[vcruiser]

Don't fall for all the hosting hype. When starting any type of site, forums included all you need is:

- 50MB memory
- 1000MB bandwidth
- 1 mySql database
- Should cost between $4 & $6 bucks a month
- As your site grows you just upgrade your plan

Two types of hosts out there, other than the good & bad:

- one owns the hosting company, servers and equipment
- the other is a reseller, who leases a space on a server from the company, that owns the equipment
- go for a small reseller that is on the ball and leases their own dedicated server. You will find members on here, that are into resller hosting and forums. Use a small guy, who is dedicated to web communities and the software that runs them.

This way you will be one of a hundred customers, not one of 800,000.

When I setup a site is runs:

- vbulletin
-vbadvance
-vbadvance link directory
-photopost pro
-photopost classifieds
-reviewpost

50MB space & 1000MB bandwith is plenty, then IF you get traffic just upgrade.

Good luck