Website hosting, explained
Everything you need to know about hosting your website, from the basics to managing your account on Flywheel, WP Engine, or Kinsta.
Your website lives on a computer called a server, and hosting is the service that keeps that server running, connected to the internet, and ready for visitors. This section explains how hosting works and walks you through the most common platforms we use at Chykalophia.
If you only read three things
- What is web hosting?: the foundation everything else builds on.
- What is a staging site?: the single most useful concept once you have one.
- Understanding your hosting bill: so the recurring charges aren't a surprise.
Where hosting sits
Hosting is the third of four pieces that make a website work. In order:
Your domain (what you own) → DNS (where that name points) → hosting (where the site lives) → email (a separate service that shares the same domain).
Two things follow from that, and they cause most of the confusion we see:
- Your domain and your hosting are usually bought from different companies, and DNS is what joins them. See How DNS & hosting fit together.
- Changing hosts does not move your email. Your inbox is pointed at by separate DNS records. See Hosting vs email: why they're separate.
One name, one set of DNS settings, two entirely separate destinations. Changing your host does not move your email, and changing your email provider does not touch your website.
Read this as text
Your domain name (yourbusiness.com) sits at the top. It points to your DNS settings, which act as a switchboard.
From there the DNS settings send traffic two separate ways. The A record sends website visitors to your website hosting, where your site’s files live. The MX record sends email to your email provider, where your messages live.
The two destinations are independent. They are often different companies, and changing one does not affect the other.
Help me choose
Where should you start?
Hosting basics
What is web hosting?
The simplest possible explanation of what hosting is and why you need it.
What is managed WordPress hosting?
Why managed hosting is different, and usually worth it.
How to choose a host
How we decide which host is right for your project.
Hosting terms, explained simply
A plain-English A to Z glossary of hosting jargon.
What is a staging site?
How we test changes safely before they go live.
What is a CDN?
How a content delivery network speeds up your site.
What is SSL & HTTPS?
The padlock in your browser: explained simply.
How DNS & hosting fit together
How your domain name finds your website.
What happens when we migrate your host
A plain-English walkthrough of a host migration.
Flywheel
Flywheel hosting: overview
What Flywheel is and why we recommend it.
Logging in to Flywheel
How to access your Flywheel account.
The Flywheel dashboard explained
A tour of the Flywheel control panel.
Staging sites on Flywheel
How to use Flywheel's staging environment.
Backups on Flywheel
How automatic backups work on Flywheel.
SSL on Flywheel
How HTTPS is managed on Flywheel.
Flywheel billing & plans
Understanding Flywheel's plans and invoices.
WP Engine
WP Engine hosting: overview
What WP Engine is and who it suits.
Logging in to WP Engine
How to access the WP Engine User Portal.
The WP Engine User Portal explained
A tour of WP Engine's control panel.
Staging & development environments on WP Engine
How WP Engine's staging and dev environments work.
Backups on WP Engine
WP Engine's automatic and manual backup options.
SSL on WP Engine
How HTTPS is managed on WP Engine.
Caching on WP Engine
How WP Engine caching works and when to clear it.
WP Engine billing & plans
Understanding WP Engine's plans and invoices.
Kinsta
Kinsta hosting: overview
What Kinsta is and who it suits.
Logging in to MyKinsta
How to access the MyKinsta dashboard.
The MyKinsta dashboard explained
A tour of Kinsta's control panel.
Staging environments on Kinsta
How Kinsta's staging environment works.
Backups on Kinsta
Kinsta's backup options and how to use them.
SSL on Kinsta
How HTTPS is managed on Kinsta.
Caching on Kinsta
How Kinsta's built-in caching works.
Kinsta billing & plans
Understanding Kinsta's plans and invoices.
Billing & support
Understanding your hosting bill
Line-by-line breakdown of what you're paying for.
Renewing hosting & avoiding lapses
How to make sure your hosting never goes offline by accident.
Who pays for hosting?
How billing is handled between you and Chykalophia.
How to contact your host's support
When and how to reach Flywheel, WP Engine, or Kinsta.
Troubleshooting
Uptime, downtime & what they mean
What uptime means, how to check it, and what to do when your site goes down.
Hosting vs email: why they're separate
Why changing hosts doesn't change your email.
Troubleshooting hosting problems
Step-by-step help for the most common hosting issues.
Giving us access to your hosting
Pick the guide that matches your host. If you're not sure which one you're on, logging in or your last invoice will tell you.
Give us access to your Flywheel hosting
Add us as a collaborator on your Flywheel site.
Give us access to your WP Engine hosting
Grant access to your WP Engine environments.
Give us access to your Kinsta hosting
Invite us as a company user or a site-level user in MyKinsta.
Give us cPanel / shared hosting access
For older or shared hosting accounts that use cPanel.
Give us access to manage your DNS
Needed whenever a domain has to be pointed at a new server.
Related guides
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Go deeper on chykalophia.com
- Our full guideWebsite maintenance: costs and risksWhat upkeep costs, and what goes wrong without it.
- Website careThe Boring StuffOur care plan: updates, backups, security and speed, looked after for you.
- Our approachWebsite optimizationTesting, performance work and analytics hygiene that keep your site earning.
Website care
Rather not keep on top of this yourself?
The Boring Stuff is our website care plan. Updates, backups, security and speed are looked after for you, by senior people.
Already a client? Email support@chykalophia.com.
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