If you are launching your very first website and are new to it, you have no doubt heard of domain names and hosting about it. What is the difference? We suggest that you take a quick look at the difference between the two so that you no longer make the mistake.
When you visit a website, your computer, tablet, or phone does what it takes to display the site to you. This is done by entering the domain name in your browser bar, which can also be done by clicking on a link. Then the domain is transcribed into the IP address of the site server. This server then sends the various elements in order to display the website to you. A website is made up of:
- A domain name
- A web hosting server
- Site files
Let’s use the house metaphor to better understand the concept of a website, your domain name is the postal address of the house, the hosting is the house, and the site files are the furniture. Is it clearer as a picture?
WHAT IS A DOMAIN NAME?
Your domain name is the address of your website, for example, www.dmtwebhosting.com. This address is like a mailing address. It tells computers (and other devices) where to find the site on the servers so that they can send and receive information. Without a domain name, it would be like trying to call someone on a phone that doesn’t have a phone number. He might as well have a phone, just like he could have a website, but you wouldn’t have a way to reach him.
WHAT IS WEB HOSTING?
A server is deemed as a storage device continuously connected to a high-speed Internet which stores site files. When you pay for a web hosting service, you are renting space on their hard drive so that people around the world can access your site’s files to view it. Many web hosts have multiple server locations so they can back up your site files, very handy in the event of a failure!
Web hosting is storage space for your website. This hosting space is used to store the website files which are corresponding to the layout, content, and images, etc. Content management tools (CMS) like WordPress allow you to easily work with these files without having to get your hands dirty on your hosting server.
There are several types of web hosting. The most common are:
Shared hosting: Shared hosting has multiple users on the same server, and all of them share the same resources. It’s kind of like renting an apartment. You all share the building and common areas, but you have your own private space to do your living. DMT web hosting is offering shared hosting in Pakistan to facilitate its valued clients.
VPS: a VPS (Virtual Private Server or VDS, Virtual Dedicated Server) is a “virtual private server”. Several sites are on the same server, but the resources are distributed rather than shared at the same time. It’s like owning a condominium. Like someone is sharing the building area with other dwellers, but keep his/her share as promised. This means that you have a specific amount of resources allocated for you and you alone can utilize the available resources. The biggest advantage is to see your site much faster than being on shared web hosting. And it remains evolving. You can buy SSD VPS in Pakistan by contacting DMT web hosting.
Dedicated hosting: Dedicated hosting means that you are alone on the server. It’s like owning an entire house. It means that all resources are dedicated to you to have better control of the server. This type of hosting is ideal for sites needing instant display speed and more so if site traffic is high and cannot afford untimely blackouts.
Most good web hosts like DMT web hosting offer all three types of hosting, so you can easily migrate from one solution to another as your website traffic grows. We are offering dedicated servers in Pakistan at an affordable rate.
DO YOU HAVE TO USE THE SAME COMPANY TO MANAGE DOMAIN NAMES AND HOSTING?
One of the reasons that many people often confuse hosting and domain names is that many companies offer both services. But it is not the same job. You can even have domain registration from one company and hosting from another company. So you are not stuck and can easily change the DNS of your domain name to point to another host. You can even choose any other different domain TLD and point it to the said website. You can even point several different domain names to the same site at the same time. Very handy if you use expired domain names to exploit SEO juice!
You can also change the host without losing your domain name or your site files. You may need to contact support for this to get everything transferred properly. However, if you find that you need a better web host, you don’t have to start all over again.
Some people choose to register their domain name through their web host because it is more convenient. Others choose not to keep everything in one place to facilitate the transfer to a new host and to improve site security. It’s up to you to weigh the pros and cons before choosing who you want to work with.
We hope that through this article you have understood the difference between domain names and web hosting and that it will facilitate your work in setting up your website. Contact us for Business hosting and specifically, WordPress optimized hosting in Lahore and Pakistan to go online.
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