Here is another VOIP for you, DallasXtreme. DallasXteme specializes in Ventrilo Server and Ventrilo Hosting. They also secure their service with GoDaddy’s SSL. The cool thing about DallasXtreme right now? You get a 50% discount is you use the promo code “Summer09″. Obviously, this coupon is only good for a little while longer.

They also host Teamspeak servers, and comparing rates the prices are the same. Most of my experience is the Teamspeak so that is the route I usually go.

Current monthly rates are as follows:

• 10 Users – $2.48
• 15 Users – $3.48
• 25 Users – $5.48
• 50 Users – $9.48

Looking at those rates you can see there is pretty much no excuse to not get a host for your gaming needs. On the Ventrilo servers you can actually host up to 400 users. That’s a $119.95 a month. That will also be a killer deal if you used the promo deal they are currently doing.

Playing online is always fun, and being able to actually talk to others while you are doing it makes it even better. Hosting a Ventrilo Server on your own IP is just dumb though. It will completely swallow up your own bandwidth. The best way to go? Use a server like DallasXtreme’s and let them do the hosting. Low cost, high quality, and more bandwidth for you!

Hardware, Websites and Blogs hosting, server, ventrilo

Into playing games online? How about Half Life or it’s spin off Counter Strike. The Counter Strike Version is what makes Half Life kick butt, playing online with friends. If you are looking for real action, and not bogging down your own PC by running a virtual server through your ISP, a good way to go is by using Counter-Strike.

Counter-Strike is a gaming server site, where you can connect with others on your own private game server. The servers are dedicated to the games you like to play, and can be set up in minutes.

Here are the games they support:

• Counter-Strike Source
• Half-Life
• Garry’s Mod
• Team Fortress, 1 and 2
• Killing Floor
• Zombie Panic
• Call of Duty
• and a bunch more with different versions.

Prices vary based on number of players, and for how long you want to set up the lease. You can get discounts for ordering longer than one month. They also support getting add-ons like Teamspeak so you can chatter with your friends with a super low cost voice over.

Counter Strike is supported by the guys at Game Data, Inc. They have been around for a few years now, and if you are not hosting a game server yourself is probably your best bet. Low cost, and servers all around the United States.

Hardware, Websites and Blogs

Hey, I actually found a hosting review site that does not list Host Monster as number two. In fact they don’t even have Host Monster on their list at all. They are called Web Hosting Union, and they do business web hosting reviews. Not all hosting companies are designed for the same thing, and a site that is made for your business could benefit by being on a hosting site designed for business, not the casual user.

The number one business hosting company was Lunar Pages, see Lunarpages Hosting Review. The reviews are based on speed, uptime, ease of use, and customer service. Lunarpages offers a pretty huge amount of disk space, 1,500 gb, and even more for bandwidth, 15,000 gb per month. There is no set up fee, and only costs $7.95 a month.

Looking at their basic package they had three different shopping cart platforms pre-installed, and also included a free SSL certificate. Those are some pretty good reasons to consider business specific hosting sites.

Web Hosting Union updates their reviews weekly, and their reviews are not for profit done by web hosting experts.

Hardware, Websites and Blogs business hosting, shopping cart, ssl certificate, web hosting

So I have been looking at a bunch of websites that rate hosting services. UpperHost is yet another one, see their best web hosting ratings to see how they have rated everyone. While I was looking at all these hosting review sites, I found one very common similarity, Host Monster.

UpperHost has rated Bluehost as number one as far as they are concerned, see bluehost hosting review, but their number two ranked host was Host Monster. What’s the big deal? Well, when I look at many other host rating sites, they all seem to have their own different favorites for the number one spot, but Host Monster always seems to get the number two spot. Comparing BlueHost to Host Monster, personally Host Monster seems to be the better pick. Both are comparable for services, but the one thing I like more about Host Monster is that they pre-install a ton of the common services that you might want, like Joomla, polling software, or Wordpress.

Another selling point for Host Monster is really just their customer base. They are currently hosting nearly a half a million sites. Getting a high rating like they typically do combined with such a large customer base really confirms their quality of service, and their pricing. I might just have to check them out when I set up my next domain.

Here is the review of Host Monster that UpperHost gave.

Hardware, Websites and Blogs bluehost, host monster, hosting, review

Are you a gaming fanatic? I know many of you are, and for a while I was. I even hosted my own Teamspeak server for a while. Hassle. I hated sharing my IP address. If I knew about UGT I probably would have just gotten a Teamspeak Server. It’s cheap, and doesn’t hog my bandwidth. Here is your introduction to a Ventrilo Server.

Low Cost

UGT Servers offers a variety of packages based on your gamming/community needs. Prices start at just $2.69 a month for a ten person limit, and go up to $23.25 a month for 100 person limit. When I was hosting my own I never had more than ten, but that was still enough to slow down my old DSL line. $32 for an entire year could equal a ton of fun. They have Ventrilo Hosting throughout the contry, and is not just limited to the U.S., so connection speed should not be an issue.

Easy Setup

According to UGT, even a Level 12 Mage could even set it up. The servers use a web based control panel, you can add and remove channels, you can modify voice codecs, and you can even reset/turn on/turn off your server. In the past, when I ran my own, it was an easy setup. If you have someone set up the server for you like UGT,  well don’t be surprised if a twelve year old is hosting one.

Cool service, great idea for a hosting company, a good luck in your gaming fun. I will crush you.

Hardware hosting, server, teamspeak, UGT, ventrilo