How to check hosting before buying? [Archive]

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boron

01-31-2007, 10:34 AM

How do you check hosting before buying it? I mean testing here.

From http://Dnsstuff.com I'm using PING - if it is over 100ms, I consider this as slow response. I'm not sure how much PING depends on "air distance" from my PC to hosting server location. I checked PING from Europe to one Australian server, then asked one Australian to check it and the results were exactly the same (!). I guess that the distance which data have to overcome via internet connections matters.

Anyway, how you estimate a speed of a hosting?

Another tool from above site is DNS Timing checker.

Submerge

01-31-2007, 11:01 AM

I check out forums (if they have them) and check out members sites. Otherwise I use DNSstuff.

jacob

01-31-2007, 12:47 PM

You can also try testing out their email support to see how long it takes them to respond to emails. Not quite a technical test but atleast you'd know beforehand if they check their email every 10 minutes, 10 days, or 10 weeks ;)

Reckless

01-31-2007, 12:59 PM

check out members sites, and there forums
allot of hosting companys refund if you dont like it and quit within a month

CreationNation

02-02-2007, 04:01 PM

Google the company, there's no better way to find a good host than reading user feedback. Also, just like youa re doing, ask! Hit a few webmaster forums and ask for recommendations.

Reckless

02-03-2007, 08:36 AM

Google the company, there's no better way to find a good host than reading user feedback.

i never thought of this :)
if you google some company most of the time you see bad things though, because most people only post on forums if they don't like it...

boron

02-04-2007, 11:57 PM

i never thought of this :)
if you google some company most of the time you see bad things though, because most people only post on forums if they don't like it...

Finding bad reports about a hosting can help you more then finding good reports. When a newbie will try a hosting, he will post: Oh, how good. But an experienced webmaster might write: they don't have good support, upload is slow...So if you don't find bad reports, this can make you think it might be a good hosting...