How websites work from website hosting to a domain or "URL" can be a mystery. I'm sure you have asked yourself "What am I paying for?" countless times. I'll reveal the answers below and try to elevate your understanding. Some of it you already know, while amidst the insights herein, some of the missing pieces to your complete understanding will be provided.
Let me start with a “Domain” and I’ll end with “Web Hosting”.
What is a “Domaine”?
A domain is your website URL (Universal Resource Locator). Think of it as a telephone number. A domain you own is www.somedomain.com for example.
A domain can be associated with any website. The domain is “pointed” at a website. Sometimes described as "resolves" to a given server. A domain, like a telephone number, is a tool used to find a destination. In the case of a domain, that would be your website. A phone number rings a phone or relays SMS/text messages. The phone is in my analogy a “website”. More on that later. A domain resides with a “Registrar”. Sort of like a telephone number resides with a service provider. Domains like telephone numbers are transferable. The main difference to note is a domain can remain indefinitely with a “Registrar” while pointing to any website or web host of your choice. ParsonsHosting provides access to your domain “registrar” settings in your client area. You have access and can grant access to anyone who might need to update your domain settings. ParsonsHosting is happy to provide that exact support. ParsonsHosting manages your registration fees for your domain(s). Domain fees are separate from web hosting. The cost of a domain can vary greatly. A basic .com can cost $20.00. We offer free domains with some of our hosting plans. Some "Top Level Domains" or TLD's (.com = TLD) can cost as much as 200.00 per year.
What is “Hosting” or “Web Hosting?
Website hosting is a system that allows a website to be found/viewed in a browser. In my telephone analogy, website hosting is equivalent to a telephone. Not all telephones are created equal. In a way, we get what we pay for. Not everyone needs the latest, greatest telephone/mobile device. Your website “software” or "code" resides on a server provided by your hosting provider (ParsonsHosting is a hosting provider). We supply the server and infrastructure so your website can be found by your visitors on their mobile devices or desktop PC's, MacBooks, Dell, Lonovo etc. To summarize, a web host or "web hosting" is where your website data, files, and software that allow your website to be found on the world wide web is kept or resides. Hosting fees vary depending on the amount of server space required to archive your website's assets, images. Sometimes add-on services like email, back-ups, ongoing management of your website, and in some cases your own Virtual Private Server (VPS) or dedicated server influence cost. Most hosting plans are associated with a "Shared Server". Sharing a server helps reduce the cost of a managed server where you would have to shoulder the cost per month to keep the server working, connected to the web. Shared hosting comes in at a reasonable cost from $70.00 per year to as much as $1000.00 per year depending on disk space required, processing power, memory, bandwidth, and the kind of framework your website is driven by. A private server can cost $80.00 to well over 5,000.00k a month, not including management fees, back-ups, and storage of back-ups.
So, in summary, your domain is an address, typically paid for separately from hosting. Your domain is what a visitor enters in their browser to find your website. A domain is used by Google, Bing, and Yahoo to accurately and sometimes not so accurately index your website in search results.
A web hosting company provides the infrastructure and resources that allow your website to perform and be found online.
Hope that helps. Let us know if you have any questions just by calling us at (530) 710-8726 or sending us a message.
Author:
Chris Parsons | Director of support and engineering.
