Mac help needed - trying/failing to create a website!

[WinnieMac]

I've just discovered - after having an iMac for three years - that I can create websites using templates in iMac. I spent the morning creating a lovely website - but haven't got a clue how to put it on the internet. I have 'published' it all in a file - but how on earth do I go about actually getting it on the web?

I spent the rest of the day trawling around hopelessly, wondering whether I'm supposed to sign up for a 'web host', but all the sites I found appear not to speak any kind of English that I'm familar with.

Could anyone please help a complete ignoramus novice?

Are you using iWeb?

When you say you've published to a file what exactly have you produced?

Many ISPs, but not all, will supply some web space with your internet connection. For example with BT you'll get some web space at:
www.btinternet.com/YourUserName

For personal web sites (e.g. "my holiday snaps") or even a small business or hobby that space is often quite sufficient. It's also a very good way to get started and play around, plus you're already paying for it so why pay someone else for the same thing?

If you go digging through your ISPs documentation you should find the details, or give their helpline a call.

What you should end up with are what they will refer to as FTP connection details. This is a method by which files can be uploaded and downloaded off of a machine out there on the internet.

Once you know the FTP details you can publish from iWeb directly to an FTP site, instructions for this are here:
support.apple.com/kb/VI223

Ooh - thank you!

Yes, I am using iWeb. What I've done is make a document with four pages using an iWeb template, then I've clicked on 'publish as a file' (or something like that). So now I've got a folder called 'sites' when I click on 'Finder', and that has all the separate pages in it.

I think our ISP is Plusnet, so I will try giving them a ring. I don't need acres of space - it's for a small business, and all I want is to be able to refer people to a website: I don't want it to do anything fancy; I just think we need a web presence of some sort.

Thanks again!

There's some information about Plusnet's web space here:
www.plus.net/support/hosting/webspace/webspace_faq.shtml

Note that not all account types come with web space and that there are limits on how much traffic you can have. I'd suspect that most of the allowances are going to be fine for a simple small business web site, but if you become very popular or want to have lots of high res photos or videos then you might very well hit some problems.

Connection details are here:
www.plus.net/support/hosting/webspace/webspace_details.shtml

You should be able to provide those to iWeb which will then just get your site straight onto the internet.

And there's a tutorial here:
usertools.plus.net/tutorials/id/31

So give it a go, it's a good set of first steps and as said you're already paying for it so make use of it.

if you are with plusnet then you will have a site called www.yourname.plus.com

you need to ftp to ftp.plus.net (using and ftp client).

this might help

If you're using iWeb you don't need to actually do the FTP yourself, provide it with the logon details and it "should" just sort it all out for you.

Oh wow - thank you, both. I will have another go tomorrow morning (my brain is exhausted after supervising homework, music etc, etc - argh). I'd never even heard of ftp until today, so I think it will be a steep learning curve!

ftp = file transfer protocol - used to move files between machines (ie from your machine to the web server). You can also get sftp - secure ftp (just for information).

Bah. I apparently have a 'value' Plusnet account, so don't have any web space. But the Plusnet links were very helpful, BadgersPaws.

Throckenholt, thanks for the ftp explanation. I will feel less of a novice if I go and quiz the people in the Mac shop this afternoon!!

"I will feel less of a novice if I go and quiz the people in the Mac shop this afternoon!!"

I'm quite curious to see what Apple have to say...

Apple used to sell a service called MobileMe that gave you space on the internet to back up things and, most importantly here, to host a web site. So iWeb would just be set to upload to your MobileMe account and it would sort it all out.

But MobileMe is being discontinued and replaced with iCloud, which isn't out yet and doesn't provide people with web space.

So in theory Apple have stopped selling the service that did provide web space and haven't yet replaced it, but even when they do they seem to have no plans to offer web space. And yes that has annoyed a lot of people.

All that Apple should be able to do is to talk about finding some web space from another online provider. You'll get lots of good advice on here about that, although it's probably a very good idea to start a new clearly labelled discussion, "Where should I host my web site" of something.

The result of that process will be the FTP details for your new web space, and then that's what you'll enter into iWeb to get the stuff online.

Have you asked plusnet how much extra it would cost to have a small amount of webspace ? Doesn't sound like you are going to need much.

Might be worth asking - may be the cheapest option.

BadgersPaws - yes, that MobileMe thing is really frustrating. My Mac is set up to 'publish to MobileMe' (as the only alternative to 'publish to folder') - yet when I try to do that, it just tells me that I can't publish to MobileMe as they aren't taking on any new subscribers. Bah. I think I will take your advice re. starting a new thread, clearly labelled. Thank you.

Throckenholt, I have been putting off trying to contact Plusnet as I need to be feeling very robust before dealing with call centres and people who speak computer language (which I don't speak). But you are of course quite right!

try emailing them instead - before you tackle phoning the call centre (although I think they are reasonably good from what people have said - I have never had to call them myself although I have mailed a few queries).

Good tip. Thanks!