Since it is a lot easier for visitors to find (or remember) a website by a name, you will want to think of a name for your website. The .com in the above example is called a top-level domain (TLD) which is the part that usually follows the last dot (.) of the domain name.

.com is generally available to businesses or individuals and is the TLD with which most people are familiar. Therefore, if the name you want is not available under, for example, .com, you may also want to try the same name with a different TLD:

• .biz (business)
• .net (used as an alternative to .com)
• .cc (available to anyone as well)

Some other examples include .tv (television), .us (United States), and .ca (for Canadian residents only). Note: You will have the opportunity to select your domain name at the end of these three steps.

You are at this site because you are looking for a web host (hosting service). A web host is a company that stores the pages of your website on a web server, which is basically a “souped-up” computer with a permanent connection to the internet. This server will make your website always available to others on the internet. The reason these machines are called web servers is because they “serve up” the page when a visitor on the internet (web) wants to look at something.

The first thing to decide is the type of platform on which your website should be loaded. A hosting platform is the “operating system” the web server needs to make it run (much like your PC has an operating system like Windows or Mac). The choice for the web server’s platform (operating system) is between Linux or Windows.

Although both are practically the same, each has its own advantages. For example, many think Linux runs faster, while Windows has more features in it. Windows platform generally costs a little more because of the Microsoft license fee and the regular updates the hosting company must install. Linux and Windows platforms provide full use of any web design programs you may be using. Note: If you are unsure, feel free to call our Customer Care Center at 1(800)385-0450.

You will have access to the files and options for you website through a control panel. This looks a lot like the Control Panel (or any window with icons) on your personal computer. So even though you may use Windows on your personal computer, this does not necessarily mean you need to choose Windows for your hosting platform.


Select a hosting package/plan

Reliability and support are major factors when considering a hosting provider. That’s why IX Web Hosting has just built a state-of-the-art Data Center, capable of storing up to 10,000 web servers! IX Web Hosting also provides a full team of round-the clock technicians and a separate Call Center also offering 24/7 customer support. IX offers three plans to fit all features and pricing needs. The price generally listed by all hosting companies is a monthly price with a certain number of months paid in advance (generally 24 months). Other prices are available when committing to a lower period of time, which are also listed on the order form. Note: If you are unsure, feel free to call our Customer Care Center at 1(800)385-0450.

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There are many questions people new to hosting may have, such as how to design a website (or finding someone to do it for you), etc. IX Web Hosting understands those needs and concerns, that’s why we offer free documentation & video tutorials (see our support page) as well as scripts (e.g., codes for running a shopping cart on your site) to help you get started.