Web Host

Web Hosting is any arrangement that makes files accessible on the Internet. In general, a web host refers to an organization or company that provides this service, which includes:

• A connection to the Internet
• A numeric address or URL to which Internet users can link
• A computer or ‘web server’ with enough memory resources to hold the files to be accessed
• An operating system - often also (confusingly) called a ‘web server’ - that can send the files when they are requested
• Most web host companies also provide an additional range of services and programs.

Types of Web Hosts

A web host can be as simple as a basic home computer with telephone connection to the Internet, or as complex as a powerful computer system with a very high speed, 24 hour Internet connection.

Web Hosts and Domain Names

A web host per se DOES NOT assign domain names such as lythoes.net or purvisfamilytree.com; this is done by an accredited domain name registrar. However, sometimes the same company provides both services.

Linking to a Web Host

If you have a domain name, visitors link to your files via your domain name, without reference to the web host name.
If you do not have a domain name of your own, visitors link to your files on the web host by including the web host name in some fashion, for example yoursite.hostname.com or hostname.com/~yourname.

Web Hosts and TNG

TNG requires that a web host be able to provide you, the website owner, with access to:

• PHP - the programming language that serves up the data
• MySQL - the database containing the data