Marijuana.com

imported_Rugbee

Why dose this place want so much money a month to host a website. Are these people crazy, 1,520 a month? http://www.infopop.com/webhosting/dedicated.html
I went to the computer store not to long ago to pick up some software and I was talking to the owner, he said that he went through this company to host his website and went on to say that he had a t1 connect. Before I could ask him, why he paid so much for hosting and a t1 connection people started coming in and I never thought anything of it till now.
They want almost a thousand dollars a month for a t1 connect, that is ridiculous. People say that a t1 line is dedicated 24/7 – but so is dsl, or at least mine is. In addition, how much faster can you possibly surf the net. I am connected at 1.5 Megs, I don’t see how you can get any faster that, or what good it would do, and I probably wouldn’t even notice the difference.
In addition, Websites, how do people add stuff like profanity checking, quote add ons, Emil accounts to there subscribers, and pm boxes. Is it done by scripting, or are there website/ hosting out there add them with the Plan.
Any info will be gratefully appreciated.

 

Higher Logic

You are looking at a dedicated server. That means they take a whole server and dedicate it to you. That's an entire unit, a computer, just for you. What you want is called "Virtual Hosting," where they take a server and split it up amongst x-amount of people, for example 200 people can share a server. You only need to run dedicated if you are pushing a lot of bandwidth, that includes both image and text transfers. Unless you're pushing over 100GB of each, you don't need to worry. Check out this place, ImHosted.com, they've got good servers with nice options for cheap:

$9.00 for 1GB webspace (more than you'll need, trust me, unless you have a fileserver going on) and 50GB of transfers (bandwidth). That's a lot too! **** even the most expensive has good options ($59 for 5GB space and 150GB transfers).

Look around, there's tons of options, and the response time isn't much different from a dedicated server.

The MAIN differences are a dedicated server is something you control, meaning you are the SYSADMIN for that, you can add whatever modules and the such that you'd like, while a shared or virtual server comes with whatever the company wants to put on it.

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Higher Logic

Almost forgot, you were asking how a website can offer customers their own email address (yourname@yourdomain.com). Some sites only offer 5 email addresses, some offer unlimited, you just have to search and find the best options for you. There is a differnce though when a company offers you unlimted POP3 email addresses and when you get unlimted batch email addresses, meaning people can't check their messages from Outlook or the similar.

Things like message boards, PM boxes, etc., come packaged with software (usually done in CGI/PERL on a *nix box--linux, unix, freebsd, anything running the Apache background system really; other programming langues would be the MS systems, which run ASP usually, while CGI/PERL runs a mySQL database or the similar). You can download the software from websites and install it yourself, or some webhosting companies have a Control Panel for easier setup for people who don't know how to setup CGI/PERL programs.

Like I said, it all comes down to preferences. A site like Marijuana.com would be better off suited for a dedicated server, or to just run their own server instead (basically the same thing, just comes down to costs). They need a dedicated server because there are over 1 million page hits a day I imagine, while a site that isn't booming would be fine with virtual hosting.

This bulletin board is a vBulletin Board, it's a good board, but there are other options out there. Some with better features, some not, some better GUI, some not. All preference, vB just happens to be one of the top ones. These boards are pretty easy to setup, and require little modification unless you want to customize it to your style. They offer free versions and ones you have to buy (like MJ.com did I think). It just removes the vB copyright stuff everywhere and so on, more features, etc.

Hope this helps.

Higher Logic

I just realized I never answered your question about T1 and DSL lines, etc. The T1 is a high-speed digital network (1.544 mbps) started by AT&T sometime in the late 50s, not sure exactly.

A T1 is a network that has speeds of 1.544 mbbs, there are also T2 networks (6.312 mbps). Then you have the T3 line, which is 44.736 mbps, then there is a T4 which runs at 274.176 mbps.

The T3 and T4 are called "supergroups" ecause they run 45 mbps and 274 mbps respectively. It breaks down like this:

T4 = 6 T3 Lines
T3 = 7 T2 Lines
T2 = 2 T1C Lines
T1C = 2 T1 Lines
T1 = 24 Voice Channels

If you want to break it down into channels, it goes like this:

DS0 = 64kbps = 1/24 of a T1 = 1 Channel
DS1 = 1.544mbps = 1 T1 = 24 Channels
DS1C = 3.152mbps = 2 T1 = 48 Channels
DS2 = 6.312mbps = 4 T1 = 96 Channels
DS3 = 44.736mbps = 28 T1 = 672 Channels
DS3C = 89.472mbps = 56 T1 = 1344 Channels
DS4 = 274.176mbps = 168 T1 = 4032 Channels

Let's get passed the technical stuff now. Most companies will opt for a T1 line, which will run both voice and data. The entire internet, if you will, is nothing but trunks or gateways of big lines and then branches off into smaller lines.

If you have a T1 line, it means you have a fiber optic cable going into either your phone system for telephone use, or into your network router for internet use. These are used because they are about 60x faster than a residential connection, meaning 100 people could easily use the system.

A T1 line is between $1000-1500 a month, like you said. In order for a T1 line to work though, you need an ISP that supports it. You can also buy a PART of a T1 line, this is known as fractional T1 access. It all depends on the phone company.

An ISP will use a T1 (a small ISP that is) to connece to the internet backbone which consists of T3 connections. Again, a T1 line is the same as a DS1 line as stated above. The backbone of the internet is just the term for the main wire that connects smaller nodes to it, this "network" of wires (a company with a T1 line, a user with a DSL line, a person with a 24kbps modem, etc.) is what we call the internet. When you type in a URL into your browser, it has to travel to an ISP where it can translate the name (www.google.com) into an IP address (a unique ID for a computer) where the page (index.html) can be accessed and viewed. The internet is nothing but a network. Much similar to a company intranet, which is a closed network. Intranets can be connected together via the internet and this is known as a WAN, wide-area network, whereas a closed network inside a company is a LAN, local-area network.

But don't think a T1 is something to be proud of, it may work for a small company (100-150 people), but you can go WAY faster:

DS0 = 64kbps
ISDN = 128kbps
T1 = 1.544mbps
T3 = 43.232mbps
OC3 = 155mbps
OC12 = 622mbps
OC48 = 2.5gbps
OC192 = 9.6gbps

An OC connection is top of the line, extremely fast. There are OTHER connections though, for example Europe uses E1-E5 connections. DS0-DS4 is used by North America, Japan, Korea, etc. An E1 = 2mbps, E2 = 8mbps, E3 = 34mbps, E4 = 140mbps, E5 = 565mbps.

Now about the OC1-OC48 connections. These are also known as STS1-STS48 connections, which range from 51mbps to 2488mbps.

OC and STS connections are known as SONET CIRCUITS, which also include STM1-8 connections. Then you have ETHERNET connections, which is the 10-T (10 mbps), 100T (100bmps), and Gigabit/GigE (1gbps).

This "topic" is almost TOO big to talk about. I could go on about SOHO, SDSL, ADSL, ATM, ATU, xDSL, HDSL, OC-x, and satellite connections. Then you have ISDN, basic dial-up modems, Cable/DSL, etc.

VPNs, WANs, LANs, etc., bah bah, confused lol. Too much to type.

The point is, unless you have a small-to-medium-sized company, you don't need a T1 line. If you want to host a bunch of people, then you could get a T1 or higher. But you could do the same with a DSL connection too, but your response time won't be as fast, and your bandwidth will be limited.

imported_Rugbee

WOW
That is amazing!
I always wanted to see what it would be like to use a t1 connect but 1000 a month that is crazy; these people must be smoking some good stuff, or just ripping people off. I wanted to build a website like this one, where I would be able to post what ever I wanted, without having the hosting company delete all my hard work. So I hit up one of these web company’s and they suggested getting a t1 connect, this way I’d have my own server and be able to post anything that I wanted without having to worry about the host deleting all the work. Somebody also suggested that I go to godaddyDotcom and register a domain name, then put in on a ISS server, so I went out and spent over 3 grand on this pc in order to have a big hard drive that meet the requirements to host a website, but They said win xp home didn’t have the ISS server thing installed so I had to spend a arm and a leg on win xppro that would enable me to throw the site on a ISS server, that sounded like a good idea. I’m seriously thinking about getting a t1 connect just to see what everyone is bragging about lolthen if things get to hard or they require scripting I’ll just hire someone to do it.

Thanks for the info Red that really helped me out a lot.

 

Higher Logic

Not to be rude, but the undertaking required of setting up a T1 line, not to mention the network router, system settings, etc., would require some extensive knowledge. If you don't know the differences between a T1 or even common telephony and network basics, this will be a daunting task. Unless of course you are paying someone, then expensive comes to mind.

I'm not sure they can even bring a T1 line into a personal home, I don't see why not though. You'd be better suited with a fractional T1 if that is what you really want to do. I don't see why though, at least not economically.

You seem very worried that an ISP is going to delete all of your work. Why do you say so? A hosting provider cannot delete anything on your site, at least not without your consent. And even if they did, a good webhosting provider will supply daily backups of your site in case of such an event. The only things you cannot have would be kiddie porn, warez or other pirated software, or anything else illegal in nature. Porn is alright, just have to verify with the ISP that they will allow it.

I built a website for a small company and did their networks. They had 3 branches throughout the South West (CA, AZ, UT) and maybe 150 or less employees. There were close to 50 computer terminals and the 3 branches were linked together via a VPN which made each branch accessible to the other, like a big LAN. A T1 line was put in to help with the telephone (voice) systems and the internet (data). We were actually not that bad running off a business satellite line (averaging 800 kb/s in transfer speeds via a speed test). Much faster, obviously, than standard home cable or DSL, but to run a webiste off of that, good luck. There were 3 servers, one with Windows 98, one with Windows 2000, and another with Windows 2000 Advanced Server (the Cisco routher ran into this first). Setting up the IP settings and computer policies was a pain on that, not to mention the Windows 98 server had to connect to an old mainfraim from the 80s; again, a daunting task.

If you are running a website, unless you are Amazon.com or eBay, having a dedicated server is quite pointless. I would suggest starting with a less expensive (you should never spend over $100 per month on hosting). $10 a month can get you well over enough webspace (I bet Marijuana.com uses no more than 1GB of space, in terms of bandwidth, well over though).

Then you have to think about what OS you are going to run. Running Windows XP Home is NOT the best idea, especially with the server software they provide. If anything use an NT-based OS like Windows 2000 or (better yet) Windows 2000 AS. Those can run WELL over $1000 though. Why not use the industry standard, the Apache web server module while running Red Hat Linux or similar.

Then you have to run a nameserver, if you already want a T1 line, then having a second server (actually 2 nameservers would be ideal, that is, if you are getting a T1 and require such speeds) to deal with the naming issues. You'll have to setup Active Directory and a bunch of things that make my head hurt

Point is, register the domain with someone like NetSol.com (Network Solutions). They are a bit expensive ($35/per) but are the industry standard. Get a cheap host, running $25 or less a month and just SEE how you'll adjust to these things.

Running your own server would also mean having to setup your own modules and settings on the server. You'll have to install things like Perl, CGI, ASP, mySQL, and anything else extra you want (actually CGI and the such usually are packaged, at least in a Linux-based OS).

Just hoping you think about this before you go spending all this money. I've done close to 50 websites, and none of them have ever required a T1 line and personal server.

If you are doing this to HOST other people, that's an ENTIRELY different story, and running XP Home would be the worst idea, security and stability wise. Uptime is important. All the extras you would need (data backups, fire protection, computer failure, software issues, viruses, etc.) would be another PITA.

Peace.

CheebaMonkey

What model was the Cisco router? Perhaps one in the 12000 series?

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Higher Logic

Heh, actually I don't even remember, that job was about 3 years ago. It wasn't a top-of-the-line router that's for sure, but it had VPN capabilties and programming that thing was a beyotch

Anyone else have CISCO problems in the past? Heh, gotta be a damn rocket scientist to figure that out. Many headaches spent "programming" that thing.

CheebaMonkey

I got my CCNP in December of 2003.

There was this one time in the lab where we couldn't get the second B channel to activate on an ISDN BRI interface (2B+D). It was using PPP multilink, and it wouldn't bundle the links. It was a buggy config and we were supposed to fix it, and we did. So we even loaded the correct config, and it still wouldn't work. We even rebooted the router.

At that point, enough was enough, and we just moved on. Didn't really care about it. Had gotten it to work in the past.