Help with registering domain name & web hosting

lovemoneysaving

I am hoping to make a website (for listing info, maybe 5 web pages needed) but I'm very confused after searching on Internet. I hope you lovely MSEs could offer me some help.

1. I'd like to register a domain name on 123-reg. The price for my chose name is £7 for 1 year, 17 for 2 yrs, 27 for 3 yrs... Why is it more expensive when buying for longer period? Can I buy 1 year first & renew it everything?

2. After registration, I suppose I'll need to host it somewhere (hostsphere? namesco?). I'm confused about Linux & Windows hosting? What's the main difference?

3. Could you recommend some cheap but good packages?

Many thanks for your help :T

Owain_Moneysaver

1. Depends on the domain name, some may hope for a quick turnover of domains so the first year is cheaper perhaps?

2. Whether the server runs Windows or Linux determines what site software the server runs. If you want to run a WordPress or Mediawiki-based site, or content systems such as Drupal or Joomla, you'd need to run Linux. If you want to run a Microsoft ASP-based site, you'd need to run a Microsoft server.

Most websites run on Linux unless they have to integrate with other Microsoft software such as databases.

3. 123-reg have their own hosting packages, starting at £2.49 a month. Or you could host for free at Google Sites.

WhiteChristmas

1. It's a first year promo - usually a tenner a year. Do you need .net? You'll get .co.uk much cheaper. BTW, those prices do NOT include VAT.

2. I'm not sure I understand the question. Your website is accessible by machines running windows, linux, Mac or any other operating system. HTML isn't OS-specific.

3. To build your website? Kompozer is free and pretty easy with plenty of demos and tutorials online (YouTube etc).

If it's a commercial site you're building, I strongly recommend you seek advice from someone with experience. A crummy website will lose you more customers than it gains.

zee_2

been with 123reg for 8years good comp. buy .co.uk ,com ,net or info as others are a costly waste of money for beginner, remember with a .co.uk domainat 123 you have the choice of many email addresses ie. sales @domain .co.uk , mail @ , and redirect to your own email , i've used a 4 letter domain for email so even if I change isp still have all email , just redirect to new isp , also a lot less keyboard work if a lot of emails

steve1980

https://www.hostsphere.co.uk offer a good deal on domain names with and include email in all their hosting packages.

lovemoneysaving

Owain_Moneysaver wrote: »

3. Or you could host for free at Google Sites.

I read somewhere it's also free to host at www.startingonline.co.uk. Has anyone used them? Are they reasonably good? Do they offer less functions/facilities than 123 or hostsphere being free?

lovemoneysaving

zee wrote: »

i've used a 4 letter domain for email so even if I change isp still have all email , just redirect to new isp

sorry i'm a bit thick, i don't understand...

Jackjack21

If you are still looking for a hosting company I recommend you taking a look at VidaHost.com

Also take at http://www.vidahostpromotionalcodes.co.uk/ for VidaHost.com Promotional codes.