Looking for a Good Discussion Board Host.

**Mydream** · Dec 2nd, 2007, 8:05 pm

Hi everyone, I am a newbie here and looking for some help.

I have been using free discussion board hosts, actually 2 of them, for my websites. My websites postings keep falling down further and further and one of the reasons I think is that my URL is to long to remember and doesn't look professional. I have even tried to make a site map for google to help get a better ranking but I am not sure if it will be accepted since I am using a free remotely hosted board with a subdomain name.

I can not help but think I need to move up the ladder and purchase a paid hosting account.

My goals are to build my 2 websites back up and then down the road add some affiliates to my websites that I think are appropriate for my members. I have my own domain names and can use one of them at one of my websites host now but I have to pay them to use it. The other website host was going to allow us to use our domain names but then decided not to.

Like I said, I do think it is time to move on and branch out for myself and my members. Maybe that will help us bring in new members.

I want a host that can expand with me when I think I may need to expand. I was looking at Bluehost, Star Logic and Lunar Pages as well as Site Ground. I am so confused now I do not even know what it is I need to start with. It definitely needs to be fairly easy for me to use as I am a novice webmaster and just now learning some of the tricks of the trade.

I will be having a mostly text forum for one website with few graphics, except for around the holidays but the other websites is for having fun in and all the things I like to use in it will definitely use bandwidth not to mention databases and storage. I use more graphics in that one plus, I like to stream YouTube videos and add audio to the index page when you first come to the site.

One website uses the phpBB platform and my fun board uses SMF platform. I can get around both of them fairly well but I am sure when I use a paid host it will be much more difficult to set the boards up than using a free hosted discussion board.

This is the dilemma that I am faced with. I sure hope you all can give me a few pointers as I really want to keep my websites but I also would like to have more members and make a little money on the side, if possible, to help defray the expense for keeping the websites up and running.

Thanks for any suggestions you can offer me. They will be greatly appreciated.

Hope your day is a great day.

**Colleen** · Dec 2nd, 2007, 8:08 pm

Are your forums fairly active? If so you'll probably need a dedicated server, shared hosting won't cut it.

**Mydream** · Dec 2nd, 2007, 8:11 pm

No, not right now that's one of the reason I think it's time to branch out and pay for a host.

Mydream added 1 Minutes and 10 Seconds later...

WOW, I am so surprised as to how fast my question was answered. Thank You

**Colleen** · Dec 2nd, 2007, 8:14 pm

Originally Posted by Mydream

No, not right now that's one of the reason I think it's time to branch out and pay for a host.

Mydream added 1 Minutes and 10 Seconds later...

WOW, I am so surprised as to how fast my question was answered. Thank You

A shared host will probably be ok for you but once your site gets active, it will need it's own server so it doesn't have to share resources, or at least too many resources.

Hopefully others will come along with good suggestions for hosts for forums, I don't know any myself.

**grim** · Dec 2nd, 2007, 8:16 pm

A VPS through a company such as servint would be a good choice.

**Mydream** · Dec 2nd, 2007, 8:45 pm

Kalina and Grim.

I will look into Servint tomorrow morning. Thank you for answering me back so quickly. I will check back here tomorrow and hopefully some one who is running discussion boards can help me out a little. I really want to get my boards back to being active again.

Hope you both have a very nice day tomorrow.

**andyf** · Dec 7th, 2007, 4:09 am

Initially you can consider hosting your forum on a shared plan as it's new but once you start getting good traffic you can consider upgrading your hostign plan to VPS and finaly to dedicated.
If you are still looking for reliable 24x7 host you can consider link in my signature.

As you are newbie in this hosting world try to get a host who is available round the clock with easy communication medium and 99.99% server uptime.

**ukhost4u** · Dec 7th, 2007, 10:47 am

I would also check that the host that you plan to use has the support needed for the type of script you plan to use. With all the new standard out now some hosts don't support every different code.

**iowadawg** · Dec 7th, 2007, 12:47 pm

I would stick with a shared host until it got too darn big.

I have had nothing but good keeping forums on my hosting.

When you do, get the latest version of phpbb3....it is awesome!

I just installed phpbb3 on my new forum today.
The forum is new today, with a nice christmas theme.

The admin side of phpbb3 is so much easier to navigate and make changes.

**Steve** · Dec 7th, 2007, 1:39 pm

i can host it for you if you need it.

wirevenom.net and we do price match. thanks

**iowadawg** · Dec 7th, 2007, 3:03 pm

Well heck.
I can host also.
Probably as cheap or cheaper than most hosts.

Just let me know.

**Cyberbite** · Dec 7th, 2007, 3:10 pm

Ditto, we can too. And we've been doing hosting since 1996. We offer shared and dedicated. We'll be adding VPS's soon.

**andyf** · Dec 8th, 2007, 2:55 am

Well Mydream, if you are still looking for reliable and affordable host, please get back to me so that i can help you better.
With our hosting package you will get fantastico for free using which you will be able to install all your blogs and forums easily.

You can get me at : MSN/Mail : harry@webhosting.uk.com

**iowadawg** · Dec 8th, 2007, 6:43 am

Just about any hosting plan has fantastico.

**Cyberbite** · Dec 8th, 2007, 8:37 am

Originally Posted by andyf

please get back to me so that i can help you better.

I'm sorry, but this is just too funny. Better has been overused and abused as a marketing ploy for too long.

I'm sure this has been mentioned on this forum numerous times, as well as on sites like WebHostingTalk.com. There is no better or best host. You should always test out your host, make sure they offer a 30 day refund or trial period so you can see if they are going to work for your needs, test their support department to see if they can actually help you. Do a little bit of research to find out what you want. Compare plans among hosts but do not base your decision solely on lowest price, because often times what you'll find with a cheap host is cheap service and support. Also, company reputation has more worth than price or services.

**Mydream** · Dec 8th, 2007, 12:32 pm

:ssmiley:: at all of you, with little chuckles in between...Thank you all for your offers for hosting my new site(s)...I will definitely keep you all in mind but as of right now I am trying to figure out a format to use to set up discussion forums that match the affiliates I want to use and then linking them to the affiliate e-business site I am planning to open up too.

As far as hosting goes, I think a shared plan will do fine for me right now but I do think I may want to start with the middle plans that most Hosting companies seems to be offering these days. Just in case I need more space quicker than I might have planned on.

I really like one hosting company I have been looking at ( a very well known website hosting company), because of what they are offering and how good their uptime is. Not that I will go with them but as a way to judge other hosting companies. I like the fact they are offering unlimited sub-domains but not sure their bandwidth transfer would be enough for offering unlimited sub-domains and not run into site congestion and some of the software they are adding in the plan, may not be totally needed and I am not to sure I will know how to use them anyway but their free site builder offer is looking good and including a cPanel is a definite need for me.

I am a novice to this form of business. I am use to a stick and mortar style business.

So you see I am still very confused but not so much about what type of host I will be needing but what it is that I actually will need and most all of you hosting plans fit that bill.

Going to leave it alone over the weekend and start my holiday shopping. While waiting in line, I will have lots of time to read all the print outs I have made of my hosting needs and who is offering what I really can not be with out. I am sure by this week I will have made a decision.

Hope you all have a good week and please be safe if going out to do holiday shopping. It's a weird world out there now.:sshocked:

Happy Holidays

**adnan** · Dec 12th, 2007, 3:51 pm

I've heard good things about hostican.

They maybe a little expensive but there good.

I'm on a dreamhost PS and were doing about 1,000,000 queries a month on all my site.

Works great & a very fast, helpful tech support, but every now and then there's some downtime.

**andyf** · Dec 13th, 2007, 1:27 am

There is nothing funny in this. I am not phrasing myself as a "Better/Best" HOST.
It all depends on satisfaction of your clients, the service and support they get from the host.
I just want to help OP personally so i stated "please get back to me so that i can help you better" I would love to help him/OP personally as i think he is newbie.

No offense mate....

MERRY CHRISTMAS:ssmiley:.......webtalkforums

**Cyberbite** · Dec 13th, 2007, 5:41 am

Originally Posted by andyf

There is nothing funny in this. I am not phrasing myself as a "Better/Best" HOST.
It all depends on satisfaction of your clients, the service and support they get from the host.
I just want to help OP personally so i stated "please get back to me so that i can help you better" I would love to help him/OP personally as i think he is newbie.

No offense mate....

MERRY CHRISTMAS:ssmiley:.......webtalkforums

Ok, that makes sense, sorry about that. I've just seen so many times people claim to be the best, so that's what it sounded like you were saying. My apologies.

**xsnoboard** · Dec 13th, 2007, 8:26 am

I use to be on a friends dedicated but he shut it down...

Had to rush and find a host cause I had no notice... I ended up going with host gator with a $15 a month package ( They go as long as $3.95 I think)

I run some sites that use up a good ammount of bandwidth and so far, I havnt had any problems.

**andyf** · Dec 15th, 2007, 3:35 am

Originally Posted by Cyberbite

Ok, that makes sense, sorry about that. I've just seen so many times people claim to be the best, so that's what it sounded like you were saying. My apologies.

No Problem mate.
Just want to clear your doubt

no offense......

A better host is one who is appreciated by his clients for his service and support. Such happy clients work as an catalyst for success of your business.

**Mydream** · Dec 21st, 2007, 11:04 am

Hi

I do apologize for not getting back to you all sooner. Been very busy and couldn't get back as soon as I thought I would.

Thank you all for your interest in hosting my new websites.

Not sure yet where I am going to host one of the 2 discussion boards that I have now but I do know I have been thinking of going with "Siteground, Vodahost or Anhosting" with one of them. Not very interested in adding any affiliates or addsense to it...to help offset expenses, so a plain paid for discussion board is all I will need. I think it is best just to keep it a free discussion forum with no adds. Now my other discussion board is either going to be closed permanently or reformatted and moved to a paid host, in which I will be adding Adsense or a few affiliates... Not real happy with the name I choose for that one but at the time it sounded good. Maybe changing the name for that one. SO...if you think you have a little something better to offer, for a discussion board, than the above 3 hosting sites, I am all ears. :ssmiley:.

I am going to open a definite online business just not real sure where to start at with that one. I have a domain name in mind and a type of business to use with it and yes, it will also be offering a open discussion board too. Gotta love those discussion boards...LOL.

I know this is not the place to ask a question but I am going to ask anyway... What was your first online business? I think that might help me make a decision as to what I need in a hosted website easier.

Thanks again for all your help.

Wishing you and yours a very,

"MERRY CHRISTMAS" and a "GREAT NEW YEAR"