OT: Free/cheap web hosting

Well, not free, but I pay just over £12 every two years for a domain that I can point to my existing webspace, email, etc.

SteveW

Transferred a mates site / email over to TSOHosts:

Main Tech Support in Bulgaria but are very accessible via phone, email or support ticket and they all seem to know what they are doing (like many Eastern European workers). ;-)

I did most of the work with help / advice from some of the good folk here and it went pretty smoothly.

Cheers, T i m

That's OK, but it doesn't always work. If they're running the website on a virtual server, it won't necessarily accept requests directed to a different domain name.

You will want I presume to register the domain

I used to run several low cost sites like that. GetSimple was a great CMS that would run in a few MB of web space and didn't need a database.

TW

That approach also has the advantage you can change your ISP, and thus were your website files are, change where the domain 'points to' and those accessing it never even notice.

I forget what I paid for my domain, I think about £70 for 10 years.

The price varies depending on the 'style' (I'm avoiding using the technical terms- forgive me if you know them).

I pay £10 a year for domains and around £100 a year for a VPS that can host dozens of websites.

has webspace at £1.20 per mointh

Its relatively crap, but its cheap.

So is e.g. fasthosts.

Then dont buy from that provider.

Or attempt to accept requests from a domain that isnt yours..

He'll need the domain but a VPS is probably over kill. B-)

Talking of crap, where is my barge pole...

I have no problems with them as domain registrar, dns host and email forwarding.

Not last time I checked, they try to up-sell to their website builder.

Well if anyone wants a small website hosted for their domain, now Gridwatch has moved to a new VPS there's plenty of RAM and CPU left on the original VPS.

So what's it worth to anyone? Sftp access...only - unless you have a fixed IP address

Organise your own domain though.

As expected, you miss the point entirely.

Go back to foaming.

Put the basic website and announcements, events etc., onto WordPress (free accounts) and any email onto a free Gmail account.

No, I dont. I've built more websites than you have well over 100.

No one builds a website that cannot accept valide requests to the domnain for which the website is created

And you are still missing the point.

"If they're running the website on a virtual server, it won't necessarily accept requests directed to a different domain name."

This is a completely meaningless statement. A website, virtual or otherwise, can be configured to accept (or not) accept any domain name(s) you choose.

Its 'virtuality' is irrelevant.

So what point have I missed?

I just use the registrar and DNS, not sure when I moved to them but it is a good few years and never a problem (that I've noticed).

True they do try to up-sell but I think from the basic templated free web hosting. I say I think as one domain I have uses the basic web hosting that I haven't paid for and it works (tried it last night). Might be "legacy" of course.

Google sites is another free templated system but you can hack that about a bit more than 123-reg's offering.

A timely thread for me.

For many years SWMBO has run a Google Sites website for a local wildlife group (eg

But now we're moving away from the area and we want to pass on the domain admin someone else, none of whom are hosting-savvy. It simply needs redirecting of the domain name to their Google Site and easy name renewal, ideally for under £10 a year. (No web hosting or email).

My current hosts don't offer that and I can't see any others UK ones who do, though it may not be something they'd clearly advertise, including

"Google Domains" would work for £10 a year, but although they will do .co.uk they don't do .org.uk. Any suggestions please?

Well all I use 123-reg for is domain registration (several .co.uk and .uk's) and DNS.

My doamins cost around £10/year. Be aware that 123-reg site quotes ex vat or at least it does for me and I've not found an "inc VAT" button, not that I've looked very had.