In order for users to be able to view your web site on the internet, it must be uploaded and hosted on a server. A server is a powerful computer that is linked to millions of others over the world wide web. All web sites you view on the internet are hosted on a server somewhere in the world.

We offer a range of different hosting packages. Picking a hosting package can be a very confusing task . Here we will try to explain the different features our hosting packages have to offer in plain English.

Web space
Web space size- This is the amount of space you have to upload files to on the server. It is measured in MB (megabytes) and for the average web site 100mb is adequate. The larger your web site is the more web space you need.

Data transfer- This is the amount of bandwidth that your web site can allow. It is measured in
GB (Gigabytes). Every time someone views your web site they use bandwidth, once this runs out your web site will be inaccessible to the public. The average web site needs about 20GB of data transfer.

FTP access - FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol. This is the method that is used to upload files to the server. With FTP access it means that you can upload and change your web site should you wish to.

RealAudio Support - Having RealAudio support means you can upload music to your web site and have it stream to your visitors without them needing to download and wait for it.

MP3 Support - Similar to above but MP3 is now the most popular music format on the internet. This allows you to store your music on your web site for users to download.

FrontPage extensions - If you have knowledge of Microsoft Frontpage you can change your site using the program and the server will support the features the program has to offer. Please note that we do not use Microsoft Frontpage to create web sites, so if you don't plan on changing the site yourself, this is not a necessary feature of a hosting package.

Email
POP3 email boxes - All home MS Windows computers come with Microsoft Outlook Express pre installed. A POP3 email box means you can use your home computer to receive your emails.
Having 5 POP3 mail boxes means you can set up and receive mail from 5 different email domains.

Web mail - This allows you to access you email from any computer on the internet. It is similar to Hotmail and Yahoo mail.

Auto responders - When someone emails you, this feature allows you to set up a email to be immediately sent back. This could simply be thanking them for contacting you and letting them know you will reply shortly.

Spam filtering - This allows you to protect your inbox from the annoyance of spam emails.

Mailing groups - Create opt-in customer mailing lists and be able to send regular newsletters to them.

Scripting (Advanced users)
MySQL database -This allows you to work with database driven applications. We can better advise you on if you need this feature or not.

PHP4 and Chilisoft ASP - This allows you to create dynamic web pages with scripting languages. We regularly use PHP4 as a scripting language, this ensures the site will function on the server.

SSH access -Our hosting packages allow you to set up scripts and control your account easily. For example, installing a PHP guestbook from scratch can be very complicated. This feature allows you to have it automatically installed with ease.

We hope we have made this terms a little less confusing. Please don't struggle when choosing a hosting package. We are here to help.

Our Hosting Accounts

Basic Hosting - Subscribe

100mb web space
20gb bandwidth
5 POP3 mail boxes
Web Mail
Auto Responders
Spam Filtering
FTP Access