Finding a Web Host

The first step is to find a server to host your page. There are a number of options for this:

Your dial-up provider may provide you with free Web space you can use for publishing your own Web pages. It is not uncommon for ISPs (Internet Service Providers) to provide from 3MB to 12MB or more of free Web space. AOL, for instance, provides up to 14MB of free Web space to its members. (You're allowed up to 2MB per screen name and up to seven screen names per account.)
If you're a student, check to see whether your school provides you with a free account on their Web server. Realize, though, that once you graduate, you'll probably lose your Web space.
There are many providers of free Web space on the Web. Most require that you display some form of advertising, either in the form of banner or pop-up ads. For instance, Yahoo Geocities provides 15MB of free Web space, while Lycos Angelfire provides 25MB of free Web space.
If you need more space or services or would like to host your pages under your own domain name, there are many Web hosts that provide inexpensive hosting plans that include 40MB to 100MB or more of Web space, virtual domain name hosting, multiple e-mail accounts, custom CGI scripts, virtual FTP folders, and much more. Virtual hosting plans (which can host your pages under your own domain name) can run from $10 to $20 a month, or less. Registering your own domain name can cost anywhere from $10 to $35 a year, plus any setup fee that your provider charges (usually not more than $25).
If you need additional services, such as secure Web hosting, e-commerce services, online database support, streaming media support, and so on, you may end up paying more. But you shouldn't have to pay more than $50 a month, unless you're creating a high-demand site that will generate more traffic than a virtual hosting plan can accommodate.

For links to resources about free and inexpensive Web hosting services on the Web, see my Budget Web Hosting Resources page at www.callihan.com/budget/.

Choosing the best Web host for you can be a confusing and sometimes frustrating experience. Here are some pointers on what to look for when shopping for a Web host:

Plenty of space. Many for-pay Web hosts offer 50MB or more of storage space.
A healthy traffic allowance. This is one of the most important considerations. Don't settle for less than 2GB per month. More is better. (For comparison purposes, my Web host provides a traffic allowance of 200MB a day, which roughly equals 6GB per month for a virtual host account that costs $20 a month.) Don't believe promises of "unlimited traffic"—there's no such thing.
Extra features and add-ons. Look for any special features you might need to have, either free or at a reasonable cost. For instance, if you're going to want to set up additional e-mail boxes, you should make sure that's included or is at least available at a reasonable cost. Other desired features might also include virtual FTP, autoresponders, custom CGI scripts, mail lists, shopping carts, e-commerce solutions, and so on.
An upgrade path. You want to avoid paying for features that you don't need now, but have them available at a reasonable cost if you might need them later. For instance, you might not currently be planning on publishing online databases or selling products online, but if you might later want to do these things, you'll want to make sure that you can upgrade to an account that includes those capabilities, at a reasonable cost.