Interested in purchasing creating & running a message board, don't know where to start-

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PrueHalliwell

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I am interested in creating a small message board for me & my social circle for general discussion, fan fiction writing, & a board based rp. Although I've been a member of message boards in the past (mainly vbulletin based), I do not have have any experience with creating a message board or the the technical aspects, & I don't know where to begin. Xenforo came highly recommended but I'm wondering how I can get help with set up. I'm also trying to understand pricing/options. If the pricing is reasonable for a board that has some extra features, I'm fine with that.

I've checked out the demo feature, & Here's a screen shot of the very basic set up of the board I have in mind. But I have no experience clue abt changing board style/color, doing banners, buttons, board add-ons for the rpg, etc.

1703659896402.webp
 
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I would definitely consult @Paul B or really any other members of the staff/ sales team, but based on your tech experience you might be best with Xenforo’s cloud service. That’s not to say it’s hard to get a forum up.
With Xenforo’s cloud service they essentially take care of set up and the hosting along with the technical background stuff and let you worry about your forum.

To do it yourself here’s some general steps
  • Get a Domain
  • Get web hosting
- I’m not sure the exact requirements for Xenforo but other members can add to this, I’ve got a forum running on a mid tier hosting plan from a commercial hosting provider for like 8$ a month, it’ll need PHP/mySQL
  • Create a database user create database
  • Upload Xenforo to the server
  • Run the installer and your set to go
This is a general guide but is essentially it.

Styles and Addons can be tricky but there are lots of skilled venders here for that like @DohTheme.
 
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Ionos do some great deals on hosting which come with a free domain name for the first year and a free SSL certificate. If you're just a small community then I would suggest their offer of the PLUS option to start with. You can always upgrade later as your community demands dictate. Check it out here (this is the UK site so if you're elsewhere check the locale for Ionos nearest you):

www.ionos.co.uk

Web Hosting for the UK starting at £1/month ᐅ IONOS

UK web hosting packages for £1/year ✔ Includes domain ✔ Reliable – 99.9% uptime ✔ Storage and databases ✔ 24/7 support ✔ Free SSL » Get your project up and running now!
www.ionos.co.uk www.ionos.co.uk

Setting up thereafter requires some basic skills but there is plenty of help available in this amazing community, so just ask.
 
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whynot said:
I would not recommend a host which provides domain name.
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The only cost would be the price the new host charges for the coming years renewal - there is no charge for transferring a domain name out from or into Ionos other than the cost for a new year renewal.

No host is 100% perfect but it's their response to a client's needs that makes a good host stand out.
 
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Davyc said:
The only cost would be the price the new host charges for the coming years renewal - there is no charge for transferring a domain name out from or into Ionos other than the cost for a new year renewal.
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Not with all hosts... there has been history of hosts claiming that they own that domain and not the client. It's registered in the hosting providers name, so the client is at the mercy of the hosting provider whether it can be transferred and the cost to obtain that domain from them.
 
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TPerry said:
Not with all hosts... there has been history of hosts claiming that they own that domain and not the client. It's registered in the hosting providers name, so the client is at the mercy of the hosting provider whether it can be transferred and the cost to obtain that domain from them.
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Then they are hosts to avoid. Ionos is not geared that way, which is why I recommend them based on 20+ years of being with them :)
 
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PrueHalliwell said:
I do not have have any experience with creating a message board or the the technical aspects, & I don't know where to begin. Xenforo came highly recommended but I'm wondering how I can get help with set up.
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@Davyc @whynot @TPerry
You guys are missing the main point of what this user is saying and only further complicating things for a user that probably doesn’t even know what you guys are talking about.
 
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Korsch said:
ou guys are missing the main point of what this user is saying and only further complicating things for a user that probably doesn’t even know what you guys are talking about.
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No, I'm not missing the point..... just clarifying a statement to go with a host that "gives" you the domain with a caveat that the client may not end up owning said domain... something that many are not aware of that happens. There have been a few that have been bitten by the issue (which I first found out about from this site itself) and it's worth confirming prior to commitment of service.;)

As for the OP.... the XF cloud solution is the "easiest" (not necessarily the cheapest) to get into. All others require some basic knowledge of setting up a shared hosting account and administering it or a VPS/dedi (either panel or CLI interaction). There are providers that will do management for the client also.
So the decision on "how to get into it" is not one that can be clearly answered.

The base is:
Obtain a domain
Select hosting provider
Install script if self hosted (if cloud then follow the guidelines provided)
Configure site

The rest depends on the knowledge of the site owner/admin.

Generally one can get enough support in the forums to get through most difficulties with XF.
 
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Korsch said:
You guys are missing the main point of what this user is saying and only further complicating things for a user that probably doesn’t even know what you guys are talking about.
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Not missing the point at all, you made a comment that is not universally true and therefore gave the impression that it would 'cost money' to move a domain name if the hosting comes with a domain name. I've been with Ionos for 20+ years and as a retired website developer of 20 years who recommended Ionos to all my clients I have never had any issues at all, including the moving of domain names at 'no cost'.

I would also add that you do not 'own' a domain name, you only lease it and keep it only if you continue to pay the annual fee; you can pay for up to ten years in advance on an ICANN registered name. So, check that you are the one leasing the domain name and not the host.

As @TPerry mentions the cloud solution would be the easiest solution, not the cheapest, for someone with no basic skills regarding hosting. A domain name would still be needed, and I would still recommend Ionos.
 
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Definitely go XF Cloud as has been suggested here. It works just like the demo except it doesn't expire. You then just concentrate on creating and maintaining the forum.
 
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