A layman can easily get confused between the two terms “Web hosting” and “ISP i.e. Internet service provider.” When such a person comes online, he will come across several terms which may seem to deliver the same meaning but actually are entirely different from each other.
When developing a website, the most common confusion one comes across is understanding a clear difference between Web hosting and ISP (Internet service provider). These two refer to completely different things which makes knowing the actual difference all the more crucial for everyone. While being different in essence, both of these are necessary for creating a website and accessing it online.
So let’s get started. The primary difference between an ISP and Web host is that an ISP is the one that gets you connected to the online world. However, a web host is basically the virtual space where one uploads all the website-related photos, documents and videos which can later be accessed by everyone sitting on the internet and surfing around. Let’s look at each of them in a bit detail.
Web hosting:
Well, web hosting as the name suggests is what hosts a website and takes it online. It may seem like something with a really broad scope, but in reality, it is just a bunch of files. When a certain site goes online, these files are copied on to the site’s hosting server so that these files can be accessed by the audiences sitting online.
A web hosting is basically a place where all the documents, videos, images, and everything else of a website resides. When a website is developed on a computer, all the developed files are eventually uploaded on a web host in order to make them live on the World Wide Web network which means that it can later be accessed by the people surfing through the internet. A web host can be located anywhere in the world. Almost all web hosts have several places across the world.
If you are to get your website hosted, there are several companies offering different web hosting packages such as GoDaddy, Bluehost, SiteGround etc.
Several types of web hosting plans are available in the market. Most of the startups and new websites opt low costing plans (inexpensive ones) which is quite justified. As the website grows and requires more space and bandwidth, they upgrade their hosting plans to cater to the increasing needs of the website.
Internet Service Provider:
In order to access a website, send and receive emails and surf through the internet we all require a way to access the internet. This is basically where the internet providers come in to play. One can easily connect to the internet via cable modem or wireless routers. There are several internet service providers offering cable internet and fiber optic internet services. Unlike a web host that can be located anywhere in the world, internet service provider companies have to be in a certain geographical region in order to provide their services over there. We often get connected to the internet by joining our devices through cable connectivity or Wi-Fi.
In case we are out of our houses shopping or traveling for business, there are a number of ways we can access the internet. Like using the Wi-Fi of some coffee shop or using mobile internet to check on the important emails or simply to enjoy some music. Well, we all internet users know it for a fact, using public Wi-Fi can prove to be risky for your data. Due to the potential risks of public Wi-Fi’s most people prefer to use mobile internet in order to stay connected with the online world.
Almost all of the mobile carriers offer this service at an additional cost.
I hope at the end of the article you must have understood the difference between ISP and Web hosting. Leave a comment if you encounter any query.
