When managing a website, there are times when you’ll need to dig up some details to figure out who’s hosting it. If you’ve taken over a project without all the info, you’ll need the web host’s details to manage the site.
This is especially true when one provider hosts the domain name, but another handles the web hosting. You might also need this information if you’re planning to buy a domain or update payments for an existing site.
Luckily, there are a few ways to gather the hosting details you need. In this guide, we’ll explore how to find out who hosts a website and share some useful tools to help you do that. Plus, we’ll cover what to look for in a reliable web host.
Let’s dive in!
How to identify the host of a WordPress site
Curious about who hosts a WordPress website? Every site has key details, including its hosting provider and it’s easy to figure out who’s behind the scenes.
WordPress websites can be hosted in two main ways: via WordPress.com or WordPress.org. Both options cater to different needs and here’s a quick breakdown of each, plus how to discover the host of any site using tools like WHOIS.
WordPress.com hosting
When you create a WordPress site through WordPress.com, WordPress directly hosts and manages everything, including the server, software updates, and name servers.
For those seeking an easy-to-use platform with expert support and free domain registration on certain plans, WordPress.com is an excellent choice. It lets you create a WordPress website without server management, making it ideal for small businesses and blogs.
- Free domains are available on higher-tier plans, while free accounts get a subdomain (e.g., example.wordpress.com).
- Hosting companies like WordPress.com offer scalable resources to handle your site’s traffic and data needs.
- WordPress manages the domain’s DNS and IP address details, ensuring a seamless hosting experience.
WordPress.org hosting (self-hosted)
If you use WordPress.org, a third-party hosting company like Bluehost or SiteGround hosts your WordPress site. In this setup, you’ll need to purchase hosting separately.
You have full control over the hosting environment, including name servers, database access and PHP settings, making it ideal for more advanced users.
- Hosting providers give you the flexibility to customize your site’s address, use different servers and manage the site’s performance.
- You can easily integrate nameservers for domain registration and DNS management, ensuring a smooth connection between your domain and your web host.
- Hosting solutions for WordPress.org typically include domain registration in their plans, depending on the provider.
Check out our blog for a detailed comparison between WordPress.com and WordPress.org.
Find out where the WordPress site hosted
If you aren’t comfortable with command line tools, or ICANN’s WHOIS lookup isn’t providing the right details, don’t worry. You can use many online tools to find where your WordPress site is hosted.
Additionally, if you want to explore DNS lookup tools further, plenty of resources exist. DNS data helps verify a website’s legitimacy and detect possible fraud.
How to perform a WHOIS lookup
To discover the hosting provider of any WordPress website, you can use tools like WHOis. Simply type the site’s URL into the WHOis search and it will provide information like the name server, IP address, host information and the company that’s hosting the site.
If you’ve never done a WHOIS lookup before, it’s quite simple. One of the easiest ways to get started is by going to [ICANN’s lookup tool](https://lookup.icann.org/). Just enter the domain name and click “Lookup” to see the details.
For example, let’s say you’re checking a site for a running business called “Scoops of favor,” and you happen to find scoopsoffavor.com. A WHOIS lookup for that domain might return something like this:
From the nameservers section, we can quickly tell that this website is hosted by Bluehost.
Understanding the WHOIS results
Nameservers
The most important part of the WHOIS data for finding the host is the “Nameserver” section. In this case, nameservers like `NS1.BLUEHOST.COM` and `NS2.BLUEHOST.COM` show that Bluehost is the web host.
Registrant details
If you’re still unsure or can’t interpret the nameserver, you can look for the registrant information. The registrant is the person or company that registered the domain. If they are also managing the hosts, they might help you understand how the site was set up.
Ideally, you would see something like this:
This would allow you to contact directly for more details about how the hosts was configured.
WHOIS privacy
In many cases, registrants choose to hide their contact details through privacy protection. This means the WHOIS information might look like this:
Registrant: REDACTED FOR PRIVACY
Registrant Email: Select the Contact Domain Holder link
When privacy protection is in place, it becomes more challenging to find the registrant’s details.
Use ping and WHOIS to find your host
Another way to discover the web hosting service is by pinging the domain name to see which server responds. This can help you identify the host server.
What is a ping?
Pinging sends a small data request to a server and it measures how quickly the server responds. It’s a common method used for troubleshooting but also works well for locating web hosting servers.
How to ping a domain
To ping a domain, you can use a tool like [Ping.eu](https://ping.eu/ping/). Simply enter the domain name (without “http://”) and click “Go.” For instance, pinging scoopsoffavor.com might give you the following result:
The IP address here is ‘66.235.200.146`. You can run a WHOIS lookup on this IP address to gather more details about the server. If we check the IP using a WHOIS tool, the result might look like this:
By combining both WHOIS and ping information, you can easily determine who hosts a WordPress website.
Your domain should be verified right away, though in some cases, it may take up to 72 hours to complete.
Conclusion
To effectively manage a WordPress website, knowing where it’s hosted is essential. Whether your site is on WordPress.com or WordPress.org, tools like WHOIS lookups, ping tests, and DNS data make it easier to identify the hosting provider.
These tools give you a clear view of the domain details, helping you maintain, update, or troubleshoot your site efficiently.
Plus, by knowing your host, you can ensure optimal site performance and access valuable management tools to support your online presence.
If you’re looking to enhance this experience, consider exploring reliable providers like Bluehost, which offers services specifically suited for WordPress sites.
FAQs
Yes, you can switch web hosting providers for WordPress.org sites. Just migrate your files and database to the new host. WordPress.com sites are hosted on WordPress’s servers. They can’t be transferred to another host.
If WHOIS privacy is enabled, the registrant’s contact details remain hidden. To verify the host, you can contact the domain registrar directly or use alternative tools like DNS lookups.
A name server translates a domain name into an IP address for the web browser. The hosting service offers the servers that store your website’s files and data.
Yes, online ping tools and DNS lookup services can help identify a website’s hosting provider. These alternatives are useful when WHOIS lookups lack information or privacy protection conceals details.