Hosting FAQ for web hosting with Seiretto (also see our Domain FAQ)

DEDICATED SERVERS FAQs:

Where are your servers hosted?
Our dedicated servers are hosted on the Pipex network in the UK: dedicated server network

What is the port speed?
Our port speed is 10mbit, and the smallest connection we have is in the gigabit range.

How many websites can I host on a dedicated server?
You can host an unlimited number of sites on your own dedicated server and each server has unlimited bandwidth (you are only limited by the power and memory of the server).

What maintenance do I need to carry out on your dedicated server to keep it secure?
Our servers are managed servers so there is no updating/patching of software required by you to maintain its security.

How do I add websites?
Each server uses a Plesk control panel to allow you as admin to add domains/websites yourself.

Can I provide a control panel for my own clients use?
Yes.  Plesk allows you to offer logins for the control panel to your end-users.

Can we resell?
Yes, you can specify resource useage for each new account added using your Plesk control panel.

Managing DNS - can I manage my own domains DNS?
Yes, using your Plesk control panel, you can add with ease new MX, A and CNAMEs records, a simple example is shown below:

Mail (MX) Records

Prefix	TTL	Distance	Value
	default	0	mail.the--domain.com.

Web Site (A & CNAME) Records

Prefix	TTL	Type	Value
mail	default	A	1.1.1.1

Replace the following with your own details::

mail.the--domain.com. is the hostname to point to (note the period [dot] at the end, this is a requirement).
1.1.1.1 is the ip address of the server to send the mail to.

TIP for testing your DNS prior to changing the nameservers:

Open a command prompt and type:

nslookup
server _IP_
set domain=_YOUR_DOMAIN_

(where _YOUR_DOMAIN_ the domain name being tested, and _IP_ is the ip address of the server where the DNS records are stored)

then to test a new sub-domain type in its name, ie. mail (in this case), and it will reply with the new record.

We provide free DNS hosting for .gov.uk and .ac.uk domains - see the .gov.uk domain FAQ, and .ac.uk domain FAQ

How do we reboot our server?
If you have SSH access (this can be provided on request) then via SSH type in the command: "reboot"
If you do not have SSH access then please send a request to support - login to your account:
https://www.seiretto.co.uk/clientarea/
When logged in:
  i. select the domain from Your web hosting accounts list
  ii. then click on link Helpdesk for [domain name]...

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Reseller hosting account FAQs:

Should I choose UK reseller hosting account?
It is dependant upon your own, and your clients, requirements. If you will be hosting a TLD (.com, .net, .org, etc.) and those sites must show in the UK search results them you must host those sites on a UK server. For further comparisons and reasons why you might choose one location over another please read choosing a hosting location.

Are your reseller servers hosted in the UK?
YES, the UK reseller accounts are hosted on servers within the UK on our Linux servers:  Linux network

My webspace usage appears to be increasing - how do I clear out old files/folders?
Your stats/email/and backups can take up space very quickly. To clear out old files take a look at cpanel clearing out old files.

Regarding your RESELLER accounts - should I register a new domain name separately before signing up for an account?
You can sign-up for an account and specify that you wish to purchase a NEW domain name from us in the additional comments section and we will invoice you separately for this (our domain prices are shown here:
www.seiretto.com/web_hosting/domains.php   - if you become one of our resellers you receive 26% discount on the regular prices shown).  Or you can purchase a new domain from any other domain name registration website, eg. 123-reg, etc...

Website stats: How do I give access to my clients? (without giving them cpanel access)
There are various methods you can use. Here is a simple perl script:
http://docs.cpanel.net/twiki/bin/view/AllDocumentation/AllFAQ/UserSubmitted
Or us a simple PHP script like shown here:
http://www.josheli.com/vox/index.html

I'd like to know if, with a reseller web hosting account, the individual domains would have web mail?
YES, each domain has access to webmail, and you can provide your own domain as access to the webmail for your own clients.

When I want to add other domains, for new websites, which option should I use in the control panel?
To add new domains/websites you would use the Addon Domains page on the control panel:
http://cpanel.demo.cpanel.net
There is also some additional information on purchasing domains here:
http://www.seiretto.com/Support/buying_domains/

I have several other domains already registered with another provider, I would like to host these in my Designer account. I understand I need to change the nameservers on each domain, but what do I have to do in my Seiretto account to accommodate the two new domains?
Once the nameservers are changed on the domains, this takes around 2 to 24 hours for Nominet domains (.co.uk, .org.uk and .me.uk) or 24 to 48 hours for most other domains, you should add them as a new Addon domain using your control panel. Further details are provided in the video tutorials on the addon domain page.

Essentially I am unable to change the nameservers so need to point "WWW" of a new domain to a new addon account. So can I use an "A record" to point to the reseller servers' IP address?
No, but you can create a CNAME within the DNS of the domain (contact your registrar for details on how to create the CNAME).

For this to work it must be the MAIN domain on the Designer account
(the domain name you used when completing the order).

Get your domain registrar to create a new CNAME within the DNS of the domain like this:

www	IN	CNAME	swebhosting.co.uk.

(don't forget the dot at the end of the domain!)

Then any traffic to the new domain will appear correctly as expected in the browser address bar (it will not display swebhosting.co.uk).

How do I unlock FTP?
Login your control panel (you can retrieve the details by logging in here: https://www.seiretto.co.uk/clientarea/ When logged in: select the domain from Your web hosting accounts list and the required details will be displayed) when logged in to cpanel select "FTP Enforcer" within the Security section, and follow the on screen prompts. For more on details on FTP also see: FTP FAQ.

How do I transfer files securely via FTP to my websites?
Using FileZilla (our supported ftp client) via the Site Manager select "FTPES" (Require Explicitly FTP over SSL) see: filezilla-secure-ftp-connection. When you connect you will need to confirm you trust the Unknown certificate which is a wildcard SSL certificate.

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Ecommerce hosting FAQs:

Why do you use CubeCart, OpenCart, TomatoCart or Zen Cart?
CubeCart, OpenCart, TomatoCart and Zen Cart are all long standing open source shopping carts that you can rely on.What is TomatoCart?
TomatoCart is a shopping cart, an ecommerce platform which enables you as the retailer to sell your goods online. I want an ecommerce site.  I have seen CubeCart/OpenCart/TomatoCart/Zen Cart - can I use this?
YES.   Our ecommerce hosting includes CubeCart, OpenCart, TomatoCart or Zen Cart, where it will be installed and ready to use.

Will my site be hosted in the UK?
YES, ecommerce accounts are hosted on servers within the UK on our shared servers:  shared server  networkAm I able to add MX and CNAME records to the domain?
Yes, see DNS management which is included on all dedicated servers, all Small Business and Premier accounts.

DNS management for .gov.uk and .ac.uk domains is free - see the .gov.uk domain FAQ, and .ac.uk domain FAQ

Can we install CubeCart, OpenCart, TomatoCart or Zen Cart on your hosting accounts?
Yes.  Once you have the CubeCart, OpenCart, TomatoCart or Zen Cart software you need to install it on to a host that provides PHP and MySQL such as Seiretto.   We install it for you on our ecommerce hosting.What is the cost of CubeCart, OpenCart, TomatoCart or Zen Cart hosting?
The price per year is £149+vat this includes ecommerce hosting and a new domain name. 

 

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GENERAL FAQs:

Do you provide webmail?
Yes, all accounts have access to webmailHow can I pay?
The payment options we offer are:  Bnak transfer, Debit card, Credit card, or PayPal.

When I purchase a domain name from Seiretto is the domain name mine?
Yes, and we can assist at anytime to transfer to another host if you wish.

If I buy a small business account will this be on a server in the UK?
YES, all small business accounts are hosted within the UK on our shared servers:  shared servers network

Is it possible to start with a Small Business hosting pack and upgrade later?
Yes. Upgrade at any time.

Which accounts provide PHP and MySQL?
There are two options open to you:

Small Business or Premier hosting account, details here:
PHP hosting
     (transfer in of your existing domain is free on this type of account), OR
Designer account, details here: Reseller hosting
These require a little more knowledge to run as you manage the domains/accounts (adding and deleting).

How do I transfer my existing domain name to you?
You would need to change the nameservers on your existing domain, you can find details on how to complete this here:
http://www.seiretto.com/Support/Domain_Transfer/

If I need to have an MX record added to a domain is this possible?
Yes, add the record yourself, see DNS management which is included on all dedicated servers, Small Business and Premier accounts.

How do I administer my MySQL databases?
We provide you with a control panel where you are able to easily create tables, insert data, execute SQL queries, etc.  See the demos here:
  phpMyAdmin can be found in the control panel (Small Business/Premier accounts)
www.seiretto.com/svcp-demo/reseller_demo/ (other account types)

How many MySQL databases can I have on my web site?
Upto ten databases per domain name.

How do I backup my online database?
Online using your control panel (Small Business/Premier accounts)

Secure Server Access - what type do you provide?
Personal (https://[your-domain]) or shared 128 Bit SSL (Secure Socket Layer) which allows the collection of sensitive data such as credit card information from browsers via a strongly encrypted connection.

What happens after the first year of hosting?
Before the renewal is due you will receive an email notifying you that renewals are due on your account. We automatically send out renewal notices 90, 26, and 7 days prior to any renewal due (domain name and/or web hosting account). The notification is sent to the email address recorded within the members area as the contact for the site. To cancel a renewal we must receive notification from you 30 days before due.

Why is your bandwidth  "limited"?
We try to be a reliable and honest web hosting company, many companies quote "unlimited" bandwidth allocations, but in the small print you will find that they have the right to remove your site without warning if you are using too much bandwidth.  This means they have a limit but they are not prepared to tell you.  This clause exists as bandwidth (or data transfer) costs money.  Telecom companies that provide Internet connectivity charge for every GB of transfer on their networks and many "unlimited companies" have found that they cannot sustain their service without regularly removing accounts.  Our business model is both reliable and sustainable, offering high bandwidth allocations to all our customers.

What happens if I exceed my bandwidth allocation?
If you do go over the limit we contact you, but it is very unlikely you will exceed your limit, web pages are very small and because web browsers store local copies of graphics and other page elements you can have tens of thousands of page views per GB per month.

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PHP FAQs:

Can we change the PHP settings?
Yes on dedicated servers, but not on shared servers.

Do you provide simple PHP tutorials?
Yes, please see: thedemosite.co.uk

How do we make our PHP contact form secure?
We provide a free secure PHP script: phpformmailer

We are using PHP "move_uploaded_file" but are getting a permission error, it allows the upload but the permissions are set to 000?
This is most likely caused by the folder owner not being PHP.  Try creating the target folder using PHP and then move the uploaded files to it. There is more on this here: php.net/move_uploaded_file.

I can not remove folders created by PHP, how do I delete them?

Make a new PHP file called "delete-this-folder.php" with the following PHP code:.

<?php
$public_directory = dirname($_SERVER['PHP_SELF']);
$directory_array = explode('/', $public_directory);
$direct_parent = max($directory_array);
unlink("delete-this-folder.php");
if (rmdir("../$direct_parent")) echo "Removed folder: $direct_parent";
else echo "FAILED to remove folder: $direct_parent";
?>

Save or copy the file to the folder you are unable to deletethen run it and it will remove just the folder it is within (so long as the folder contains no other folders or files other than the "delete-this-folder.php" file).

What versions of PHP are available on your hosting accounts?
It depends on the account type.
Currently on our Small Business and Premier accounts it is:

PHP version 5.2.17

Currently on our Reseller accounts it is:

PHP version

For our Dedicated servers please see: s4servers.com/php_mysql_linux_dedicated_servers.php

 

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FTP FAQs

How do I transfer files to my web site?
Files are usually transferred to your new web site using FTP (File_Transfer_Protocol).  If you need an FTP program, then we recommend the Open Source FTP client: FileZilla
(this program can be used for both dedicated servers and shared accounts).

To install and use FileZilla:

1. Download: http://filezilla.sourceforge.net/Install - accept all defaults (no special selections required)For the following you will require: 
   a. FTP Host Name
   b. FTP Username
   c. FTP Password
   You can retrieve these details by logging in here:
   https://www.seiretto.co.uk/clientarea/
   When logged in:
   select the domain from Your web hosting accounts list
   and the required details will be displayed.
   
2. Connecting your remote website: start FileZilla and you will see along the top, just beneath the main menu, the following input boxes:
   1. AddressUser
   2. Password
      

   For the Address:  enter your FTP Host Name
   For the User:  enter your FTP Username
   For the Password:  enter your FTP Password
   
   Then click the "Quickconnect" button.If you have followed the above details correctly you should be presented with your website folders and files within the right central window.
   
   To upload files from your computer to your website, all you need to do is drag-n-drop the required folders/files from the left central window the right central window.
   
   Note:

   1. Remember: when using FileZilla highlight a file and right click your mouse to find out what you can do with it.If you host on Linux (Linux accounts use this control panel) or Windows then do not forget to upload files to the "www" folder.
   2. If you have several websites to manage then you can setup each website within FileZilla by selecting from the main menu: File|Site Manager... (when adding a new site for Logontype ensure you select Normal)
      Select "Don't save pasword" - enter the password each time you use FTP, this way the password will not be stored on your computer and is not a potential security issue.

How can I stop your firewall from blocking me?
Filezilla may attempt to make multiple connections to our servers and this can cause issues with our firewall (so you become blocked). Please check/change the global settings in Filezilla to set the "maximum stimultaneous connections" to 1, see VIEW|SETTINGS from the main menu in Filezilla (also see FTP settings for Filezilla)

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Email FAQs:

Should I use my Hotmail email address as my contact email?
No-cost webmail providers such as Hotmail and Google Mail result in delays to delivery of your mail, if it ever gets delivered, due to their sensitive policies. We recommend that you do not use such email addresses as the contact email address. Only use an Hotmail email address (or other no-cost email address) as a temporary contact while you transfer in your domain name, or you currently have no other option. Once hosted with us you can setup your own email address, see below.

How do I setup my email?
When you have your account setup with us you can setup your own email account with us and use our webmail; full details on how to setup your mail client are provided below:

View a tutorial here: tutorials/linux/outlookexpress.htm

Starter, Small Business and Premier account holders can also login and view:
http://cp.seirettonameservers.co.uk/support.cgi?question=56

• My emails sent to Hotmail, and some other "free" email address, are not reaching the recipient. What can I do?
  This is an increasingly common problem. These providers are constantly bombarded by spam, and often used by spammers to send emails. The efforts used by the email providers to reduce such abuse is causing increasing problems for many hosts and their clients. The best form of action you can do is to inform the user of the email to add your email address to their "safe lists".
  
  Below are the methods which the recipient should use to add an email address to a safe list for:
  
  
  • Hotmail - add to "Safe list"
    
    Others
    
    
    • AOL - add to "People I know"Google mail - add to "Contacts" MSN - add to "Safe list"
    • Yahoo - add to "Filter"
      
      For other providers not listed please contact the recipient to ask them to contact their provider for details.