Billing
Servers
Domain
Email
Website
Other
Billing - Answers
Q. How long after signup does it take to receive account info?
A. Your account will be set up within 4 hours.
Q. Is there a minimum contract period?
A. There is no minimum contract period. This is not a contractual agreement, therefore you may cancel your account at any time. You may choose to pay for your services monthly, quarterly or annually.
If at some point you decide to cancel services, simply inform us and the payments for the following month will be suspended. You may contact PayPal directly to discontinue your recurring payment online.
Q. What currency are your prices?
A. All prices are in US$ (dollars). Since we use PayPal to clear all payments, you can fund the transaction in any currency you like and the conversion rate on the day of the transaction will apply.
Q. What payment options do you support?
A. Secure online credit card payments, online checks and bank transfers. uHostMe Internet uses PayPal for automatic payment processing. This system is used by over a million online merchants and is one of the Internet's most secure credit card processing facilities. It offers a 30 day money back guarantee for all hosting accounts purchased online. Other available payment options are Western Union, check, money order and bank (wire) transfer.
Q. What frequency and terms do your payments offer?
A. You can choose to pay monthly, quarterly or annually. Some payment options do not allow for monthly payments, but require a minimum of 3 months to be paid (i.e. Western Union, mail-in checks and money orders and bank (wire) transfers). Automatic recurring payments and online credit card payments processed by PayPal enable you to make the payments electronically so that the money is automatically transferred on the specified date each month without you having to remember anything.
If at some point you decide to cancel services, simply inform us and the payments for the following month will be suspended. You may contact PayPal directly to discontinue your recurring payment online.
Q. Do you accept international customers and orders?
A. Absolutely, we welcome potential clients from all over the world. We can host any non-US domain name extensions.
Servers - Answers
Q. Which operating system platform does uHostMe Internet web hosting servers use?
A. Our servers use BlueQuartz CentOS (a derivative of RedHat Linux) and Apache Web Server, the best and the most reliable Internet server solution.
Q .What kind of Internet connection do uHostMe Internet web hosting servers have?
A. Our servers are located in downtown Dallas, Texas, USA, featuring Gigabit Ethernet IP backbone and back-haul capabilities to the carrier to provide customers with unparalleled connectivity options. 100% network redundancy is provided via dual 155 Mbps licensed wireless links. Connectivity and security issues are never a concern. This offers you security that your site will be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
Q. Is there a size limit of a file that I can transfer onto uHostMe Internet web servers?
A. Only if the size of a file is bigger than the disk space allocation for your web hosting package (for example 500Mb for basic web hosting plan).
Q. What are your Domain Name Servers (DNS)?
A. The name server information for our domain name servers is as follows:
| | Primary: | ns1.uhostme.com / 208.77.219.98 |
| Secondary: | ns2.uhostme.com / 208.77.219.99 |
Q. Where are your servers located?
A. Physical location of our servers is in downtown Dallas, Texas, USA.
Q. What domain extensions can I host with you?
A. We can host any domain name extensions, from countries all around the world. Of course we can host the popular .COM, .NET, .ORG and .EDU domains, but we also support all new domains such as .INFO, .US, .WS and .BIZ. In addition to that, you can host any other country domain name such as .CO.UK.
Domains - Answers
Q. How do domain names work?
A. A domain name works like an address forwarding service.
All of your Web site content sits on a computer with a unique address. This is called an IP address. An IP address is made up of a series of numbers, such as 123.23.234.45. Your domain name directs visitors to your site using this IP address.
We use domain names instead of IP addresses because most people find it easier to remember a name rather than a series of numbers.
Q. Do you offer .name registrations?
A. Yes.
A .name domain name works just like a .com, but you use your actual name as part of the address, it's even more personal and easy to remember.
This is the world's first domain exclusively for individuals. With .name you can create a single and permanent digital identity using your own personal name. It is easy to remember and perfect for a personal Web site to communicate with family and friends.
Q. Who qualifies for a .us domain?
A. The U.S. Nexus Requirement ensures that only individuals or organizations that have a substantive connection to the United States can register .us domain names. To qualify for a .us domain name you must meet one of the following Nexus Requirements:
1. A natural person (i) who is a citizen or permanent resident of the United States of America or any of its possessions or territories, or (ii) whose primary place of domicile is in the United States of America or any of its possessions, or
2. An entity or organization that is (i) incorporated within one of the fifty (50) U.S. states, the District of Columbia, or any of the United States possessions or territories or (ii) organized or otherwise constituted under the laws of a state of the United States of America, the District of Columbia or any of its possessions or territories, or
3. An entity or organization (including a federal, state, or local government of the United States, or a political subdivision thereof) that has a bona fide presence in the United States.
Q. What is domain name parking?
A. When you park a domain name you are reserving your registered domain until you have created your Web site, found a hosting provider, or sold the domain to a third party. When you park your domain, a temporary Web page displays whenever somebody types your domain name in their browser.
Q. What is a second-level domain (SLD)?
A. Located immediately to the left of the dot (" . "), the second-level domain is the readable part of the domain name. The registrant defines the second-level domain. It typically refers to the organization or entity associated with the IP address. For example, in www.cnn.com "cnn" is a second-level domain.
Second-level domains can be divided into further domain levels. For example: www.sportsillustrated.cnn.com. These sub domains sometimes represent different computer servers within departments. More than one second-level domain name can be used for the same IP address.
Q. What is a top-level domain (TLD)?
A. A top-level domain (TLD) is the part of the domain name located to the right of the dot (" . "). The most common top-level domains are .com, .net, and .org. Some other popular top-level domains are .biz, .info, .name, and .ws. These common top-level domains have certain guidelines attached, but are for the most part available to any registrant, anywhere in the world.
There are also restricted top-level domains (rTLDs), like .aero, .biz, .edu, .mil, .museum, .name, and .pro, that require the registrant to represent a certain type of entity, or to belong to a certain community. For example, the .name TLD is reserved for individuals and .edu is reserved for educational entities.
Country-code TLDs (ccTLDs) are for Web sites and registrants of a particular geographic location. For example: bz (Belize), .ca (Canada), .dk (Denmark), .ec (Ecuador), ie (Republic of Ireland), .uk (United Kingdom), .us (United States), and .zw (Zimbabwe).
Q. What do I need to do to transfer my web site from my current hosting provider to you?
A. All you will need to do after placing your order is update your DNS records to the following.
| | Primary: | ns1.uhostme.com / 208.77.219.98 |
| Secondary: | ns2.uhostme.com / 208.77.219.99 |
Q. How do I update (change) my current DNS records?
A. Go to the registrar where you registered your domain name. Log in to your account and edit the settingss where it mentions primary and secondary DNS servers. Replace the current details (your current hosting provider or the domain register' servers) with the following:
| | Primary: | ns1.uhostme.com / 208.77.219.98 |
| Secondary: | ns2.uhostme.com / 208.77.219.99 |
If someone else registered your domain name on your behalf you will need to contact them and ask them to update your DNS settings to reflect the above.
Q. How long does registration of a new domain take?
A. New domains are registered within a couple of hours after your order is placed. Your registered domain name will be functional within 24-48 hours from when it is registered. This is due to the DNS databases needing time to synchronize and refresh the information for your domain worldwide.
Q. I want to transfer my hosting from my existing provider to you. Do I need to transfer
my domain name too?
A. No, you do not need to transfer your domain name. All you need to do is update the DNS records so that they are now pointing to our servers. It's free to do this. See "How do I update (change) my current DNS records?" above for instructions.
Q. Can uHostMe Internet register a domain name for me?
A. Yes, we can register .com, .biz, .org, .net, .ws, .info, .us and .name domain names at the cost of $15 per year.
Q. Am I the owner of the domain that uHostMe Internet registers for me?
A. Yes. We register domains on your behalf. That domain is completely your's to use. We only do the administrative work and give you technical support.
Q. Do I need to have a registered domain name to have a web site online?
A. You don't necessarily have to have a registered domain in order for us to host your web site. You can have an web site address such as "www.YOURSITE.uHostMe.net". However, by registering your own domain name you secure your existence on the Internet. Even if you do not plan to publish a website at this time, by registering your own domain name you save "www.yourcompany.com" from being registered by someone else.
Q. What domain extensions can you host?
A. We can host ANY domain name top level domain extensions.
A. Can you host international (country specific) domain names?
A. Yes we can host ANY international domain name, from ANY country.
Email - Answers
Q. Will I be able to check my email when I am away from my home/office computer?
A. Yes, We have a web mail feature, Open WebMail 2.51, accessible via "http://www.yourdomain.com/webmail". This means that you can log on to the Internet, browse to the address given after you've signed up and check your email from any computer that has Internet access.
Q. How do I configure Outlook or Outlook Express for receiving e-mail messages?
A. Follow these simple instructions:
1. Choose "Accounts" from the "Tools" menu.
2. You will need to select to "Add" a new email account.
3. Where it asks for mail server type choose "POP3".
4. Where it asks for incoming mail server, enter "www.yourdomain.com".
5. Where it asks for outgoing mail server, enter "smtp.yourisp.com" where "yourisp.com" is your Internet Service Provider's SMTP mail server.
6. Where it asks for your POP account name and password, enter the username and password given to you when your account was set up.
7. Look for Outgoing Mail Server settings, and enter your username and password from your Internet Service Provider to access your email there.
If you configure your Outlook or Outlook Express in this way, you will be able to receive and send e-mail messages with your own domain's email address.
A
full length article on this subject is available for more in-depth instructions on how to set Outlook and Outlook Express up.
Q. How much space do I have for every email account
A. The size limit for your email account is maximum space provided for your web hosting package (for
example, if you have a basic web hosting package, the size is 500Mb combined for all files allocated to
your account).
Q. Why can't I login to the email servers to retrieve or send my email?
A. Make sure you specified the correct POP and SMTP servers in your email settings, and that your user ID (or alias) and password are correct. Your POP server should be set to www.yourdomain.com (while your SMTP server must reflect your Internet Service Provider's settings).
Q. What are POP3 accounts?
A. POP3 accounts are email accounts that you can receive email from other visitors on the Internet. They allow you to receive email only. (You must send email replies through the SMTP server of your Internet Service provider. This is because of the high rate of spam, and is the only way ISP's can combat it.) POP3 accounts come with their own username and password to access them. Using POP3 email accounts, you can create a well organized site by using different POP3 email accounts for different areas of your web page, such as "sales", "info", "webmaster", "support", etc.
Q. What are email auto responders?
A. Email auto responders allow you to setup an email account with the ability to auto-reply with a given message whenever someone sends email to it. It works with your pop email account. You have probably seen one when you send email to somewhere and it comes right back with "We got your email" or something to that effect. That is an auto responder.
Website - Answers
Q. What I need to know to upload my web site via Frontpage?
A. In Frontpage, first click on "File" then on "Publish Web". For publish destination, use "http://www.yourdomain.com" and provide the username "webmaster" and the password supplied to you at account set up. After you submit this information, Frontpage will upload your web content to the server. Frontpage compatibility is installed when your account was created. If you did not specify to include Frontpage compatibility, just send us an email and we will enable it for you.
Q. How can I change the Frontpage password for my site admin user?
A. All Frontpage related management is done from within the Frontpage client software itself. Open Microsoft Frontpage, then open the Frontpage Web you wish to work on. Understand that you must be opening the Web directly from the web server, and not your hard drive. In other words, make sure you are opening the site from "http://www.yourdomain.com", not "C:\My Webs".
Once the web is open, click on "Tools" at the top menu, select "Server", then move your mouse to and then click one of the following three that pertains to what you want to manage:
Administration Home...
Permissions...
Change Password...
All three of the selections relate to the administration of users and passwords within your Frontpage Web(s).
Note: The above directions are for the Microsoft FrontPage 2002 version of the software. If you are using an older version, the directions will be similar, but not exactly the same.
Q. How can I upload my website to uHostMe Internet servers?
A. Uploading of your site to uHostMe Internet web servers is done by FTP protocol (File Transfer Protocol) or with Frontpage Publish Web Tool. FTP is a protocol which computers use to transfer data from one computer in a network to another. To use FTP protocol, you will need FTP software. Every version of Windows has DOS-based FTP software. It's not very user-friendly and you will need a better FTP program. Your best bet is to download any popular FTP client from "www.download.com". The most popular FTP clients are WS_FTP, CuteFTP and FTP Voyager.
After installation of the FTP client, you need to enter the information about the server, the username and the password that we provided you at the time your account was set up.
Q. What are basic FTP parameters for connecting to my website?
A. For uploading a site, you will use your FTP client. The FTP client needs this information in order to connect to your site:
FTP HOST: ftp.yourdomain.com
USER ID : username
PASSWORD: password
You will see some directories when you link to the root of your site. Do not delete or rename any of your initial directories, as your site may cease to function.
You will want to upload your website's files into the "web" directory, otherwise you will not be able to see your site.
Q. What I need to do so that my CGI scripts can work correctly on uHostMe Internet servers?
A. You need to create an ".htaccess" file in the directory where you want to use your CGI scripts. (If you use Frontpage, be sure there is not an ".htaccess" file in the directory you want to use already because Frontpage uses ".htaccess" to hold its configuration. You just need to add rules into the ".htaccess" file because it is already created. Do not erase the ".htaccess" file in your "web" directory because that will break your Frontpage Extension configuration):
Options +FollowSymlinks
Options +ExecCGI
AddHandler cgi-script cgi pl
To test your settings, in a text editor create a simple test program:
#!/usr/bin/perl
print "Content-type: text/html\n\n";
print "uHostMe Internet Rules!";
After saving it under the name "test.cgi", upload the file to your server and change the permissions attribute of that file to "755", by editing the permissions of the file with your FTP program. Then in your browser, go to "http://www.yourdomain.com/test.cgi" and see if your CGI script works.
Q. Can I administer my MySQL database via the web?
A. Yes you can do that with "phpMyAdmin" tool. Go to "http://www.yourdomain.com/login" URL and login into your web site administration control panel. Click on the link "Utilities" and then onto "phpMyAdmin". You will be asked for username and password for your database (We sent you that information in your account activation e-mail). After you enter this information, you will be logged into phpMyAdmin's MySQL control panel.
Other - Answers
Q. Are your hosting plans upgradeable? What's the procedure?
A. You can upgrade your plan at any point! There is no additional charge to make a change! When you next payment date is due, you will see the plan change reflected in your new payment amount. The upgrade procedure is very simple: just drop us an email requesting an upgrade.
Q. What happens when I exceed my bandwidth allowance?
A. You will be notified by email when you are approaching your limit. At that point you can decide whether you want to pay for extra bandwidth separately (@$2.50 for 1Gb), or upgrade to a higher plan.
Q. Is there a way to monitor account bandwidth so I know how much I'm using?
A. Yes, you can monitor your bandwidth through the web site stats that are included in each plan. Under the administration control panel, click on "Usage" and then "Webalizer".
Q. I have an Ecommerce web site. Which hosting plan does that go under?
A. An ecommerce site can be hosted under any of our plans. To choose which plan is best, you will need to consider your storage and bandwidth requirements and whether your site has a database or not.
Q. Will you place any flashing banners or ads on my site?
A. Absolutely not! Your website is completely unbranded with our information, and if you choose to display who you are hosting from, we will be very appreciative. But we do not force-brand any of our customer's web sites.
Q. What control panel is offered with your hosting packages?
A. All of our hosting packages are equipped with powerful BlueQuartz Cent-OS control panel.
Q. How do I create and maintain my MySQL database?
A. You can create and maintain your MySQL databases through "phpmyadmin", located in the administrative control panel under "Utilities".
Q. Is my Macintosh computer compatible with your hosting plan?
A. Our web servers use standard FTP (file transfer protocol). Therefore, you can build your site on any Macintosh or PC and use FTP to upload your website files to the live web server.