Web Hosting Glossary:

Web hosting people like to be technical. Fortunately, for sites like this, we take those technical terms and explain them to you as if you were human.

Internet Protocol (IP) Number: IP addresses that identify hosts, networks, and your computer, much like your house address is used to identify your city, street, and house number.

Domain Name: Title and address of your web site.

URL (Uniform Resource Locator): The standard way an address is presented on the Internet. The first part indicates what protocol to use and the second part specifies a domain name. (E.g. "yahoo.com")

Server: A computer or software system that allows other computers to store information on it and use its resources.

Host: A company that uses servers to connect domain names to Internet Protocol numbers. This enables your domain name to be called up in Internet searches. There are a variety of types of hosts around, each with their own web hosting plan and offers.

ASP (Active Server Pages): A Windows-based specification that allows web developers to create dynamic sites with database driven content. The server reads the ASP code, translates it into HTML, and sends it back to the browser. The web site owner relies on it to ensure that all visitors are able to view the site's dynamic content. PHP is a similar specification used by Linux servers. Your web hosting plan determines which one you will use. Click here to read more about ASP Hosting

Internet Service Provider (ISP): A company that offers Internet access. Users dial up through a modem, DSL, or cable connection and then move through web pages with their browser.

Audio Streaming: This feature provides the audio content of a web site. Since it takes up quite a bit of bandwidth, it may not be included in the web hosting plan you are looking at. Find out before you make a commitment that will exclude a needed item.

Bandwidth: The amount of data that runs through an Internet connection. Larger sites need a web hosting plan that offers more bandwidth than a smaller one does. Pricing structures vary, so you'll want to find out how much it will cost if you suddenly need to add more to your site.

Common Gateway Interface (CGI): A program that translates data from a web server to a readable format in the web browser. It can be used for visitor registration, guestbooks, technical help, and more. Many web hosts offer prewritten versions of CGI scripts.

Encrypted Password: A password that has been camouflaged to prevent hackers from entering a site area registered to an identify other than their own. Look for this feature in the security features of your chosen web hosting plan.