourdomain.com.
Here’s the steps to add a blog to your website:
1. Log in to your cpanel at www.yourwebsite.com/cpanel.
If you have a host that gives you cpanel access, like hostgator, just log in using the cpanel access login/password they provided you.
2. Click on Fantastico De Luxe.
Once logged into cpanel, scroll down to Software/Services and click on Fantastico De Luxe, the little blue smiley face. It looks like this:
3. Select WordPress on the following screen (it’s under the “Blogs” section):
4. Click “New Installation.”
5. “Install in Directory.”
Under “Installation location” you have a couple options. Make sure your proper domain is selected (only necessary if you have multiple domains within that hosting), and also fill in the section called “Install in directory” as depicted below:
This is where you name the folder where you want your blog installed. If you want your blog to be located at yourwebsite.com/blog/, then just type in “blog” (no quotation marks!). You may want to call it something like “news” or “articles” but just name it whatever you want.
6. Fill in remaining information.
“Admin access data” is the username and password you want to use when accessing your blogs admin area/dashboard in order to post content, etc.
You can change the information under “Base configuration” at any time from your wordpress dashboard, but let’s fill everything in now. “Admin nickname” is the public name for the administrator when he or she makes a blog post. It’s NOT a username, so you don’t have to worry about keeping that private. Make sure you have a valid email address and enter it in the Admin e-mail box. Replace your domain name with your site name (Your Website vs. yourwebsite.com) and enter a description/tag line/slogan if you wish.
7. Click “Install WordPress.”
That’s it! You’ve added a blog to your website!
Here’s a couple things to consider when you add a blog to an existing website:
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask them below.
Posted in: Wordpress
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Learning to host a website is pretty straightforward. It might seem like a daunting task at first, but it’s not like you need all the technical know-how of running a server to set up web hosting for your own website. You can be up and running your website in hardly any time at all, if you can just follow some instructions (of course you can).
I will show you how! I give you the step by step instructions on how to set up your hosting, and even what sort of hosting package you’ll need. Watch the video below to get started.
Watch the video and then go to Hostgator to set up your hosting.
>> Go to Hostgator and set up your account. <<
Below I provide you the step by step instructions in written format with screenshots. But before I go over the steps again, I want to go over a couple different options you have:
1. Free Web Hosting
I don’t recommend you go this route. Of all the options, I see it as the least desirable. Why? Because these hosts add links and ads to your website that you have no control over. Some of the ads may even be a little “fishy,” if you know what I mean. These hosts also tend to be notoriously unreliable, come with frequent downtime, and go out of business overnight. That’s not the prescription for a stable host for your website, especially if this is your business site.
One exception – if you just want a simple website that you want to share amongst your family and a few friends, a free host may be the way to go. Just make sure they’ve been around awhile and won’t plaster your site with any offensive links or ads.
2. Host Your Website from a Computer at Home
If a free host is the least desirable option, this is a pretty darn close second. Most people won’t be able to get over the technical hurdles. It’s a fairly big deal to maintain a server, and if you aren’t familiar with how to do something like this from your own computer (and I assume you’re not, if you’re reading this), I honestly wouldn’t even try. The time and effort and required knowledge is just too much.
And you’re really not going to be saving any money. The money you put into a machine running 24/7 will cost just as much or more as an inexpensive paid hosting plan.
3. Have a Local Hosting Company Host Your Website
This may be an option for some people. A local company will provide you with web hosting, sometimes from their own servers, more often as a ‘reseller’ of another, larger company’s servers. There’s two potential problems with this approach – price and technical support. These smaller, local companies either can’t provide you support, because they don’t have staff 24 hours a day/on weekends, or charge through the nose to give you something you can do for yourself for less than $10 a month. Sometimes you get the worst of both worlds – an expensive hosting reseller that doesn’t provide you any support.
If you absolutely must have a local company host your website for you, then make sure you do your homework. Talk to other customers they have or to folks that have used them in the past. If you can’t find a satisfied actual customer, stay away! Ask them about how their tech support works (phone, web chat, etc) and when it’s available. Also make sure you get a decent hosting package for your money. Lastly, don’t pay too much for your web host. It’s just not worth it.
Ok, I told you I would show you how to host your own website, let’s get on with it!
The web host that I use for this site and all of my other sites is HOSTGATOR. They are a very reliable host and I have hosted many websites with them for many years. I recommend you try them, and this guide is based on their service.
Go to http://www.hostgator.com
You will see a big rectangular yellowish-orange button in the center of the page that says “View Web Hosting Plans.” Click that button/link and it will take you to a page that shows the shared web hosting plans as seen below:
If you have a single domain, all you will need is the Hatchling Plan. Go ahead and click ORDER NOW for that plan. If you know you need more than one domain/website, pick the BABY plan. The instructions for both plans are the same. Once you pick your plan, you will be prompted to the next step to choose a domain. If you already have a Domain Name, go to that box and enter your domain name and click CONTINUE TO STEP 2. The box is shown below:
If you don’t have a domain yet, and want to register one with Hostgator, enter your desired domain under “Register a New Domain” and follow those steps.
In the billing information screen, create a username, password and enter your billing information for payment.
Your hosting plan will be available usually within one hour after payment. Check your email for important information that Hostgator will send to your about your account. KEEP THIS EMAIL. The information in this email should be kept secure, as anyone with this information can access your website’s files!
Now, it’s time to connect your domain and web host.
At first, this may come across as complicated – DON’T SWEAT IT! This is pretty straightforward step and is really no more difficult than typing in a password or filling out a form in a website.
NOTE: If you registered a domain with Hostgator, you can SKIP THIS STEP. Get to work on your website!
Here’s what you do, assuming you have a domain registered with GoDaddy:
Go back to www.godaddy.com. Login if you are not already logged in as shown below:
Once you’re logged in, move your cursor over the Domains tab, which is the first tab on the bar of tabs and then go down to Domain Management and select.
Next you will need to select your domain name by clicking on it, where you will be taken to a new page related to your “domain information.”
There will be a section about Nameservers. Click on “Set Nameservers.”
A pop up window will appear on Set Nameservers as shown below:
Click on “I have specific nameservers for my domains”. You will need to fill out the boxes Nameserver 1 and Nameserver 2 with the information you were given by Hostgator via email. The other Nameserver slots should be left blank.
Your nameservers will look something like this: NS111.WEBSITEWELCOME.COM and NS112.WEBSITEWELCOME.COM, although you will have a different numbers for the NS111/NS112 part.
Once that has been done, click OK and you are ready to proceed to the next step. These changes should take effect within 2 hours. It may take more time, but if you experience problems in this regard, feel free to contact the GoDaddy support staff for assistance.
That’s it!! That’s how you host a website.
If you’re still not sure, re-read the instructions to make sure you understand them and you haven’t missed something. If you are still unsure, drop me a line in the comments below or definitely feel free to call GoDaddy support to have them help you. You may wait a few minutes on the phone, but I have always found GoDaddy support knowledgeable and helpful (and I’ve always waited LESS than 5 minutes on the phone to get a live person).
Now that you’ve got your domain and web hosting set up, get to work on your website! I suggest installing WordPress – it’s free, simple, and powerful.
Posted in: Web Hosting
Leave a Comment (1) →If you are planning on making a website, then almost certainly YES, you will need web hosting. Web hosting, when connected with your domain name, is what allows a visitor to see your website when then visit your URL (such as http://www.makeawebsitezone.com/). Without it, no website!
Web hosting is simply a computer where all the files for your website are, and that computer, called a server, “serves” up your website files when someone goes to your site. Similar to how you click on a document saved on your computer and it opens, the server does this with all the files needed to generate your website at your domain name.
Simply put, if you do not have web hosting, you have no website. The server provides all the files to generate your website when someone clicks on a link to your site, or navigates there directly. Just because you have a domain name, does not mean it comes with a website.
Web hosting is generally within the means of just about anyone’s budget, because you can host a website for less than $10 a month, sometimes for as little as a few dollars a month, depending on the web hosting provider and how long you sign up for. Web hosting providers often give generous discounts if you sign up for 6 months, a year or more.
If you need an inexpensive, reliable hosting provider, I highly recommend HOSTGATOR. They’re the hosting provider I use for this website and all the others I own. Web Hosting for only 1 Penny!
If you need help, see my guide on how to get web hosting and follow those directions. I also show you how to connect your domain to your web host and install wordpress.
Technically, you can. But if you don’t have the know-how, I strongly recommend going with an established host. It’s simply too steep of a learning curve to try to set p your own server. And as inexpensive as web hosting is, you’re not saving any money by running your own host – it’ll cost you more in electricity and hardware upkeep to keep your computer on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to serve up your website. Make it easy on yourself, go with a web hosting provider.
One last option – if you’re not quite up for getting web hosting for your site, you can try one of the free blogging providers out there, such as blogger.com or wordpress.com. However, you won’t be using your own domain name (your blog URL would look like myblog.wordpress.com) and your options are limited.
If you’re serious about having a website, or know you need one for your business or something similar, follow my guide on making your own website. The geeks have made it easy on the rest of us, and having your own website is within reach of all of us.
Posted in: Web Hosting
Leave a Comment (0) →At first, this may come across as complicated when people hear of changing DNS, name servers etc. but those are nothing to be nervous about! There is really nothing much to it and I’ll show you!
Here’s what you do:
Go back to http://www.godaddy.com. Login if you are not already logged in as shown below:
Once you’re logged in, move your cursor over the Domains tab which is the first tab on the bar of tabs and go down to Domain Management and select.
Next you will need to select your domain name by clicking on it where you will be taken to a new page related to your “domain information.”
There will be a section about Nameservers. Click on “Set Nameservers.”
A pop up window will appear on Set Nameservers as shown below:
Click on “I have specific nameservers for my domains”. You will need to fill out the boxes Nameserver 1 and Nameserver 2 with the information you were given by Hostgator via email. The other slot should be left blank.
Once that has been done, click OK and you are ready to proceed to the next step. These changes should take effect within 2 hours. It may take more time, but if you experience problems in this regard, feel free to contact the GoDaddy support staff for assistance.
You’ve done it! You have officially linked your GoDaddy domain to your Hostgator account!
Posted in: Web Hosting
Leave a Comment (0) →Now that you have your domain name (assuming your followed the steps on how to register your domain name), you need a web host for the actual files of your website and this you can get from a web hosting service. Be sure to choose one from an established host and NEVER go for free web hosting offers – these services usually place ads or links on your website that you have no control over, or are unreliable, and may even go out of business. Web hosting is inexpensive enough that if you’re serious about making a website, you should shell out the few dollars it takes to get a reliable web host.
The only web host that I use is HOSTGATOR. They are a very reliable host and I have hosted many websites with them for many years (MakeAWebsiteZone.com is hosted with Hostgator!). For the purposes of this guide, we will be using Hostgator.com.
There are MANY web hosting companies to choose from, and many of them are good. I wouldn’t worry too much about which web hosting company to choose from right now, you can ALWAYS move web hosts at a later date if you are unhappy with your service or your website grows beyond the limits of your current host. Popular hosts include HostGator, BlueHost, Hostmonster, and GoDaddy. The only one of those that I wouldn’t use is GoDaddy – they have their own admin setup that is different than most hosts and can be a little finicky to use. I’ve used GoDaddy hosting in the past, so I know. If you already have GoDaddy hosting, I wouldn’t sweat it – you can either go ahead an get another hosting account from HostGator, or continue using GoDaddy (you’ll have to adjust the guide below for their system).
Using Hostgator.com:
Go to http://www.hostgator.com
You will see a big tab that says “View Web Hosting Plans”. Click that tab and it will take you to a page that shows the plans as seen below:
Since you have a single domain, you will order the Hatchling Plan. Go ahead and click ORDER NOW for that plan. Once you click that, you will be prompted to the next step to choose a domain. Since you already have a Domain Name, go to that box and enter your domain name and click CONTINUE TO STEP 2. The box is shown below:
The next step is the billing information step, which is self-explanatory. Create a username, password and enter your billing information for payment.
Your hosting plan will be available usually within one hour after payment. Check your email for pertinent information related to setting up your hosting plan. KEEP THIS EMAIL. The information in this email should be kept secure, as anyone with this information can access your website’s files!
Now, it’s time to connect your domain and the web host.
Posted in: Web Hosting
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