When working with a website, you may sometimes need to do a little digging in order to find out who hosts it. For example, if you\u2019ve taken over a project but don\u2019t have all its information at hand, you\u2019ll need some of the data provided by the web host to begin managing the site. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This can be especially important if the site\u2019s domain name host differs from the web host itself, and you are trying to coordinate services. Additionally, you may be looking to purchase a certain domain, or update payments on a hand-me-down project. Fortunately, there are several ways you can go about collecting the details you need. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this article, we\u2019ll look at how to discover who hosts a specific website. We\u2019ll also highlight some helpful host-discovery tools, and touch on the features you\u2019ll want to look for in a quality web host<\/a>. There\u2019s lots to cover, so let\u2019s get started! <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n How do you know the host of a WordPress site? All websites contain valuable information, including the name and location of their web hosting service. If you don’t know who is hosting a particular site, it’s not hard to learn how to find out who hosts a website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The best place to start is with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN)<\/a>: <\/p>\n\n\n\n ICANN is the official source of registered domain names. This will help you determine where a site\u2019s Domain Name Server (DNS) is pointed. Even if the site\u2019s domain name was registered somewhere else, it should now be pointing to the website\u2019s actual hosting server: <\/p>\n\n\n\n In this example, we looked up our own website, WP Engine<\/a>. You can see that the nameservers are pointing to a Cloudflare<\/a> server. This is because we offer Cloudflare services<\/a> that enable you to set your DNS to point to a URL rather than an Internet Protocol (IP) address. This creates a dynamic DNS rather than a static one, making DNS updates unnecessary in the future if you migrate your site. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Next, you can use the information gathered in the previous step to ping the website\u2019s server. This means you send out a digital \u2018hello\u2019 and see if the web server responds. You can use this method to establish whether or not the web host is actually operational.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can ping the server by using a command line Terminal application<\/a> to execute commands. You\u2019ll need the nameserver from the previous step. You can simply type in the command ping with a space after it. Then you\u2019ll type in the nameserver, or the website\u2019s URL without the \u201chttps:\/\/\u201d portion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If a connection is established and the web server is responding, you\u2019ll receive a feed of information in return and some important ping statistics. If the ping fails, you\u2019ll receive a message that says something like: \u201cping request could not find host\u201d. Ultimately, a healthy connection should return statistics that indicate there was no packet loss. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re not comfortable with using command lines, or you aren\u2019t sure you\u2019re finding the right information with ICANN, there are a number of other online resources you can use. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Some of the websites you can access to look up hosting information include: <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re interested in learning more about DNS lookup tools, there are several other resources out there<\/a> you can use. DNS information can be important for a number of reasons, such as determining whether or not a registered website is fraudulent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As we mentioned previously, you might need to determine the host of a website if you begin working on a project that was registered by someone else. If you don\u2019t have all the necessary information for a hand-me-down or previously-abandoned project, you might need to gather those details in order to reestablish contact with the hosting provider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can also use the same tools discussed above to locate the host information for your own website. For example, if you were left passwords but no DNS or IP information, you can try the above lookup methods to gather the missing information you\u2019d need. Once you collect the information from ICANN, you can try pinging the server to establish its status. Then you can move on to trying to access the site\u2019s files with an FTP application<\/a>. Even if that doesn\u2019t work, you\u2019ll at least know what hosting provider to contact for assistance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Another scenario you might encounter is that you have access to the WordPress dashboard for a website, but you need to collect the hosting information. There\u2019s a helpful, free plugin you can use in that situation. WP-ServerInfo<\/a> is a simple tool that you can install to quickly retrieve important server information about your website. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Verifying your domain host with Google is an essential step in driving traffic to your website. By verifying your domain, you confirm that you\u2019re the site owner, unlock extra analytic features, and potentially improve your SEO score.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Using a TXT record is often the simplest way to verify your domain. To learn how, follow these simple steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n In most cases, verification should be instantaneous, though it can take up to 72 hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Often, the search for hosting information is spurred by a desire to migrate to a new web host. Selecting a quality web host with a tech stack that’s optimized for WordPress<\/a> can take some time and research. One of the first factors to consider is what kind of hosting is best suited to your needs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There are several kinds of web hosting to think about, including: <\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition to deciding what kind of hosting you might need, you\u2019ll want to assess what other services the hosting company provides. If security is a big concern<\/a>, you\u2019ll want to make sure you’re choosing a secure host<\/a> that has those bases covered. Also, if you\u2019re looking for higher-end WordPress development resources, such as premium themes<\/a> and staging environments, not all hosts provide those kinds of solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you know how to find out who hosts a website, it\u2019s time to find your own. One option is the dozens of free hosting options that exist online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But how do you know a web host is reliable? It pays to do some research before you commit to a hosting provider. Small businesses and personal blogs often gravitate towards free web hosting services like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n In general, though, free web hosting options come with some advantages and drawbacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Of course, the main benefit of a free hosting plan is that it won\u2019t cost you anything. For those on a tight budget, \u201cfree\u201d can be appealing. However, free hosting or a free domain usually comes with a catch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These hosts usually make their money by providing inferior service to convince you to upgrade. Problems with free web hosting include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n In short, free web hosting can work in a pinch. But in the majority of cases, it\u2019s worth paying for a reputable, professional hosting provider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here at WP Engine, we understand what it takes to create an exceptional WordPress website. Plus, we provide more than just web hosting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our hosting platform for WordPress<\/a> brings you everything you need to build the best websites, including exceptional developer resources<\/a>. Find WP Engine<\/a> pricing and hosting plans for all your project needs! <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When working with a website, you may sometimes need to do a little digging in order to find out who hosts it. For example, if you\u2019ve taken over a project but don\u2019t have all its information at hand, you\u2019ll need some of the data provided by the web host to begin managing the site. This…<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":297,"featured_media":125321,"template":"","resource-topic":[901],"resource-role":[899],"resource-type":[916],"class_list":["post-97660","resource","type-resource","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nHow to Find Out Who Hosts a WordPress Site<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Step 1: Find What DNS the Domain Is Pointed To<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Step 2: Ping The Server<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Find Out Who Hosts a WordPress Site: Host Checking Tools<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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How Do I Find Out Where My WordPress Site Is Hosted?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How to Verify Your Domain Host<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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What Makes for a Good WordPress Website Host?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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How Do You Find Free Web Hosting?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Get Hosting That’s Optimized for WordPress With WP Engine<\/h2>\n\n\n\n