Probing the basics here with a few questions:

1a) Since a domain is just a pointer to a web hosting server, is it necessary to transfer an existing domain to your web host in order to host your site with that company? IOW, even though I can register with company A and signup for web hosting with Company B, must I transfer the domain to Company B?

1b) If it is NOT necessary to transfer the domain, how is email handled? Is this a service of your domain registrar or your web host?

2) The webhost i'm considering states the following about new domain registration:

"You don’t have to pay the $35/year fee. We pay the fee for you, as long as the domain name is hosted on our servers and your balance is current. "

What do they mean by "hosted on our servers"? A domain name is just an alias for the IP address, no?

3) The webhost i'm considering has a one-time setup fee of $50 for web hosting IF it is a new domain; however, if you transfer a domain to them they will waive the fee. So, wouldn't it be more cost effective to register the domain somewhere else and transfer the domain when you signup for hosting or am I not understanding correctly?

BTW, the company i'm considering going with is ReadyHosting. Here are some of the details: http://www.readyhosting.com/web-hosting-specials.cfm


Thanks,

Ryan

Yes, a domain is simply a pionter to your web hosting service. You do not need to register or even transfer it to your web hosting company in order to use it. Once your domain is pointed to the hosting server, www and email are then handled by the server, not the registrar.

One part of what you said confused me...they give you a free domain but charge you $50 setup?? That's not really a free domain is it? Most hosting companies have no setup fee. You can register your own domain just about anywhere for under $15

I would reccomend neither registering or transfering your domain to the webhosting company. Simply sign up for an account, then update the nameservers on your domain with the ones your hosting company gives you. This way, if you change hosting companies, you don't have to worry about moving the domain, just update the nameservers to the new host.

In response to your confusion....

From what I can gather there are 2 options:

1) Signup for hosting with a NEW domain: The domain is included with the cost of the hosting for as long as your website is hosted with the company but you would have to pay the one-time $50 setup fee.

"You don't have to pay the $35/year fee. We pay the fee for you, as long as the domain name is hosted on our servers and your balance is current."

2) Singup for hosting with an EXISTING domain: This waives the one-time $50 setup fee BUT you would have to pay for the cost of the domain each year.

Signup a domain that is already registered and we'll waive the one-time $50 account setup fee on that domain name's webhosting.

In conclusion, after 2 years it would be more cost effective to signup with a new domain.

Any Readyhosting customers confirm or deny this?

If you have a domain at present all you need to do is change your name servers to point to the new web hosts name servers which you will be given once your order is processed.

I would recommend that you register a domain other than through a web host, a company such as namecheap.com, always keep your domain and web hosting separate, (why? if company goes bust who you purchased your domain through you are left with no access to your domain) - at this point you then need to contact 3rd party domain registrars who web hosts use to register your domains. ENOM.COM for example to get access once again.

I would stay away of hosts who charge setup fee's and limit you into contacts unless they are very big companies.

Even the biggest of companies may go, a lot of large national stores over here in the UK are closing, which you never would have throught would close.

Good luck in your search.

I am with readyhosting now. They were bought out by another company at the end of 2006. Since then things have gone down hill. Their eMail system is not reliable and I am getting a number of instances where the sites are getting slow response times. I have 24 sites... a service monitors each site and sends a warning if response time exceeds 15 seconds. Four or 5 sites generate warnings almost everyday.

I am looking for a good hosting company that supports ASP and Databases as part of their basic package. Will continue search in this database for first hand recommendations.