Which web hosting provider should I use?

[flippyshark]

Here's my situation. I have a domain name registered with Network Solutions. For a long time, I used their "do it yourself" web hosting service, but I found it slow, unwieldy and unfriendly, and I wasn't thrilled with their customer service.

I need to keep my domain name (my published play directs people to it in order to inquire about performance rights) but I want to find a good, inexpensive and user-friendly place to park it. Any suggestions? (And how big a pain will it be to transfer the domain name away from NS?)

I am also willing to entertain the suggestion of staying with Network Solutions if anyone here has had recent stupendous experience with them (they've had quite a history, though.) I'm just thinking I can do better.

[BarTopDancer]

I've heard good things about DreamHost. I know that GD loves whoever hosts LoT (which I think is LunarPages)

[Snowflake]

I use lunarpages (ahem, the good people who host LoT) and feel their interface is good and plenty of tools (99.9% of which I have never used) and their prices are pretty good, too.

[katiesue]

I slapped together a website for my class reunion through godaddy. It's been fine but I've only had it like two months and my needs are really really really basic.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Yes, I love Lunarpages. Support has been awesome the rare times I need it, very little downtime and great performance. Their cheapest plan is BEYOND enough (ignore the logo at the bottom of the page here, I haven't updated it in a while, better do that*). Even with the steady traffic we get at the LoT we don't put a dent in storage or bandwidth.

Transferring the domain shouldn't be an issue. Did you register it through NS, or did you register elsewhere first? It'll be easier if you did that latter, but still very simple if the former.









*If you do want to go with Lunarpages, click through from the link at the bottom, the LoT gets a referal fee.

[mousepod]

I use the behemoth iPower, which has gotten really good over the last year or so. For work, I use bluehost (as does Heather). The gui interface for bluehost is the best I've seen, and the tech support is fantastic.

[lizziebith]

iPower done me wrong, robbed me blind, and left me cryin'. I was with them for nearly 10 years and I HATE that company. Do a google on their nefarious billing practices. They cost me hundreds in double-and-triple billing that I know I'll never see back. Their tech support was abysmal (although now I know a lot more than they apparently do about MySQL...but still, that's not my freaking job!!). I really resent having to learn stuff because my provider can't do their JOB.

Now, I'll never use another irresponsible overseller (and lunarpages is one) and recommend medialayer. I did an intense amount of angry research before choosing and could not be happier. If you go with an irresponsible overseller you are renting unmanaged server space with others: if you rent with a crazy company who promises the moon...that is what your customers could end up looking at instead of your site. If you get good service from an overseller you are just lucky until someone who shares your server gets Digged, Farked or AICN'd. Then watch your site die. Seriously: why do you smart people believe you really get the storage and bandwidth quoted for seven bucks a month? Try using it! Try! Just try. Really try even approaching what you've been promised. I did.

If you are setting up for a business, DO NOT go with one of these cheap, too-good-to-be-true companies. You will get exactly $7.00 a month in service. You will spend far more in your personal labor on the phone with rank idiots. Then you will research and fix the problem(s) on your own and end up bitter.

Ca.Ve.At. Freaking. Emptor.

(am I the least popular LoTer yet?...I seem to be on my way!)