Is Unlimited Hosting Really without Limits?
The word unlimited has been used in the hosting industry for years but it may have a little bit of a different meaning than you’re used to. There are also different features which a web host may consider unlimited but is this something that is actually possible?
Unlimited Bandwidth
Bandwidth is the amount of data that can travel through a connection to the Internet at any given time. Almost all companies are going to guarantee the use of some sort of bandwidth, some of them putting restrictions on it and others offering you unlimited bandwidth. What is the difference?
If your bandwidth is restricted by the hosting company, you will only be able to send out so much information at any given time. When you reach that point, you will top out and no additional information will be able to flow to your website visitors. If you have a website which is offering large files, such as music or video, you may hit your bandwidth restrictions if they are set too low.
When a web hosting company offers you unlimited bandwidth, they are basically saying that you can send as much information out as you want. They do not put any limits on the data that is transferring through at any given time. Sounds good, doesn’t it?
In reality, the offer of unlimited bandwidth is nothing more than a marketing ploy. It is virtually impossible to offer somebody bandwidth that is unlimited. Look at it this way, if you have a two lane tunnel, which he be able to fit an unlimited number of cars through at one time? Of course not. For the same reason, a hosting company can not force infinite bandwidth through a finite connection.
Unlimited Domains
This is another marketing ploy that many hosting companies use. They tell you that you are able to put in an infinite number of domains on your account. Is this possible?
There are upper limits to the amount of domains that can be handled on any given account and those numbers can not be overwritten. The hosting company is betting on the fact that you are not going to push that upper limit.
I have pushed the limit in the past, owning thousands of domain names myself. Believe me, there is no such thing as unlimited domain names on a single server.
What Does This Mean?
It really doesn’t mean all that much, just that the hosting companies are trying to get your business. If they tell you that you have unlimited bandwidth or unlimited domains, that simply means that they are not putting a cap on the number but you need to stay within the restrictions of the server.
If they are a good hosting company and their servers are strong, not being limited to a certain amount of bandwidth can be a very good thing. Personally, I don’t like to be restricted by a number and whenever I choose a shared hosting company, I always make sure that they offer these items as unlimited. Sure, I know that it isn’t actually possible but as long as I’m not pushing the outer limits, I’ll be happy with the service.
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