By Daniel Tynan
(April 7, 2003)
So you've finally decided to set up your own Web site. Your needs are modest, and so is your budget. It's natural to wonder if you can save a little money by using a lowball Web host, a company that charges next to nothing for a little disk space, a few e-mail accounts, and some bandwidth. What could go wrong?
Actually, a lot: you could end up paying money for nothing, enduring endless hassles trying to get your site to work, and even losing the site entirely if the provider goes belly-up and you're not prepared.
With the number of Web hosts ranging from 6,000 to 10,000, it's impossible to research all your options and too easy to sign up with a bogus host. While scams and rip-off artists are sometimes the cause of hosting disasters, most such snafus are due to firms that grow too fast and can't keep up with customer orders.
Think that your provider will never fold or that you can spot a scam a mile away? Don't get cocky. Read one user's tale of woe before you sign up with a cheap provider and get important advice on how to avoid similar troubles.
When free hosting isn't
Cheap Web hosting might sound like a good deal, but one unhappy customer tells us what can go wrong.
Finding a needle in a host stack
Here are some cheap Web-host warning signs and ways to avoid getting taken for a hosting ride.
Freelance writer Daniel Tynan writes the Inside @ccess column for CNET Reviews. Got a question for him? Let us know.
(April 7, 2003)
So you've finally decided to set up your own Web site. Your needs are modest, and so is your budget. It's natural to wonder if you can save a little money by using a lowball Web host, a company that charges next to nothing for a little disk space, a few e-mail accounts, and some bandwidth. What could go wrong?
Actually, a lot: you could end up paying money for nothing, enduring endless hassles trying to get your site to work, and even losing the site entirely if the provider goes belly-up and you're not prepared.
With the number of Web hosts ranging from 6,000 to 10,000, it's impossible to research all your options and too easy to sign up with a bogus host. While scams and rip-off artists are sometimes the cause of hosting disasters, most such snafus are due to firms that grow too fast and can't keep up with customer orders.
Think that your provider will never fold or that you can spot a scam a mile away? Don't get cocky. Read one user's tale of woe before you sign up with a cheap provider and get important advice on how to avoid similar troubles.
When free hosting isn't
Cheap Web hosting might sound like a good deal, but one unhappy customer tells us what can go wrong.
Finding a needle in a host stack
Here are some cheap Web-host warning signs and ways to avoid getting taken for a hosting ride.
Freelance writer Daniel Tynan writes the Inside @ccess column for CNET Reviews. Got a question for him? Let us know.
