Chapter 14
Domains, Hosting, and FTP
In This Chapter
• Choosing a domain
• Deciding on a blog host
• All about FTP
If you’ve chosen to use
WordPress.org as your blogging application, let me be the first to welcome you to the active and satisfied community of self-hosted WordPress bloggers. Don’t worry if you don’t know exactly what that means yet. I explain it all in this chapter.
Before you can start a blog using
WordPress.org, you have to do a few housekeeping things first. This chapter teaches you how to get a domain for your new
WordPress.org blog (or website), how to choose a host for your new blog, and what “FTP” means and why it should matter to you.
Now, get ready to enter the world of blogging using the most powerful blogging tool—
WordPress.org!
Getting Your Blog Domain Name
As discussed in earlier chapters, every website, blog, and page on the web has a specific address, called a URL (uniform resource locator), you can type into your web browser toolbar to access that site, blog, or page. The primary part of any web address is the domain. For example, one of my websites (which happens to be built on WordPress.org) has a domain of
SusanGunelius.com. The URL for the home page is
http://www.SusanGunelius.com. Subpages of the site are identified with extensions to the primary domain, which create a URL like
http://www.SusanGunelius.com/about/ and leads you to the About page on that site.
The blog or website you build using
WordPress.org needs to have a domain, and choosing a domain is explained in part in Chapter 5. Keep reading to learn more about choosing a domain and obtaining one for your
WordPress.org blog.
Extensions Explained
As you travel across the web, you’ll find domains with a variety of extensions. The most common domain extension is .com; .edu is used exclusively by schools; and .gov is used exclusively by government organizations. Some domain extensions are specific to individual countries, like .uk for sites originating in the United Kingdom.
When you choose the registrar site where you want to register a domain for your blog (discussed later in this chapter), you’ll have a number of extension choices. The following table lists some of the most common generic extensions open for anyone to register.
Generic Domain Extensions Available to Bloggers
Some domain extensions were originally intended only to be used by certain types of entities—for example, the .org extension was originally only used by nonprofit organizations—but those restrictions have loosened. However, your domain could be challenged in the future if it does not fit the original restrictions placed on a domain extension in the domain’s charter.
For example, even though the .biz extension is intended to be used by businesses, no legal restrictions are related to its use. You can register and use a domain with the .biz extension, but if the site you build for that extension isn’t a business site, the day might come when you’ll no longer be allowed to use that domain. Most web professionals believe it’s unlikely that day will ever come, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
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Most bloggers try to obtain the .com or .net versions of their preferred domain name because those are the first two extensions people are likely to type into their web browser search bars to find a site they’re looking for.
Don’t feel like it’s essential that you obtain a domain with a .com extension. Many of the most popular websites use .net or another extension. If the domain you want isn’t available, you have a number of options available, as discussed in the next section.
Get Creative to Find an Available Domain
When you visit a domain registrar and search for a domain for your
WordPress.org blog, be prepared to try several options because the one you want might not be available. Some people and businesses, called domain squatters, purchase popular domain names for the purpose of reselling them for a profit. Some even purchase popular domain names for the sole purpose of publishing ads on them in an effort to make money.
If the domain you want isn’t available, you can attempt to contact the owner to learn if the domain is for sale and at what price.
Or you can pick another domain name. Most domain registrar sites offer suggestions if the domain name you searched for isn’t available. These suggestions typically include different extensions or modified domain names.
Here are some more suggestions to help you find a domain name for your blog:
•
Add a prefix or suffix: A site like
Friendster.com is a perfect example of a domain name with a suffix added to it. The
-ster makes it unique.
• Choose a different extension: If .com isn’t available, try .net.
•
Make up a word: A site like
Squidoo.com is a great example of a made-up word (in this case also the site’s brand name) being used in a domain name.
Put together a list of possible domain names and then conduct web searches to learn if any are available. Read through the alternate suggestions provided by the domain registrar, too. You might just find another name that will work perfectly if your first choice isn’t available!
What’s This Gonna Cost Me?
Domain registration varies by domain name registrar, the domain extension you choose, and how many domain names you register at one time. The length of time you register the domain for can affect the price, too.
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Many web hosts offer domain name registration for free or at a discounted price as part of their hosting packages. Before you purchase a domain name separately, consider purchasing it with your hosting package for the best price and the easiest purchase and management process. (More on this later in the chapter.)
It’s critical that you shop around and compare prices before you make your domain name purchase. You can use any domain registrar to search for domain availability, but be prepared to see registration prices run the gamut. Typically, a .com domain will cost you less than $10 per year when purchased alone, and it can be even cheaper when purchased as part of a hosting plan.
Where to Register
If you want to register a domain separate from your web hosting package, you can do that, too. Many companies offer registration sites that enable you to search domain names and purchase a domain in minutes.
Choosing a Host
WordPress.org is the application that allows you to create content for publishing on the web. However, you can’t publish that content on the web if you don’t have somewhere to upload and store it as well as a way to display it to people when they visit. That’s where a web host comes in.
A web host provides the space for you to store your content and serves it to visitors on the web. Because you have to pay for and maintain a hosting account to use
WordPress.org as your blogging application, you’ll often hear
WordPress.org referred to as
self-hosted WordPress, while
WordPress.com, which is hosted by WordPress, is referred to as
WordPress-hosted.
Web hosting accounts come in a variety of shapes and sizes, so there’s an option for everyone. Most bloggers are surprised to learn that annual web hosting fees are not as expensive as they expect.
Types of Hosting Accounts
Before you pay for a hosting account for your blog, be sure you’re looking for the right type of host to meet your needs. Several types of hosts are available:
Shared host: The vast majority of bloggers can get by with a shared hosting account. With a shared host, multiple customers with their own websites share a server that’s dedicated to storing the content for those sites and making them available online.
Reseller host: Some people and companies purchase server space from a host and resell it to customers.
Dedicated server host: If your website or blog is extremely popular, you might need to purchase a hosting account that gives you a dedicated server, so you’re not sharing it with other users. This ensures that your site always loads quickly because space is dedicated to it at all times.
Features You Need from Your Hosting Account
The first step to choosing a hosting account is determining your needs for your blog. As you compare current offerings between web hosting providers, consider the following:
Cost: Compare what the host is offering at a specific price point to ensure it’s a good deal. Use the other items in this list as your comparison criteria to ensure you’re comparing apples to apples.
Storage space: Find out how much space you’re given to store your blog content. Many hosting accounts offer unlimited space at competitive prices.
Bandwidth: Some web hosts set limits on how much data you can transfer through your blog each month. In other words, your transfer limit (or bandwidth) needs to be enough to allow your content to be viewed by every person who visits your blog. You can always upgrade your transfer limits as your blog grows, if necessary.
Domains and e-mails: Different hosting accounts offer different limits and pricing on domains and e-mails. Choose a plan that matches your needs and is competitive.
cPanel with Fantastico or SimpleScripts: cPanel is a control panel feature many web hosts offer that makes it extremely easy to work with your hosting account. Fantastico and SimpleScripts are tools that help you install
WordPress.org to your hosting account and associate it with your blog’s domain. If you’re not tech savvy, this is an essential feature for you.
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It’s also important that the web host you choose reports a high uptime so your blog is available when people visit it. Also, look for a hosting provider that offers e-mail and telephone support (online chat support is another benefit), so you can get help when you need it.
A shared blog host is certainly the least expensive option, but because you’ll be sharing space, it’s possible that your site might not always load at top speed. Additionally, you might be limited in the amount of content, images, and media you can upload to your site if your shared hosting account places restrictions on your storage space.
If your blog grows to be popular and you attract huge amounts of traffic to it each day, or your content archives grow so big you need more space, you might want to get a dedicated blog host account. However, dedicated accounts are significantly more expensive than shared host accounts.
Reseller hosts are another story entirely. You should research the reseller host’s offerings and compare them to the cost of purchasing a hosting account directly from a web host company to ensure the reseller is offering you something extra or a better deal than you can get by purchasing direct.
Bottom line: the vast majority of
WordPress.org bloggers use shared hosting services. The space and speed of shared hosting accounts is typically more than adequate for most bloggers, particularly if your blog is new.
Costs
Web hosting costs can vary greatly, depending on the provider and the features included. That’s why it’s important to compare hosting plans among multiple providers (see the preceding section).
Most bloggers are satisfied with shared server hosting plans priced under $10 per month. Many reliable web hosting providers offer excellent hosting accounts in that price range.
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If you need a dedicated server, be prepared to pay over $100 per month for your hosting account.
Most web hosts provide detailed lists of everything included in their hosting plans, so you can easily compare one package to another.
Popular Hosts
A Google search for “web hosts” will give you many options for hosting your blog. But how do you know which hosting providers are reliable, and where to begin?
It’s always smart to ask other bloggers which hosting provider they’re using and if they’re satisfied with the service they receive. Check out the “Blog Host and Domain Registrar Sites” section in Appendix C for some of the more popular hosts for bloggers that continually get positive reviews.
Remember, if you’re confused by all the technical jargon used on these sites and feel overwhelmed, focus on comparing the criteria in the earlier “Features You Need from Your Hosting Account” section so you can get a balanced comparison of some of the most important features for WordPress bloggers.
Understanding FTP
FTP is an acronym for file transfer protocol. FTP is used to transfer files from one host to another. You can also use FTP to transfer files from your computer to your web hosting account.
Why Do You Need FTP?
It’s quite possible you’ll never need to use an FTP account to transfer files to your blog. Recent
WordPress.org upgrades have made it so you can add plug-ins to your WordPress blog and upgrade to newer versions of WordPress directly from your WordPress dashboard. In the past, these processes were not as simple and had to be done by uploading files to your hosting account. If they were large, the files had to be uploaded via FTP.
If you want to use a WordPress theme that does not come as a default with the
WordPress.org application, an FTP service is perfect to use to upload it to your hosting account. Themes are made up of many files, which can be uploaded quickly and easily through an FTP account. In other words, FTP is still useful for uploading many files to your hosting account at the same time or uploading very large files. (Learn more about using FTP to upload WordPress theme files to your hosting account in Chapter 17.)
But what if you need more features than a free FTP service offers? Fortunately, a number of free FTP services offer enough capabilities to meet most beginner bloggers’ needs, as well as paid services you can purchase at reasonable prices.
Popular FTP Tools
Many FTP tools are available. You have to download some to your computer hard drive, while others are web-based. It’s a good idea to test a free FTP tool before you invest in a paid service.
Check out Appendix C’s “FTP Tools” section for a few FTP tools bloggers often use, and any others you’ve received recommendations for, and find the one that works best for you.
PROCEED WITH CAUTION
When you select an FTP tool, be sure you choose one that offers secure file transfers so your data is always protected.
The Least You Need to Know
• You can register a domain name as part of most hosting plans and save money.
• A shared server hosting plan is plenty for most bloggers.
• If you’re not tech savvy, choose a web host that offers a cPanel with Fantastico or SimpleScripts to make installing WordPress and other applications easy.
• You might never need to use an FTP service, but if you do, try a free service first.
