Sometimes, experienced web developers find out what web host a certain website uses out of curiosity. Other times, they want to test the web host themselves.
However, if you’re a new web developer, you probably don’t know all the tricks yet and wonder how to find out what web host a website uses.
This article will walk you through the process step by step, allowing you to find out what web host a website uses.
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How To Find Out What Web Host a Website Uses
I’ve been a web developer and tech enthusiast for years, so I have had my fair share of experiences with discovering what web hosts websites use.
Whether you’re also a web developer, just curious, or a new business owner who wants to replicate the hosting setup of a well-known and successful competitor, you can easily find out the web host of a website using different methods.
Here’s a list of proven methods you can try:
Method 1: Check the Website’s “About Us” Page or Footer
Sometimes, websites include information about their web host in their “About Us” page or footer. Check their “About Us” page and see if you find anything.
If there’s nothing on their “About Us” page, don’t worry. Instead, scroll down to the bottom of the website, and look for words like “server” or “hosting.”
You can see the company’s logo in the footer if the website is hosted on a popular CMS platform like WordPress, Joomla, or Drupal.
Method 2: Use Online Tools To Find the Website’s IP Address
If you can find anything on the website, you can use tools like WhatIsMyIPAddress.com or WhoIsHostingThis.com to find the website’s IP address.
In the event that you didn’t know, every website you see has a unique IP address, and luckily for you, you can use this address to find out what website host a website uses.
The online tools mentioned will show the website’s IP address and the hosting provider associated with that IP address.
However, note that some web hosts use shared hosting. Multiple websites can be hosted on the same server, which means the IP address alone isn’t always enough to identify the web host.
Lastly, some web hosts provide additional privacy features that hide IP addresses and other private information at a cost.
In addition, identifying the hosting provider will take longer if the website’s owner has extra privacy features.
Method 3: Run a DNS Lookup
If the previous two methods don’t work, you can also find out what web host a website uses by running a DNS lookup.
This method will quickly display the nameservers associated with the website, revealing the web host.
For running a DNS lookup, you can use Nslookup. Enter the website’s domain into the tool and wait for the results.
Once you get the nameservers associated with that domain, research which web hosts use them.
Method 4: Use a Website Scanner Tool
Website scanner tools analyze the website’s code and metadata to identify the services and technologies working in the background, including hosting providers.
Popular website scanner tools include Netcraft, Wappalyzer, and BuiltWith. These tools can quickly provide information about a website’s hosting setup and other details.
While you can use some website scanner tools for free, note that some come at a cost. Thus, research different website scanner tools and pick the one that meets your needs.
Method 5: Check for Unique Server Identifiers
Sometimes, the hosting provider can leave distinctive identifiers on the website’s server, such as a specific file name or a message in the HTTP response header.
Tools that help locate these unique identities include ServerSniff, HttpHeaders.net, etc. However, note that this method can be time-consuming.
Method 6: Contact the Website Owner or Administrator
If all else fails, you can always contact the website owner or administrator through the contact form and ask what host provider they use.
If there’s no contact form, you can look up the website owner’s contact details through a WHOIS lookup and send a private email or place a call.
However, note that this isn’t always possible, especially if the website owner has extra privacy features activated or the website’s owned by a large corporation.
Generally, finding out what hosting provider a website uses isn’t difficult. The methods above can help you gain insight into the hosting setup of any website unless the owner has additional privacy settings in place.
What If It’s My Website?
If someone else has crafted your website and handled the hosting setup for you, and you don’t know what web host your website uses, don’t worry. Here’s how to find it out:
Step 1: Check Your Hosting Account Information
If someone else has set up your website with a web host, you probably have received multiple emails with your account information and other important details.
Typically, these emails include the hosting provider’s name, the login credentials for your control panel, and the server name or IP address.
If the person who made your website has picked a hosting provider for you using their email, don’t fret!
Reach out to the respective person and ask who’s your hosting provider.
Step 2: Check the IP Address of Your Website
You can easily determine your website’s IP address with tools like WhatIsMyIPAddress or WhoIsHostingThis.com. These tools will provide your website’s IP address along with the web host associated with it.
Step 3: Check Your DNS Records
Finally, you can easily find out what web host your website uses by checking your DNS records.
You can check your DNS records using Nslookup. This tool will provide the nameservers associated with your website’s domain. Once you have the information, research which web hosts use those nameservers.
Conclusion
Finding out what web host a particular website uses can be tricky but not impossible. However, you can find out easily using the methods above.
Whether you’re a web developer or just someone curious, knowing what web host a website uses can provide valuable insights into how it’s built and much more.
Go ahead and try these tips immediately!
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