Hosting Recommendation

[ddemarest]

I was probably looking in the wrong place, but I couldn't find a topic for hosting, so I posted it here. If I posted it in the wrong forum, I apologize in advance.

I was wondering if anyone has a recommendation for a Windows hosting company? I have been through 3 hosting companies and most of them are Unix houses and the MS environment is an afterthought. (Forgive me but yes - we program in the MS environment).

Anyone have a GOOD experiences with a MS shop?

Any suggestions are appreciated. My current host is a nightmare and I have had it!

Thanks!

Di :)

[rocky1]

As far as proper location, if it's out of place the mods will move it for you. Otherwise it is rumored there is a new service on the horizon down there in your neck of the woods ddemarest, http://www.ogrehosting.com/windows.php, link to their Windows packages.

Fellow WPW member too! Give him a shout.

[ddemarest]

I will check them out - thanks for replying!

Di :)

[sslcheap]

I've had a good experience with the host I use:

http://www.discountasp.net

I probably shouldn't mention prices here but they are very inexpensive.

[paulhiles]

Hope you guys don't mind, but I've moved this thread from the Break Room into eCommerce Talk. Our friendly Mod cyanide may be able to help point you in the direction of some good hosting if you haven't already made up your mind! :o)

For my own part, I've found HotChilli to be a pretty good host, and have used them in the past for a couple of my sites.

[ozchris]

Given that most of the money is in North America, and many of my sites target the US, I currently host with Kiosk in Canada, and have been pretty happy. I'm not intending to move my own sites.

But I'm also wondering about Australian hosting. Most of the popular big Aussie ones seem outrageously expensive.

I was planning to approach some local Sydney businesses, and offer to build websites. I understand they would probably be hesitant about using my Canadian host.

But I still really want to make ongoing money as commission from their hosting accounts.

Does anyone know reliable Australian hosting companies, with affiliate programs, with price ranges that won't scare off small businesses?

I prefer cpanel, although that's just because it's all I've used so far.

Love to hear from Aussies.

[staceman]

Correct me if I am wrong, but where your hosting copany is should matter...should it? That is what is so great about the web, geography doesn't matter. Become a reseller and YOU are now their hosting company. Where you put their sites is completely foreign to them, no pun intended.

Back to Di's orignal question.
1) Why windows? Are you running certain apps? I do not know your knowledge level so I cannot assume anything. If you design sites in Windows, that doesn't mean you have to host the on a windows server. I do everything in windows, but set up all my accounts on UNIX machines, they are cheaper to host.

2) If you are set on Windows, I can offer a solution. Shoot me an email with your space requirements and I can set up an account for you.

[rocky1]

Originally Posted by ddemarest

I will check them out - thanks for replying!

Di :)

You're very much welcome. Hope you found them to offer what you need, if not I'm sure they'd work with you to meet your needs. Best of luck.

Rocky

[cyanide]

Staceman brings up a good point
You don't really need Windows unless you are building with asp, for example...

How is your hunt going ?

[Tradeguy]

I've been very happy with www.ipowerweb.com

I've used them to host several of my ecommerce clients, and I use them for my primary store site, plus a few others.

I've only used them for Unix hosting (I run a PHP shop w/ Mysql), but I do know they offer MS hosting (shared and dedicated), and a collegue of mine uses them for MS hosting.

Very responsive tech support, and very very little downtime - perhaps 1 hour in 2 years.

Their pricing is hard to beat too. They run their servers out of CA.

Rich

[ozchris]

Seriously, would geographical location of the server affect speed and response times?

Does anyone have any factual articles about this?

It's more a perception issue: a local business without any IT experience, going on the web for the first time is going to assume that a local host is faster than an overseas host.

I always hated the speed and communications subjects at university. Plus my knowledge is antique, anyway.

Are there any happy Australian-hosted people around?

[cyanide]

Originally Posted by ozchris

Seriously, would geographical location of the server affect speed and response times?

no. this day and age, area is pretty much a non-factor. Web page file-size, server speed and connection speed is.

Does anyone have any factual articles about this?

ummm no

It's more a perception issue: a local business without any IT experience, going on the web for the first time is going to assume that a local host is faster than an overseas host.

True. However, how will they know the difference, unless you tell them.

[ADAM Web Design]

www.sectorlink.com

I've got a dedicated box with them and I've been a customer with them longer than most hosting companies have been in business (over 2 years now). They've been nothing but fantastic whenever I've needed help and they are a very reliable and decent company to deal with. There's the odd bump in the road here and there, but that's to be expected. All in all though, I've been through about 10-15 hosts now and these guys have just gone above and beyond the call of duty every time (even when I screw something up).