Domain Name Server is the first gateway to connect your website visitors. When we register a domain name from domain registrar, a group of name servers will be auto assigned. We have option to keep with the default settings or change to use our hosting provider's DNS server. However there's another type DNS settings called custom name server or personal name server. when you check some domain names' whois info they just displayed their own domain name for DNS name servers. That's called custom name server and we're going to discuss how to setup under Dedi/VPS and Shared hosting environment.

Best Custom Name Server Hosting

Arvixe (http://www.arvixe.com) is awarded the best custom name server hosting provider who allows people to setup their own dns server with low cost (just the extra dedicated ip address fee). If you have not found any hosting to setup your own name server, you can consider arvixe. How to setup the service for arvixe hosting? Just check out this support article and there's cool guidance. You can't believe it's that simple.

Arvixe custom name server hosting core features

• FREE domain name for life
• Unlimtied disk storage and data transfer
• Unlimited database
• 99% unbeatable uptime

Visit arvixe for hosting plans http://www.arvixe.com

Custom name server is doable for every hosting provider especially for those standard cpanel or plesk hosting providers. It's just their policy to allow or not. If you're interested in some hosting and like to have custom name server configured with their service, make sure to confirm with pre-sales support. From our research, most shared web hosting does not allow offer this service.

Why Custom Name Server Hosting

Having your personal name server simply make your site outstanding among all others. While all websites are using the hosting provider or domain registrars' DNS server but your domain using it's own name server, how will the visitors think? Especially when you're running a shopping cart site or information collecting website, it will be recognized professional. It's also quite helpful if you're going to promote your website brand.

But, that's not all for personal name servers do. By configuring your own dns server you will have full control over the dns settings so you can discard the hosting name servers' limitations. If your project has to make changes in DNS and it's not doable for hosting name server, having your personal name server is the perfect choice.

Custom Name Server Hosting Options

There're three main methods to setup your personal name servers.

A. Get a VPS/Dedicated server and install DNS softwares. It's the best choice if we would like to control the service as much as we can. At the meanwhile, it's also the most expensive solution, we need to be responsible for server maintenance and security update. There're many online docs about how to configure custom name server on vps/dedi server. For example this cirtex support article provided full steps for the configuration.

B. Purchase this service from third party provider. We also get DNS root access just like from a dedicated server. the difference is we left the maintenance and security protection to support team. Although we can take the advantage of existing setup, it's not ideal choice if we're going to make further integration.

C. Setup custom dns server under a shared hosting. This would be the most affordable and simple method to get our own name servers. What we need is additional dedicated IP address to serve the name servers. The configured name servers are actually part of the hosting main name servers, we have same level control over the dns as regular shared hosting clients.

The advantage of this solution is we can have our own name servers in quick time with little extra cost. But not every shared hosting allow custom name server for various reasons.

In web hosting industry there're many giants like Godaddy, Hostgator, EIG, 1&1 and other popular names. There's another big group called UK2. Novice might never heard of this brand since there're several child brands under UK2 group. As time flies, UK2 is more and more popular because of their excellent service. We will talk about more on this company and guide you how to choose the proper service if you're interested with them.

UK2 group introduction

UK2 is an internet service provider based in the United Kingdom(UK). The company launched in 1998 and started out by selling cheap domain names in the UK. UK2.net is founding brand of UK2 Group and named by Netcraft as the second most reliable hosting company in the world as well as the most reliable in the UK. To date UK2 group is serving thousands of shared and dedicated hosting customers and operate out of several state of the art, multi million pound data centers in both the UK and US.

UK2 Group official site: www.uk2group.com

Top Hosting Brands under UK2 Group

There're many brands under UK2 company and the number is still increasing because they're purchasing existing hosting business. Some popular brands under UK2 group such as UK2.net, Midphase, 100TB, Westhost, ANhosting, VPS.net and resell.biz etc. Here let's get a quick view over them and see if we'll be using.

• UK2.net — The founding brand of UK2 group. Well known for it’s professional and low-cost hosting solutions amd rated as the most reliable UK hosting provider by Netcraft. Currently they're offering 16 months FREE promotion for shared plans.
• Midphase — It's a pure US hosting brand with full hosting solutions including linux, windows and reseller packages. Midphase is also one of the most popular budget hosting providers with price $2.95/mo. Midphase will offer free website migration if you have hosted anywhere else.
• 100TB — 100TB is offering pure dedicated server plans. The spotlight with 100TB service is their unrestricted tier one bandwidth each month. While we need pay extra money for traffic, it's completely free with 100TB.
• ANhosting — Anhosting is offering budget-level shared hosting since from 2001. It's acquired by UK2 in 2005. For more details you can check our previous Anhosting review posting.
• Westhost — A premium hosting brand under UK2 group. Top recommended by people for industry leading response times and superior performance. All westhost support staff are located in Utah (USA) office. Learn more on westhost review.

Besides all above names, vps.net would be another popular name that's focusing on virtual private server services. It's similar to 100TB while it's all about vps stuff. We can customize the VPS server configuration to meet our production usage.

UK2 vs Godaddy vs endurance

How's UK2 compared to godaddy or endurance group? Absolutely, godaddy is main player comparing to most service providers. Uk2 is still small comparing to godaddy. However, that doesn't mean UK2 is weak. Godaddy is big mainly because of their domain registration business. They have advanced technologies but lack of support and has built a negative image in the business.

Endurance would have more similarity with UK2. They both grow up by purchasing other business brands and both manage several popular names from the industry. The UK2 is relatively silent while EIG doing quatity purchasing. The recent acquisition over hostgator put EIG to topline by everyone in the business. If UK2 would like to compete with EIG or Godaddy, their team will do lots of work. However, that's not what we're going to worry about. We only need to learn who can provide us quality service. On this point of view, UK2 has great advantages. If efficient and friendly support is highly required by us, UK2 brands are definitely the primary consideration among the competition.

When we talk about web hosting, the primary topic might be the service fees and some on going promotions etc. Actually there's a type of service plan called non profit hosting that's completely free. Unlike the regular free hosting plans that's forced by ads, the non profit hosting is configured the same as regular hosting service. If you would like to know about this service and how to sign up, let's introduce more from below.

How does Non profit hosting work?

Just like the service name saying — non profit. Because of this, not everybody is qualify of the use. For every non profit hosting service, their targeted users are the following:

• Registered Non-profit groups and organizations
• Organizations making positive contributions to their communities
• Educational or Governmental organizations providing for the greater good

How to sign up? The sign up process is little complex than regular hosting plan. we need to complete online sign up as well as fax etc. Normally, the procedures are followed as below

1. Sign up hosting from online order form just like regular hosting registration.
2. Choose a delayed payment solution like check so you won't be charged instantly.
3. Fax proof of your tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) to hosting support including your account details.
4. Contact hosting support for account activation.

Best non profit hosting service

The non profit hosting is not yet popularly offered. It's mainly offered from some huge business provider or newly setup comapnies who would like to attrack users' eyeballs. From our colleagues experience and research. Following brands have the best customer feedbacks.

Is it really free?

As from above explanation, we have to meet the terms of use in order to sign up with some legal proof. Although the service is offered with zero cost, we're actually advertising the hosting company at zero cost too. Most of the time the company will mention those educational or governmental organizations names to show their advantages. It will definitely introduce more potential orders and the company is very profitable! It's a win-win service so nothing to blame for, but we need to know about the logic.

Non Profit hosting FAQs

How is non profit hosting offered?

Non profit hosting is more or less a marketing term to attract eyeballs. Because hosting group will offer your service with zero cost, they will rely on your further recommendation to friends /families /coworkers etc to sign up their paid hosting plans.

Does non profit hosting equal to free hosting?

Yes and no. You don't pay any fee to the hosting service. However, with free hosting service you always have to bare with various forced ads on your website while there's not any for non profit hosting plan.

Who should use non profit hosting?

The non profit hosting is purposely offered to educational and non profit community website purpose. You always need to upload your identity proof in order to get such service.

Can I host ecommerce site via non profit hosting plan?

Nope, since it's offered to non profit communities, you can not host any commercial site to make money. If you want to, sign up a paid hosting with no doubt.

In recent web hosting industry, there's a popular name called MDDhosting and recommended by many webmasters. Although it's said to be pretty nice on the web, there're no much reviews from google search. Thus it's not so easy to determine if MDDhosting is actually good or not. Because of this, we did a bit research and communication with colleagues. At last I decide to write this MDDhosting review and give you some guidance if you're interested with their services.

MDDhosting Introduction

MDDHosting is a privately owned company that was formed in 2007 to provide services that are often overpriced at affordable prices for individuals and businesses around the world. This is the official introduction on mddhosting website. From the explanation we should have learnt they do not earn business by super low cost service like many other newly setup brands.

MDD setup fully hosting solutions including shared, VPS and dedicated server hosting. Means if your future website growth is beyond the shared or VPS there will be upgrade options.

Mddhosting Pros and Cons

MDD is relatively new in the business, however that never means they're doing bad. On the other hand, mddhosting is made by a smart tech team that comes with 24 x 7 efficient ticket support. They're young in the business but their technologies are absolutely advanced. They chose reliable datacenter and up to date hardware/software for customer servers. In case you need to know about the specs, here they're

Servers: Dual Xeon Quad Core processors (8 cores) and a minimum of 24 gigabytes of ram.

Servers are located in the Handy networks datacenter in Denver, Colorado. Connectivity includes tw telecom, Level3, Comcast, Hurricane Electric, Internap, XO, Global Crossing, Savvis, UUNET, and RMIX.

Like to learn more? Go ahead and check out their company page for full details.

How about the weakness? Because of the newness, MDDhosting does not offer that many features like the other popular hosts. Some essential feature like 24×7 live chat and phone support are not available yet. For web hosting start users who highly rely on such communication then mdd might not be the perfect choice. Secondly, just like the saying from introduction, their price $6.38/mo is more than affordable for individual website purpose.

MDDhosting vs Hawkhost

If you're looking for stable litespeed hosting services, MDD and hawkhost can not be ignored. Both MDD and hawkhost are well rated litespeed hosting provider with standard cpanel control panel. They even have similar support structures and hosting plans. Certain discounts are officially offered as well.

When we discuss their difference, they actually have more similarity. Their main difference would be the price. While hawkhost offeres pretty affordable hosting plans ($3.29/mo), we need spend twice the amount in order to use MDD service. Because of this, their clients resources would be quite different. Everyone might be able to afford hawkhost service but not everyone will feel good about the MDD price.

So the basic conclusion is, if you just need an affordable litespeed hosting service, hawkhost would be suitable enough. If you need extra benefit like more stable service then you can consider MDD. The saying "you get what you pay" is always gold rule in choosing hosting plans.

Go to http://www.Hawkhost.com for affordable hosting plans
Go to http://www.mddhosting.com for professional hosting