Web Hosting Knowledge Base

Web hosting stores your website’s files on a server that’s always connected to the internet, so anyone can visit your site by typing your domain name. Without hosting, a website has nowhere to live. Learn what to look for in our guide to reliable web hosting.

Your domain name is your website’s address, like yourbusiness.com. Web hosting is where your website’s files live. You need both: the domain tells visitors where to go, and hosting is what they see when they arrive. You can keep both in one account with domain registration at Next Wave Host. Still picking a name? Read how to choose a domain name.

Yes, if you want a website or email at your domain. A domain on its own only points visitors somewhere; hosting is what they see when they arrive. You connect the two by pointing your domain’s nameservers to your host. Our shared hosting plans are the easiest place to start.

At Next Wave Host, shared hosting starts at $2.99 a month, VPS plans at $35 a month, and dedicated servers at $45 a month. Your price doesn’t go up when your plan renews. Compare every plan on our hosting prices and plans page.

Shared or WordPress hosting. Both are affordable and fully managed for you, and they include cPanel, free SSL, and daily backups. You can move up to a VPS later if your site outgrows them. See shared vs WordPress vs VPS hosting to compare.

Consider a VPS when your site gets heavy traffic, runs a busy online store, needs custom software, or slows down at peak times. A VPS gives you your own dedicated RAM and full root access. Learn the signs in shared vs WordPress vs VPS hosting or see our VPS hosting plans.

Start with hosting that has WordPress already installed, add the free Hello Elementor theme, then design your pages with the Elementor page builder and AI tools. Our step-by-step guide shows how to build a WordPress website, and our WordPress hosting comes ready to go.

Yes. An SSL certificate turns on HTTPS and the padlock in the browser, and browsers warn visitors when a site doesn’t have one. Every Next Wave Host plan includes a free SSL certificate. Online stores can add a premium certificate for extra coverage. See our security features and website add-ons.

Start with fast hosting, use a lightweight theme, switch your images to WebP, and use one caching plugin. Those four steps fix most slow sites. Our WordPress PageSpeed checklist walks through each one.

Reseller hosting lets you sell hosting under your own brand, set your own prices, and keep the profit, while we run the servers. Our reseller hosting plans start at $14.99 a month with WHM and WHMCS included. Learn more about starting a reseller hosting business and WHMCS.

Often, yes. Public domain records can show your name, email address, phone number, and mailing address. Turning on domain privacy hides them. Read the dangers of the public WHOIS database, or check your domain with our free WHOIS lookup.

Contact us with your current host and domain details and we’ll guide you through the move. Several of our plans include a free site migration.