Tag Archives: cell-phone

URL vs. Domain

Posted on August 29, 2019 by Hosting

The post URL vs. Domain appeared first on HostGator Blog . It’s time to get your dream domain name and start building your very first website. But, there’s only one issue. There are so many different technical terms; it can be challenging to figure out what you need and what you don’t need before you can begin with your domain registration. There are a lot of technical steps you’ll need to take to lay the foundation for your online presence. With each of these steps come dozens of technical terms, ready to trip you up. Two of those you’ve probably come across are a domain name and a URL. Often, you’ll see these referring to the same thing, but they’re actually different things.  Don’t worry. This post will clear up all the differences and similarities between URLs vs. domain names, so you can get on finding a domain name and building out your new site.  Below you’ll learn about the differences between a URL vs. domain names, why they’re used, and their different applications, so that you can set up your domain and website the right way. Let’s dig in! What Is a URL? URL stands for Universal Resource Locator, but you almost always hear it being referred to as a URL. When you look up at your browser address bar, you’ll see the entire URL is displayed. It includes all of the information necessary to locate the right page on a website.  For example, the entire URL for this blog is https://www.hostgator.com/blog/url-vs-domain/  You’ll notice that the domain name (hostgator.com) is included in the URL. But, it’s just one piece of the entire URL. You can think of the URL as a map that your browser can follow to access the right page, resource, or image on the web server.  The critical components of a URL include a domain extension or Top Level Domain (TLD), a domain name, and the Secure Hypertext Transfer Protocol, which is ‘https://.’  What Is a Domain Name? A domain name might seem simple, but it’s not that easy of a thing, especially if you’re just getting started online. Domain names exist to make the websites more accessible to you and your visitors.  Put simply, a domain name is the address that you’ll type in the address bar to access a website. For example, the domain name for this website is hostgator.com , while the domain name for Google is google.com . Domain names are a critical part of your online brand and should be memorable to your visitors.  To have a website that’s accessible by regular web users, you need a domain name and a host. When a visitor types in your domain name into their address bar, the web browser will communicate with the host that the domain points towards and will serve the visitor the associated website. If that sounds a little complex, let’s look at this example: Think of your domain name as your cell phone number. When someone wants to reach you, they dial your number, and you hear it ring on your physical phone. In this scenario, your phone number is the domain, and your cell phone is your website.  You can also purchase a domain name without actually building an associated website. Some people make a living by buying and selling domain names in a process known as domain flipping.  Understanding Domain Name Organization Now that you have a better grasp on what a domain name is, let’s look at some of the individual pieces that make up a domain name. The most common point of confusion is the Top Level Domain (TLD) , or domain extension. This is the .com, .org, or .net that follows your domain. You might have thought up your dream domain name, but when you search to see if it’s available, you find that your TLD of choice isn’t available . Generally, .com, .org, and .net are the most popular and widely used domain extensions. But, you also have TLDs that relate to specific local markets and countries like .co.uk, .ca, and .com.au.  During your domain name search, you’ll also see that there are dozens of other TLDs available. Generally, you’ll want to stick with the ones that are most popular and avoid ones that are associated with less trusted websites, like .info. But, it’s up to your discretion. Some websites even prefer to use fun and unique TLDs , because it makes sense with their branding.  Regardless, whenever you’re purchasing a domain name, it’s a smart move to purchase any of the other popular TLDs that are available. This secures your brand online, protecting you from the fearsome scenario of your competitor building a site on ‘yoursite. net ’ when your domain name is ‘yoursite. com .’ What Is the Domain Name System? Another related term you’ve probably come across is the Domain Name System (DNS). This is how domain names and IP addresses are translated. When you type a domain name into a browser, the DNS will translate that domain into the IP address of the web server where the website files are located.  This is one of the main reasons that domain names exist, to make it possible to access websites with easily memorable names. Before the DNS system you’d have to remember the IP address of any given website if you wanted to access a site.  The DNS system makes it so we can type ‘ hostgator.com ’ into our browsers and visit this site, instead of having to type in a complex and difficult to remember string of numbers.  How Subdomains Relate to Domain Names One of the final aspects of a domain name is subdomains. These can get a little confusing, especially if it’s your first time building a website. Essentially, a subdomain is an additional part of your primary domain name. Subdomains are commonly used to help separate and organize certain parts of your website. A subdomain will come before your primary domain name, like the blog in ‘ blog.mysite.com .’ You can create as many subdomains as you like for your primary domain.  For example, you can access the support resources here at HostGator by navigating to ‘ support.hostgator.com .’ Subdomains are used for a variety of reasons, but here are some of the common reasons why you might create a subdomain : To sell eCommerce products. Since eCommerce stores require different levels of security and software than a standard website, you might use a subdomain to create a separate online store that’s still linked to your primary domain.  To separate your blog. A lot of startups and other online businesses keep their blogs on a subdomain. This allows you to use a separate CMS to manage content , that you might not have installed on your main website.  To create a site staging area. If you’re redesigning your site, you can create a subdomain that you can use to build your site on. Likewise, if you’re a developer, you can create separate subdomains as you’re building out client websites, so you can showcase your work as you build their sites.  To create a resource section. A lot of sites will create separate resource and support sections that are separate from the rest of their sites. If you’re creating a lot of content that serves a different purpose than a blog, or the rest of your website copy, then this can help you better structure the content.  URL vs. Domain: The Key Similarities A domain name is contained within a URL. Although the URL is the whole and a domain is just a part of it, there are some similarities that the two share. Here are the two most significant commonalities you’ll find between domains and URLs: 1. They’re Treated the Same By Your Web Browser Although a URL and a domain name have different technical definitions, they are treated the same way by your browser. For example, if you type in ‘ https://hostgator.com ’, it will send you to the same page as it would if you typed in simply ‘ hostgator.com .’ However, to access the site, you’ll need the TLD as well as the domain name, so regardless of which one you type in, you’ll arrive at ‘ https://www.hostgator.com/ .’  2. They’re Part of the Same Web Address A domain name is a singular aspect of a full URL. So, you could say they’re in the same family.  For example, when you tell a friend your house address, you’d probably say 1234 Highland Ave. From that information alone, your friend could infer the city, state, and zip code of your address. It’s not a perfect example, but a full URL contains the domain name within it.  The same goes for communicating the name of a website. When you’re telling someone the name of a website you’ll generally say the domain name and TLD, e.g.  ‘ bestpuppiesintheworld.com .’ You wouldn’t share the entire URL, including the https and the www , even though they both lead to the same place.  URL vs. Domain: The Key Differences Even though you might find that the terms URL and domain name are used interchangeably online, they aren’t the same thing. Here are the two main differences between a domain name and a URL. 1. A URL is a Complete Web Address A URL is a complete internet address which can locate a specific domain or an individual page on a given domain. It provides the web browser with all of the information necessary to identify and display a given page, resource, or piece of media, like an image.  A domain name, on the other hand, is a simpler form of a URL, and is used in place of a technical IP address. Its role is to make it easier to access a given website. Domain names are brandable and can also refer to a business name as well.  2. A URL Provides More Information A domain name is just a single aspect of a URL. Without the rest of the technical elements of a URL, a domain name isn’t incredibly valuable. For example, if you only type of the domain name into your web browser, you’ll end up doing a keyword search for that domain name. You can still access the site, but you’ll have to comb through the search results first.  A URL is the complete pathway and provides all of the information necessary to access a given website.  The Importance of Understanding the Differences Between URLs and Domains Hopefully, by now, you have a better understanding of domain names and URLs, how they’re related, and the differences they have.  Understanding how your website, URL, and domain name all work together might not seem like a big deal. But, this knowledge gives you power. It’s like knowing how to accomplish basic car-related tasks, such as changing your oil or replacing your windshield wiper blades, makes you feel like a more confident car owner (as it should).  The more you understand how your website and domain work together, the better you’ll be able to fix minor issues and ensure your site always remains online. You become more self-sufficient with your website, and don’t have to rely on support whenever you run into a small issue with your site.  For example, if your website isn’t showing up, then it might be an issue with your DNS records not pointing to the correct location. Or, you could have even spelled your domain wrong when adding it to your host.  Beyond general website troubleshooting having more in-depth knowledge about your website and how it works is always a good thing. Hopefully, you’re better equipped to choose a web hosting package, register new domains , add redirects, and even start playing around with subdomains. 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Dedicated IP and Shared Hosting: What’s the Difference?

Posted on February 7, 2019 by Hosting

The post Dedicated IP and Shared Hosting: What’s the Difference? appeared first on HostGator Blog . If you’re in the market for a new host there are a lot of things you’ll need to consider. Not only are there multiple types of web hosting available, but there are probably hundreds of different web hosting providers to choose from. Beyond choosing between the hosting provider and style of hosting, you’ll also need to sort through a lot of different technical terms and hosting requirements. After all, it can be difficult to find the right kind of hosting when you don’t know what you’re looking for. Below we look at two very common forms of hosting, shared hosting and dedicated IP hosting . Learn about what dedicated IP and shared hosting actually are, how they differ, as well as the pros and cons of each, so you can decide what style of hosting is best for your business. What is an IP Address? An Internet Protocol (IP) address is a way to reference and locate a computer that’s connected to a network. In this case, your IP address will reference the location of a server that’s connected to the internet. Every domain will be assigned an IP address. IP addresses are then mapped via the Domain Name System (DNS). This system works like an address book. When you type in a domain name into your web browser, your ISP will perform a DNS query. This query will then look up the name servers associated with your domain and finally send you to the requested website. That’s a lot of steps, but all of these tasks happen behind the scenes, and all take less than a couple of seconds. Without the DNS system, we’d be stuck typing in IP addresses into our browsers, instead of easy to remember domain names .   What’s a Dedicated IP Address? A dedicated IP address is an IP address that’s assigned to a single domain name. Think of this as your personal cell phone, as opposed to a home phone line that can be answered by anyone in your home. Here are a few of the most common benefits of a dedicated IP address :   On-Demand Website Access Sometimes you’ll want to start building your website or access it before the domain has effectively propagated. With a dedicated IP address you have direct server access, so you can view your website without having to change the DNS settings.   Improve Email Deliverability Most businesses have business email addresses that are associated with their domain names. In this case, you might also be sending emails over through an app on the server. If another site using the same IP address is using shady or spammy tactics, then this could have a negative impact on your email deliverability rates. With a dedicated IP address, your site is isolated from these negative consequences.   It’s a Requirement for Some Applications Some applications and server-side software might actually require that you have a dedicated IP address in order to function properly. This requirement isn’t as commonplace as it once was, but if you’re running a customer server, or require a unique server configuration, then a dedicated IP address might be a necessity.   Some Hosts Require Them for SSL Before, you needed a dedicated IP for SSL . Today, it’s no longer an across the board requirement, but some hosting providers might require it. It’s worth checking with your current hosting provider, to see if a dedicated IP is required for SSL.   What is Dedicated IP Hosting? Dedicated IP hosting has a variety of different meaning depending on your hosting provider. For example, it could mean that you have a dedicated IP address, but you’re still using shared hosting. Or, it can mean that you have a dedicated server, along with a dedicated IP address. Web hosting with a dedicated IP refers to your IP setup, rather than the type of hosting itself. Most hosts will be able to offer you a dedicated IP address no matter the kind of hosting environment you’re currently using. However, dedicated IP hosting typically refers to dedicated hosting. To define dedicated hosting , it is a style of hosting that provides you with your own physical server. Compare this to shared hosting where you’re sharing a single physical server with hundreds, or even thousands, of other websites.   Dedicated IP Hosting Pros and Cons The benefits of dedicated IP hosting depend on what you mean by dedicated IP hosting. If you’re strictly referring to a dedicated IP address (no matter the type of hosting you’re using), then refer to the dedicated IP address benefits above. However, if you’re referring to a dedicated IP server , then these are the benefits your site will receive:   Rock Solid Performance With a dedicated server, you have access to all of the resources of your server. This means that you’ll never run into bandwidth, disc space, or memory issues. Your site can receive a nearly unlimited volume of traffic without negatively affecting your site’s performance.   High Level of Security With a dedicated server, you not only receive a dedicated IP address, but you’ll have much higher levels of server security. With a dedicated server, you can create custom security protocols that are engineered to your unique websites. Plus, since you’re not sharing the server with any other users, a spammy or insecure website won’t affect your server.   High Level of Uptime Dedicated servers have very high uptime. You won’t experience any issues of your site being taken offline due to resource consumption.   Drawbacks of Dedicated Hosting Still, dedicated hosting isn’t perfect. Here are some of the biggest drawbacks of choosing this form of hosting:   It Can Be Expensive With a dedicated server, you’re paying for the entire physical server yourself. So, instead of splitting the costs between multiple users you’re responsible for the entire server cost yourself. However, with the higher dedicated hosting costs you’re getting direct access to a high-performance server. If you’re thinking about upgrading to a dedicated server plan, then you’re probably the type of website owner who can afford it. There are also cheap dedicated server hosting plans available, but with these it is highly recommended to do your research and know what you’re getting before purchasing.   High Level of Technical Expertise With a dedicated server, there’s a higher level of technical experience required. For example, you or your team will be responsible for server configuration and maintenance. If you don’t have the necessary technical skills, then you may need to bring on additional team members or consider using a managed hosting provider.   What’s a Shared IP Address? A shared IP address is an IP address that’s shared between multiple domains. It’s probably one of the most common IP address setups today. Hosting providers today are able to utilize a single IP address for multiple domain names, while still delivering users to the web page they specify. But, just because you’re using a shared IP address doesn’t mean that it’s shared hosting. With shared hosting, you’ll be sharing the server resources amongst multiple users on the same server. They often go together, but it’s not always the case.   What is Shared Hosting? In this section, we will discuss what is shared hosting so you can have a better idea of which hosting plan is best for you. Shared hosting is by and far the most common type of hosting. It’s well suited for beginners and can usually benefit sites up until they’re getting tens of thousands of visitors per month. Like we mentioned above, with shared hosting you’re sharing the server hardware and resources with dozens, hundreds, or maybe even thousands of other sites. This is done through server partitioning. Every user will have an allotted amount of storage, bandwidth, and more that they can use however they wish (within the host’s terms of service of course). Shared hosting is commonly equipped with an easy to use control panel, along with additional tools to help you get your site online as fast as possible, plus it’s usually the cheapest form of hosting you’ll be able to find!   Shared Hosting Pros Shared hosting is the most commonly used form of hosting in the world. It’s oriented towards beginners and can greatly aid in the site building process. Most site owners will start their online journey with a shared host, eventually “graduating” to other types of hosting as their sites expand.   It’s Cheap One of the main reasons people turn to shared hosting is because it’s incredibly cheap. Since you’re sharing server resources with other site owners you’ll be splitting these costs as well. When you’re just starting out online and don’t have much of a budget, the cheap monthly rate can be very beneficial.   Easy to Setup Shared hosting is incredibly easy to use. A shared hosting environment typically comes with pre-installed software scripts, or at least the ability to quickly install whatever kind of technology your site requires to function. For example, with a shared server environment you’ll have access to tools like WordPress, Joomla, website builders, and more. Any technical task can be accomplished through an app within cPanel.   Shared Hosting Cons Shared hosting can be very beneficial for the right kind of website owner. However, it’s not without its drawbacks. Although shared hosting can be the perfect fit when just starting out, some sites will quickly outgrow the service and need to upgrade to a higher package.   Limited Server Resources Shared hosting is limited with its disk space and bandwidth. Most websites won’t run into these limitations unless they’re growing quickly or are receiving a very high volume of traffic. However, in some cases, another site on the same server who’s experiencing a heavy load of traffic can actually negatively affect your website’s performance too.   Can’t Support Custom Setups With shared hosting, you’re given a wide range of software to choose from, but there isn’t much you can do to the actual server environment or underlying technology. You’re stuck with the customization options that are offered by the server environment, usually things like choosing your CMS or website builder, configuring email addresses, and more. If you need higher levels of customization that allows you to optimize your server environment for performance, or for your unique website needs, then you’ll need to upgrade to another form of hosting.   Dedicated IP Hosting vs Shared Hosting The main difference between dedicated IP and shared hosting is the IP address. The most common type of IP address is a shared IP address. In this scenario, multiple websites that are sharing the same server environment will also share the same IP address. With a dedicated IP address, your website is the only site that’s using the IP address—it’s yours and yours alone. When you choose dedicated server hosting it’ll typically be equipped with a dedicated IP address. It can be server specific (and you’ll receive a dedicated IP address for the server no matter how many sites you’re hosting). Or, you can have multiple dedicated IP addresses on a dedicated server environment (for each site that you’re hosting on the server). With shared hosting, you’re sharing the server resources, along with an IP address. It is possible to have a dedicated IP address on a shared server, but you’ll need to make this request through your host. Not every host has the underlying structure to support a dedicated IP address on a shared hosting environment.   Closing Thoughts Dedicated IP hosting and shared hosting both address very different needs in the hosting market. Shared hosting is a perfect choice for those just getting started online. It’s easy to use, simple to set up, and can support your site until you’re receiving pretty decent levels of traffic. However, you may run into performance issues, depending on the other site’s you’re sharing the server environment with. While if you’re using dedicated IP hosting, then you’re most likely on a dedicated server environment. Dedicated servers are oriented toward high-level sites, and and you can even use dedicated servers for games as well. A dedicated server offers you greater levels of server customization, security, control, and support for very high levels of traffic without any issues in site performance. Hopefully, you have a better idea of the differences between dedicated IP and shared hosting, so you can better choose the right hosting package when building a website . Find the post on the HostGator Blog Continue reading →

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Use mobile/landline through Skype

Posted on July 26, 2018 by Hosting

Hello, I wish to to use my cell phone through Skype. What I want to achieve is that if my phone is off, all incoming calls should be dive… | Read the rest of http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showthread.php?t=1722452&goto=newpost Continue reading →

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SEO website about phone ringtones

Posted on April 24, 2018 by Hosting

I have a website about cell phone ring tones but I do not know how to speed up SEO, anyone who is expert in this field can give me comments?… | Read the rest of http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showthread.php?t=1707977&goto=newpost Continue reading →

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How Cloud Hosting Pricing Works

Posted on February 27, 2018 by Hosting

The post How Cloud Hosting Pricing Works appeared first on HostGator Blog . Breaking Down How Cloud Hosting Pricing Works Cloud hosting is a relatively new style of hosting that’s starting to pop up everywhere. It stands as an alternative to standard hosting environments and is well suited towards sites that are looking to scale, or demand flexibility in their hosting setup. However, a lot of people decide to use cloud hosting due to its flexible style of pricing alone. But, what actually makes the cloud server hosting price model unique? That’s what we’re going to answer in this post. Below we’ll dive into the benefits of cloud hosting and illuminate the pricing differences between traditional hosting and a cloud hosting environment.   Why Use Cloud Hosting? Cloud hosting is a unique hosting solution that allows for scalable resource use, and flexible pricing, all while getting very high levels of server performance. Essentially cloud hosting is the equivalent of having a very large dedicated server at your disposal. Users who are just starting their first websites probably won’t get that much value out of cloud hosting, something like a simple and cheap shared hosting package will be enough. But, if you’ve been looking to upgrade your hosting to a VPS, or dedicated host, then cloud hosting is definitely worth thinking about. Cloud hosting will give you near unlimited access to server resources that you can scale up or down on demand. Since you aren’t tied to a specific physical server you can scale your resources as your traffic levels rise. Plus, you’ll have access to a very high-performance server environment that rivals VPS and dedicated servers.   The Traditional Hosting Pricing Model With traditional hosting, whether that’s shared, VPS, dedicated, or managed, you’re paying for a set amount of server resources on a monthly, or yearly basis. Now, a lot of hosting packages will give you unlimited resources to an extent, but you’re mostly paying for that physical server space. How much you’re paying will depend upon the quality of the host, the total amount of space, memory, CPU, and other resources you need, plus additional things like support and bundled hosting features. One thing you’ll certainly be paying for a limited amount of server resources. If you’re a mid-range site you have the option of choosing between a VPS, dedicated, or managed solution, but even these might be too pricey for the value you’re getting. Think of traditional hosting like a cell phone contract without rollover minutes. You’re paying a set fee every single month whether you end up using all those minutes or not. For some website owners the added cost might not mean much, but if you want the most value out of your dollar, then take a look at cloud hosting’s pricing model.   Breaking Down How Cloud Hosting Pricing Works In the past, if you wanted a high-performance server environment you’d have to pay a lot for it. This left a lot of website owners in the dust. Especially, if they only needed access to higher level server resources every once in a while. Cloud hosting seeks to fill this gap in the market and offer website owners a flexible solution with flexible pricing. With cloud hosting costs, you only pay for what you use. You’ll have a standard level pricing rate that’s incredibly cheap (think shared hosting pricing), but you’ll have the ability to scale these server resources up and down and only pay for what you use. This is done through strict resource usage monitoring. Through an intuitive user dashboard, you’ll be able to monitor and allocate additional server resources very quickly. Plus, you’ll be able to see your site’s overall usage at a moment’s notice. This means you won’t have any surprises when it comes to billing. Think of cloud hosting pricing as being similar to your electricity bill, depending upon your provider of course. Typically you’re paying based on how much electricity you consumed. You can even see the detailed wattage breakdown, so you can see how much you consumed and it’s relationship to your total bill. By now you should have a better grasp of how the cloud hosting price model works and how it compares to more traditional hosting pricing arrangements. If you need a flexible host that’ll only cost you what you use, then cloud hosting is an option worth considering . Find the post on the HostGator Blog Continue reading →

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