Fasthosts Linux Standard review

If you're serious about creating a website, you need a dedicated hosting package.

This needn't be expensive, though, as Fasthosts shows with its Linux Standard package, which includes 750MB of web space. For an additional charge, you can register a new domain name when you set up your account.

If the mere mention of Linux makes you worry that it will be complicated, don't. Linux is just the underlying server and you can upload files to your website in the normal way without ever having to worry about the technology being used.

For those who want a little more, choosing Linux gives you PHP, Perl and Python scripting. Scripting is turned off by default, but you can turn it on easily using your web-based control panel. You also get Secure Shell (SSH) access to your account, which lets you change file permissions manually and work directly on the server.

If that all sounds too complicated, those who are interested in creating basic web pages can stick with the control panel. This lets you manage and control every aspect of your domain. It's quite easy to use, although you'll find that you need to remember a lot of different usernames and passwords for each function.

Help is also hard to find if you get stuck, as you have to log on to a support system using your Support ID and PIN. It would be better if help was available the second you log on to your account.

The email options are very thorough. You can have up to 200 standard mail boxes, each with 20MB of storage, and three Advanced Mailboxes with100MB of storage and anti-virus and anti-spyware built in. This should be more than enough for your family. With webmail as standard from your domain (webmail.yourdomain.com), you need never be far away from your mail.

The SiteBuilder helps you to create a website. The Standard account lets you build a site with up to three pages. This works well, and the templates should suit most home users' needs. If you want more, you can pay £25 a year to create a site with up to eight pages or £45 for the unlimited option. Anything more than the basic, though, and you're probably better off buying some web creation software for your PC so that you can work offline.

One of the best things about running your own website is being able to see how many people have visited it. Fasthosts provides lots of information through MatrixStats. This tells you how many people have visited your site, how long they read it for and even if other sites refer to yours.

Fasthosts gives you a lot of web hosting for your money. Experienced users will welcome the advanced tools and scripting. If you're new to building websites, the 750MB of web space and 200 email boxes are still worth the money. We only wish the support system was easier to access and that there were fewer usernames and passwords.

Author: David Ludlow