In order to understand what a web host does, first you have to understand what a website is.
For almost all people who surf the net, a website is a destination. The illusion of actually surfing from one site to another site on the Information Highway is extremely powerful one.
However, in reality when we surf, we don’t go to a website, it is the website that auto approach us.
To make it simple to understand, a website is nothing but a collection of files. Some are .html, php files, others are images, others are music files, video files and etc.
A webmaster is a maestro, who puts all these files together into a grouping which we call a website.
Websites are really amazing things. They can definitely blow our minds all the times. You have to always remember that, on some level in your mind, that it’s just a bunch of files, just like what you can see on your own PC hard drive by double click on “My Computer”.
When you surf on a website, you’re actually sending a request to any computer or server around the world to look for where exactly these files are located. When you reach that computer, it will then send you back the files you’ve requested. Your browser such as Internet Explore will displays those files to you, and you view the website through your monitor.
Since it’s just a bunch of files on a computer or server, why can’t we just put our website on our own PC, and let people request it from there?
The mater of fact is, you can. If you have a high bandwidth connection, web server software, and a little knowledge on Internet Protocols, you can really make it.
But, actually a lot of people find out that it is easier and cheaper to have someone to do it for them. The companies which provide this kind of service are called web hosting companies. There are over 25,000 such companies. Most are willing to host your website from anywhere range from $5 to $60 per month, depending on what service you request and what is your budget for having a web hosting service for your own.
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