Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to change my domain if I get a new host?

No, as long as the domain is registered under your name, as it should be already. From where you manage your domain names, you can update your nameservers to your new host.


How can I get a detailed view of a domain?

One of the best place to get detailed view of a domain is www.domaintools.com. If you type in www.whois.sc/domainname, ex. whois.domaintools.com/cnn.com, not only will you get the whois data for the domain but a wealth of other information about the domain such as Alexa rankings, where the domain is being hosted and other competitive information.


How can I improve the load time of my web site?

First of all, you need to figure out the components that slow down your web site. Give http://www.websiteoptimization.com/services/analyze/ a try. The resulting report includes specific advice on how to improve the page load time and incorporates proven optimization techniques into its recommendation. [extracted from Ask Jennifer]


How Do I Register a Domain Name?

Registering a domain name is very easy. First you will have to make sure that the domain you want is available - using something called a WHOIS lookup at sites like Register.com or Whois Source you can make sure the domain you want is available for registration.


How do I track how many hits my website gets?

Tracking on your site can be either done server-side or remotely. With server-side statistics, log files are used to generate visitor information. This is usually much more accurate than remotely hosted solutions. In such cases, you usually have to add some javascript to your site. This javascript is then used to track visitor data.


How do I upload my site online?

Uploading your site can be done in many ways, but the most popular is FTP. When your hosting account was created, you should have been provided with an FTP account. Using software such as CuteFTP or WS_FTP, you can log into your host. Then, using the program like a normal windows program, you can drag and drop files onto your web host. These files become live online instantaneously. There are other ways to upload your site such as using SSH or uploading files through your browser


Should I go with Windows hosting or Unix hosting?

If you need to support Microsoft products such as ASP, VBScript or MS Access, or if you already understand IIS and don't have time to learn UNIX, Windows hosting would be a well-suited choice. Keep in mind that Windows is a Microsoft proprietary so users are dependent on Microsoft to release updates and individuals cannot modify the code. For more on Windows Hosting offers and articles click here.


Unix is known to be more common with web hosts due to its stability. Linux, a flavour of Unix, is cheaper than Windows and usually free. Linux and the other UNIX varieties are open-source software, which means anyone can alter the source code and make improvements, updates, and additions. For more on Unix Hosting offers and articles click here.


What are PHP, ASP, perl, etc?

These are all programming languages which are referred to by their acronyms.

PHP - PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor
ASP - Active Server Pages
Perl - not an acronym

Each programming language has its own benefits and uses. It is best that you research on your own to find one that best fits your needs.


What is a DNS reverse lookup?

Reverse DNS lookup is checking an IP against a domain name server and being able to retrieve the corresponding domain name. For instance, a reverse DNS lookup lets you tell that the IP address 209.41.183.225 is actually http://hostmysite.com. (check out www.dnsstuff.com to run Reverse DNS lookups). [extracted from Ask Jennifer]


What is a Domain Name?

A domain name is a word along with a TLD that uniquely identifies your website.


What is a Merchant Account and how do I get one?

A merchant account is a relationship with a bank, in which the bank allows you to charge people’s credit cards for goods and/or services you provide. The bank is responsible for debiting customer's funds and depositing it into your account.

There are two typical ways of acquiring a merchant account. You can acquire your own merchant account, which gives you more flexibility when accepting credit cards as payment. The other option, is to use a third-party merchant account, which means another party allows you to accept credit cards using their merchant account. This is usually more expensive, but a viable option for those with very low volumes.


What is load balancing?

When a single server cannot handle the number of visitors to a site, load-balancing divides the work of one server to one or more additional ones. By load-balancing, more work can get done in the same amount of time and allows faster processing.


What is Root Access?

For UNIX- and Linux-based security, system administrators can set up unique security access constraints or “root” accounts. Access to these accounts is known as Root Access, allowing full access to machines, full manipulation of the file system and administration of current running processes.


What is space and bandwidth/data transfer?

Every website takes up a specific amount of space or diskspace on a server. Bandwidth/Transfer is the amount of data, measured in gigabytes - billions of bytes, the server will allow your site to send in a month. A host may shut your site down or charge you 'overage' if you go over your monthly limit.


What is SSL/TLS and how does it protect visitor’s information?

SSL or TLS provides a form of encryption between someone's web browser and your website, keeping your visitor's information safe.The Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) is a commonly used protocol which protects transmissions on the Internet by encrypting data in a user’s web browser. The data is then transferred from the browser to the website in this encrypted format, unencrypted by the web server software, and then used by the website.

Transport Layer Security (TLS) ensures privacy between communicating applications and users on the Internet, ensuring no third party can eavesdrop or tamper with messages. TLS enables a server and client to authenticate each other and negotiates an encryption algorithm and cryptographic keys before data is exchanged.


What is the difference between name-based and IP-based hosting?

IP-based virtual hosts use the IP address of the connection to determine the correct virtual host to serve. Therefore you need to have a separate IP address for each host. With name-based virtual hosting, the server relies on the client to report the hostname as part of the HTTP headers. Using this technique, many different hosts can share the same IP address. [extracted from Ask Jennifer]


What is virtual hosting?

Known as shared hosting, virtual hosting means that your site is virtually shared, or on one server that hosts multiple sites. Other sites, along with yours, are on this specific server.


What is Web Hosting?

Web hosting is a service that allows users to post Web pages to the Internet.

A Web host, or hosting service provider (HSP), is a business that provides the technologies and services needed for Web sites to be viewed on the Web.


What kind of Web hosting is right for me?

There are many Web hosting companies out there, catering to many different needs and goals. Various elelments need to be considered, such as the exact purpose of your website, disk space required, scripting language needed, support and of course, price. To match your preferences with the appropriate provider click here and fill out TopHosts' Hosting Fast Find or try TopHosts' TopDoc for a more thorough diagnosis.


Will there ever be advertising on my site that I don't want?

No. If you are paying a hosting company for webspace that is yours alone, no one can put ads on your site, except you.


With a fast internet connection, why can't I just host my own site?

It's possible to do so, but definitely not recommended. Firstly, most ISPs may terminate your account if you host a website because of clauses that prevent you from doing so.

There are also many technical issues to consider when hosting a site, such as having to constantly provide security and protection from hackers. You would also need to have your computer on 24/7 and you wouldn't have the professional support Web hosts provide in case something goes wrong. Without a proper Web host, you wouldn't have access to powerful servers with lots of RAM, high performance hard disks, and multiple internet connections, much faster than residential DSL or cable service.