Wow thanks guys! This is great info. So if I am understanding it all corect… I can get a hosting site for $3.95/mo with cortexnetworks.com they also offer an FTP account and a MySQL 5.1 database. Will all this suffice? So I would purchase the host from cortexnetworks.com, and the XenForo and start the process… I am ok with putting a lot of work into making the forum run, its the set-up I want to get right on the first try!
Here are a few questions about the forum we were wondering (nothing to do with set-ups):
What privileges can I give paying members to my forum? i.e. paying members can upload photos...
How much can i manipulate the appearance?
Can I place ads?
Can I upgrade later?