Need a new web host

wellman

Background:
I manage website and email functionality as a service to my church (www.mafairumc.org). The email stuff is pretty standard - 10 or so users with a few mailing lists (volunteer schedules and the like). The website uses a fair bit of custom PHP I've written, but that's about as fancy as it gets.

I also manage the website for some missionary friends of mine (www.martinpng.com). This site also runs a fair bit of PHP including a photo script I wrote a few years ago (before I became enamored of the smug:D).

The deal:
So here's the issue. My host appears to suck for email. I've been using IX Webhosting, and I get almost weekly complaints about the mailserver not being available when people are sending/checking their email. The secretary has decided her juno account is more reliable than her mafairumc.org account! I'm sharing a box with a bajillion other people for $9.95/mo, so that's not too surprising.

So, I need a new host. I need decent web availability, PHP (including pre-parsing html files as PHP), mailing lists, and most importantly, reliable email. I have $1600/yr to work with, but that's my total budget as communications chair. I'd rather not blow too much on simple email and web services.

I've been wondering about going with a Windows VPS, but they're all ~$50/mo at minimum. I've heard firsthand horror stories of configuring cheaper Linux VPSs (no offense if that's your cup'o'tea). While I enjoy serving the church, I'd rather not spend needless hours learning stuff I won't need to know otherwise if I could be out taking photos!

So, those are my needs. Any suggestions? Thanks for reading this far.:wink

dragon300zx

well there are a couple options.

Username JimM here on the site is part owner in a webhosting company and I'm sure he could help you out.

I like my 9.95 a month account with 300gb of webspace over at hostgator.com. My other webhost has mail problems all the time, but I have had maybe 2 mail server problems with hostgator in over a year of using them. And we run 30 some odd mail accounts. I do have a problem with their cpanel hosing user passwords but that is just a matter of logging in really quick and changing passwords. But that seems to only happen when I'm deleting accounts.

Oh and I should qualify, I am a pro user and I have over 15 websites and 20 some odd domains with them.

System

GoDaddy's been good to me.

Scott_Quier

My wife has been using 1&1 (1and1.com) for more than a year and has been very happy with them. They have site configurations for just about any need and their prices are hard to beat. A best mate of mine has been running a number of sites for paying clients through them for years and swears by them.

JimM

I do have a hosting company as Dragon (Gary) mentioned. I'd be happy to help. Since you have more than one site I can offer you reseller pricing. I think you'd be happy with our service (if not, then just send back the invoice with canceled marked on it). Shoot me a PM if you are interested and I can send you some more info (I don't want to be too salesy here).

wellman

JimM wrote:

I do have a hosting company as Dragon (Gary) mentioned. I'd be happy to help. Since you have more than one site I can offer you reseller pricing. I think you'd be happy with our service (if not, then just send back the invoice with canceled marked on it). Shoot me a PM if you are interested and I can send you some more info (I don't want to be too salesy here).

Just wanted to follow up here... Some technical restrictions on my end will prevent me from signing up with Jim. However, his level of personal support and helpfulness via email over the last week has been fantastic. I've already told Jim this, but his customer service was on par with SmugMug's, and that's as good as it gets for me.

JimM

Thank you for the kind words Greg! If I can ever be of assistance to you or anyone else, please let me know.

jsedlak

I use BlueHost.com and except for a few minor hiccups it has been wonderful. 50gbs of space is more than I need and 999gb of bandwidth is even better. My sites are http://jsedlak.org http://nmmr.org and http://gallery.jsedlak.org.