Feedback needed on these hosts.

[Jan]

Conkermaniac and I are in the process of updating/editing the Host FAQs so we need your honest opinion of these older hosts that have been around.

Please only reply if you abided by their TOS, I don't want "xyz.com is crap because they deleted my account without warning", nor do I want "this host is racist". I want to hear from people who have had, and maintaned an account with them.

 

[conkermaniac]

Good idea, Jan!

Hadn't even thought of starting a poll...

 

[Mandragora]

Coolfreepages.com

They offer 50 megs, PHP, mySQL and i think unlimitted bandwidth though I;'m not sure.

They say the only thing will be a pop-under that won't be obstrusive.

They lie.

The pop under is a HUGE web page, it actually starts by popping under but then when it's finished it pops up.

They DO NOT HAVE ANY SUPPORT. I emailed them about 4 times over a long period and they haven't to date replied to any of the emails.

On the plus side I guess they've got a decent speed... Their mySQL has gone offline once for me, otherwise pretty stable. I installed an invision board very easily. They don't offer phpMyAdmin but they give you instructions on how to install it yourself.

In conclusion: AVOID! It's not worth the pain.

EDIT: yeah I had a site with them, still do, but I'm moving it to a private host soon.

What's the poll for? Do you want me to vote for coolfreepages or something??

 

[Faraz]

www.freewebz.com

99.99% uptime
fast

it says that you have 100mb of total space but you will get 40mb to start off and you are only able to upload 50 files.file size limit is 750kb so if you store 50 files of 750kb then 50*750=37.5mb still space left.It means you can't get 100mb.Only one file can be uploaded at a time but have unzip utility and no ADS.
Good for small and personal sites

www.coolfreepages.com

has PHP and My SQL.You will get your account after one day and got deleted at the same time(Happens with me).I got a mail from coolfreepages.com that your account is activated and when i typed myname.coolfreepages.com in browser it says that username does not exist.If you forgot your password then you are gone.There is no way to get it back.

www.spaceports.com

has FTP,CGI-BIN,MY SQL,PHP and but has ADS.20mb to start with which can be upgraded to more.Over all good.

www.50megs.com

Doesn't provide hosting to my country.

www.fortunecity.com

Super fast,FTP,Always up.But i think there owners have forgot
about this service.It says that you get 100mb but you only get 25mb.In File manager it is written that you can upload files up to 5mb but you can only upload upto 1mb

www.crosswinds.com

No FTP,Browser Upload,can store mpg files upto 256kb(if i correctly remembers),free yourname@crosswinds.net email.Nothing interesting.

If there is any thing wrong in my feedback then please do corrections.

 

[Jan]

Originally posted by Faraz
If there is any thing wrong in my feedback then please do corrections.

Thanks faraz, but I am mainly interested in people who actually used the hosts.

And Mandragora, only vote for a host if it is a good one that you have used.

I have made it multiple choice if you have 2/3/4 good ones.

 

[conkermaniac]

The ones that Jan has listed are some of the more "reliable" hosts, even though their services may be lacking in many areas.

 

[awayfromforum]

I myself dont trust hosts that say unlimited bandwith or space.

Since there are several there, i wouldnt use those, and i have in the past though. I was a stupid 12 year old that wanted unlimited everything to not get his site deleted =).

And i basically despise a million and one popups. You might know what i mean from hostultra.com's sites. 1 popup per 24 hours is fine, or even every 48 hours like t35.com

That is just my opinion.

www.freewebz.com
Reliable host, when i was hosted there a lot of popups and and banners.

www.coolfreepages.com
I have had nothing but bad experience with them. I had a dutch / english site. So visitors could choose, and it got deleted

www.hey.nu
Friend of mine is hosted there, he thinks they are good for what he needs, his site seems available most the time.

www.neopages.net
<Comment removed>

www.spaceports.com
Have the ad-bar at the bottom. And you have to do extra stuff to get new features.

www.50megs.com
Dont know

free.prohosting.com
This would be my last resort host. Its not that reliable, my site there went down a lot.

www.fortunecity.com
Dont know. Seems decent

www.crosswinds.com
Never got an account =)

www.fateback.com
Used to have an account there, deleted cause according to them it had warez.

 

[Bernhard]

Spaceports

PRO:
- reliable
- fast

CON:
- PHP/CGI are NOT available on regular accounts, they are a free add-on you have to apply for separately
- PHP/CGI pages are hosted on separate servers that block all traffic coming from outside Spaceports. In other words: You can't link to any pages on these servers, except from your regular Spaceports account
- Annoying advertising: A bottom frame plus an ultra-obtrusive "Do you want to make http://www.blablablabla.bla/ your homepage?" dialogue. You are required to insert banner code into your PHP/CGI pages. Since these pages are only accessible through your regular account (you have to redirect your visitors) you end up with a bottom frame, the homepage dialogue and a banner on the page.

Conclusion: Not recommended, unless you hate your visitors.

 

[Cracker]

The URL to the Crosswinds web site host is http://www.crosswinds.net/ . Anyway, they may have been around for 5.5 years and they offer unmetered webspace and data transfer, but they're really really really really really really slow. Even their paid service lacks speed.

 

[ace0]

ive been with fateback.com for a long time and they are really good...the only downer is that they dont have php or mysql etc, but i find ways around that. they have been down a lot recently tho and doing a lot of maintenence so im not sure whats goin on there...

 

[notnamed]

freewebs.com:
100% perfect if you don't mind the lack of FTP access. If all you have is a personal site, it's great. It was a little hard for me, I had/have a programming site there, so there were lots of .zip files...but they let me upload them in the first place, which is a plus.
Uploading can be very, very slow sometimes, even on a wireless connection (I don't have one, but I used one occasionally, while browsing was fast, uploads were as slow as my 56k) and support isn't great with speed, but otherwise it's a pretty good package deal :classic2:

 

[akashica]

Fateback

A big :angry2: towards fateback.com and all their other virtual hosts [sinfree.net, imess.net etc]. I signed up with them over a year ago and their services were excellent! No ads, as many virtual hosts as a person wanted etc. In the last 4 months or so, the sign is constantly down for "maintenance". There will be a message posted saying that the website will be accessible within 24 hours, but takes over a week sometimes to become active again.

It has got to be such an annoyance, that have started looking for another host. I was interested before in having non-ad hosting, and I still am, but I would rather deal with pop-up ads now and be able to at least update my website when I need to.

When I signed up, I would have given fateback a 10 out of 10, and sadly that number has declined to a two... and that is generous these days.

Aka.

 

[jerry4dos]

Fateback

I like(d) Fateback because it has a "file manager" as well as FTP -- the file manager is often easier for me to use when updating my page while traveling. Akashica is right about the amount of FM/FTP downtime lately -- although the site stays up, there's no way to update it for days at a time. As I scan Jan's list, I think Fateback is the only one that doesn't have some sort of "ad" (banner, pop up, text link) or "forum participation" requirement.

 

[conkermaniac]

Re: Fateback

Originally posted by jerry4dos
I think Fateback is the only one that doesn't have some sort of "ad" (banner, pop up, text link) or "forum participation" requirement.

I believe Freewebz is also adfree.

 

[ibfw]

Prohosting.com

GOOD: FAST, always UP

bad: CGI sucks


Coolfreepages.com

GOOD: Php MySQL

bad: BIG FULL PAGE POP UP is irritating, it also POPS OVER altho it supposed to be a POP UNDER

 

[notnamed]

I believe Freewebz is also adfree.

Freewebs (it only _used_ to be Freewebz, I think they wanted to loose the h4xx0r connotation) has a footer textlink.

 

[cale]

Originally posted by X-Istence
www.neopages.net
Wouldnt want to get hosted with them again.

again? you were never hosted with them in the first place. please do not speak of stuff you do not know.

 

[Alyn]

well il be brutally honest, the best out of the selection is neopages. Iv been hosted with them for 5months and theyre the only stable host iv managed to stay with for that long.

so why?

1st, the features. You wont find as good a deal in most PAID hosts. Theres the 1st big deal. mysql, cgi, ssl, browser based control panel, the WORKS. Its all there!

2. well the application process is a difficult one, but it is outdone by its benefits rather than the amount of time it sometimes takes to get through. Which other free host pushes you towards improving your website in such a way as to better all the other applicants in the process? Whilst applying, forum members (hosted and not hosted) give opinions and feedback on your website, and suggestions on how to improve. All with HONEST and mostly well-constructed answers. For some, application is short, and they get in within a week, sometimes two, for others, it takes longer, but its ALWAYS worth it. And you can make it easier for yourself by being active in the forum (difference between active and spamming posts mind).

3. You can TALK with the administrator and host of the website in the forum. You get your questions answered directly by knowledged members of the forum. You can have your site reviewed by experienced forum members for free. Suggestions made, help with programming, and more. And recently, you can PROMOTE your website on the forum, and look for other free hosts in the forum posted by other members. NEOPAGES IS NOT SELF-CENTERED!

4. Theres the community side. You get to take part in a MASSIVE growing community on the web. Most if not all of the active members are friendly and willing to chat and help. Personally, i have never felt more welcome at a website.

Now i know there is this thing among people about forum participation, but in actual fact, its only to read the news forum about rules on keeping your hosting. You don't HAVE to be active, but it always helps (and gives you something to do). After my application lasted two weeks and i had been getting into the community, i COULDNT leave.

no doubt, there are good hosts out there, maybe even better hosts. But none of them with the community spirit and warmth of neopages.

Alyn

 

[avataru]

I only know NeoPages so I'll talk about them. Alyn said a lot and I will give you my opinion based on the experience i had so far.

I've been hosted there with them for around 1 year with two sites. I am very satisfied with the service and they keep their word. For the free account you get 50MB, 5GB transfer, php, mysql (1 database), 1 email account (3 aliases), 3 user accounts, ensim control panel. there are no ads and never will be. there is also a paid option but i don't know much about that and it's not the point of this discussion. the only requirement, and the thing some people don't like neopages for, is that the hostees should be active in the forums. i've never seen anyone kicked out of the NeoPages server because of not participating in the forums but it's nice to do that since all the hostees can vote and choose who will be accepted next...

NeoPages only accepts 1 new hostee every week. There are times when more than 1 is accepted. Like I said before, the current hosttes vote one meber every week and the applicant with most votes gets hosted. I am the person that takes care of the voting process weekly along with another guy and I must tell you it's fair. The votes are not only based on site's content but also on user's activity in the forums. the quality not quantity counts.

One other thing I should say is that NeoPages is not for the people that want to start in webdesign, it's for the people who already have a website but need hosting.

The hostee support service is also good. We have a forum for than and everyone can help. Help requests always get a clear answer. We care about our hostees. In the other forums you can get reviews and show-off your work and more but this has nothing to do with why NP is a good host or not.

The bottom line is you can try it and if you don't like it there's no harm done. The thing is that once you get involved a little in the community you will get "addicted", a lot of people do. heh.

I really like NP, it's not like any other host i've seen before. the owner, roy takes good care of the server and cares about his users.

 

[softklick]

Neopages the BEST !!!

Neopages are the best.. I think I am in a better position to explain than others who have voted for neopages. That's because I have been moving from all the listed hosts one by one. Coolpages may be given the second rank but I have tried atleast half of the listed hosts and truly Neopages emerges the winner.

Why ??

Well because of a hell a lot of reasons.

1) It is a wonderful community whereas others aren't. The feeling that I belong to this community satisfies me a lot. There is a wonderful technical support in their forums.

2) The way applicants are chosen is in itself a wonderful process. The feeling that u have beaten quite a number to be there is great. Of course believe me it is not as tough as u might think. Have a good site, be active there and u won't be left out.

3) Features: Excellent .. Who will give u 50MB, 5 GIG/month, 3 users accounts (with email), POP3 facility, true FTP, an ensim control panel, NO ADS (truly nothing), MYSQL database, and all this FREE absolutely.

4) Above all, though u may not get hosted, u will get valuable comments on the site put up there for competition and every word will be worth it.

I have been hosted there for just 2 months and already am enjoying being a part of it.