A service provider who serves your web site for viewing on the internet is called a web host. People who are browsing the internet access web site's through each site's respective web host. The computers the web hosting companies use to serve web pages are very similar to home computers. Running software designed to serve web sites, these computers are referred to as servers.

A web host has multiple servers which they utilize for web sites, that potentially can reach into thousands. Because of this, they typically have hi-speed connections which allows them to "rent space" to those individuals that want to post their websites to the World Wide Web.

Some large web hosts own their own collection of servers; some rent a server from a larger web hosting company and then resell the space under their own company name. In this case the web host will manage your account on the server, but they will be renting the actual web space from another much larger company.

There are a large variety of web hosting plans which are all designed upon the needs of your website and your budget requirements. Bandwidth is always a factor and will be limited in a MB or GB size. Plainly spoken, this is the amount of data that can be moved from the web server where your site is hosted, to the browser of the surfer currently looking through your website.

The amount of traffic you get to your website will determine the amount of bandwidth you use. If you go over your predesignated limit, you will either incur extra fees or your website will become unavailable.

You may be enticed by hosting companies that promise you unlimited bandwidth. While this certainly sounds tempting, it's not as good as it sounds. After all, bandwidth costs money, and if a company truly offered you unlimited bandwidth, they would have to have an unlimited supply of money! It's better, then, to look for a web hosting company with more realistic (and honest) advertising.