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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Virtual domains and hosting
- What is a virtual domain?
- Why should I use a Web hosting service?
- What is a domain name and how do I get one?
- What if I already own a domain name?
- What steps do I need to take to set-up a virtual domain with Sricom
- How long does it take for my account to be set up?
- Can I host an adult site?
Protected directories
Bulk email / spam
- May I promote my Web site with bulk email?
- I wanted to run an opt-in mailing list - is this considered spam?
Access and servers
- Do you offer dial-up Internet access?
- Are the servers connected 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?
- What are the server types: NT? UNIX? Both? Other?
- Do you have FTP and FTP Anonymous access?
- Is there access to a CGI-BIN for the domain?
- What cgi scripts are preinstalled?
- Can I access my web site with or without the "www"?
Managing email
- What do autoresponders do and are they included?
- What programs can be used to access e-mail (pine, elm, Netscape mail, etc.)?
- What is an email alias and how many can I use?
- How can I manage my e-mail users (add/remove/update)? How can I setup mail redirection for my users?
| Q. | What is a virtual domain? |
| A Virtual Domain means having your own domain (http://www.your-name.com) without having to purchase expensive server hardware and software. With a Virtual Domain, you utilize our server's storage space and internet connection, while, you are still professionally represented via your own personal Internet web address or domain name (www.yourname.com) and by your own personal e-mail address (you@yourname.com). | |
| Q. | Why should I use a Web hosting service? |
| For most small businesses it is not cost effective to purchase a web server and a high speed 24 hour/day, 7 day/week (24/7) connection to the Internet just to have your Web site available. That is where Web hosting companies come in. We resell servers from host providers who purchase the servers and the connection, and then rent server space. This provides you with the ability to use good quality facilities for a low monthly fee. | |
| Q. | What is a domain name and how do I get one? |
| A domain name is the Web address (or URL) that brings people to your Web site. For example, our domain name is sricom.net. Your domain name can be anything you want, as long as someone else hasn't already purchased it. Domain names may end in either .com, .net or .org (INTERNIC) or else .com.au, .net.au or .org.au (AUNIC) for Australian domain names. The rules for using AUNIC names are more limiting than for INTERNIC names (and there are arguments both for and against the use of each) | |
| Q. | What if I already own a domain name? |
| Sricom Net does not charge any fees for transferring your domain name. Please contact the registrar that you purchased your domain name through and tell them you want to transfer Web hosts. We will provide you with the details required for them to update the appropriate records. If you have difficulties with them please advise us. | |
| Q. | What steps do I need to take to set-up a virtual domain with Sricom |
| It's easy to signup using the on-line order form. We will then contact you to finalise details. You will need to make sure that all the contact details you provide (e-mail, telephone, street address) are valid as we may use any or all of them to contact you. | |
| Q. | How long does it take for my account to be set up? |
| Once payment is received your account will be set up immediately. An activation notice will be sent to you via e-mail including your user-ID, password, your web site's IP address and other important information on getting your site started. It may take a little longer for your domain to register across the Web and allow access using it. You should allow around three days just to be safe (but it is usually quicker). | |
| Q. | Can I host an adult site? |
| No. We do not host adult sites. See the terms and conditions for more detail. | |
| Q. | Can I set up password protected areas? |
| Yes. Each account comes with a Protect Directories or Web Protect feature, which can be accessed through the control panel. | |
| Q. | May I promote my site with bulk e-mail? |
| Spamming (sending unsolicited e-mail) is a violation of your service
agreement. There are resource, legal and ethical issues involved in mass
mailing of unsolicited email.
Any hosted user of our services who sends unsolicited e-mail which generates complaints may have their account closed within 24 hours. A minimum administration charge of $200 will be levied and this may be upwards of $500. You should note that using an e-mail address provided under your service agreement as the return address for spam is subject to the same conditions (beware sellers of large mailing lists who send you e-mail you did not request offering their services). |
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| Q. | I wanted to run an opt-in mailing list - is this considered spam? |
| It is not spam, but your site may not support it. You are provided with a mail list manager as part of your facilities. Please contact us if you are uncertain as to what constitues reasonable use. | |
| Q. | Do you offer dial-up Internet access? |
| No, not at present. | |
| Q. | Are the servers connected 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? |
| Yes, in general terms. You may anticipate that there will be times when our
site is unavailable for a few minutes, hours and in extreme cases days. Note that an inability to
access the servers at any particular time is often NOT due to the servers
being off-line, but due to other problems occurring on the Internet.
You are well advised to anticipate such occurrences and have contingency arrangements in hand. |
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| Q. | What are the server types: NT? UNIX? Both? Other? |
| Typically Web sites are hosted on machines operating either Microsoft Windows NT or some variant of Unix (there are other possibilities). The hosts used for subscriptions are Unix (specifically Linux) running the Apache Web server software. | |
| Q. | What do autoresponders do and are they included? |
| An autoresponder will send an automatic reply back to the sender of an
email as soon as the email is received. They are included, and can be set up by
a subscriber to the service.
Another kind of autoresponder will send out a sequence of e-mails over a period of time. These are not included as part of your subscription package. |
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| Q. | What programs can be used to access e-mail (Microsoft Outlook Express, Netscape mail, etc.)? |
| All POP clients can be used — any program which downloads the files from our server onto your computer. | |
| Q. | Can I access my web site with or without the "www"? |
| Yes, you will be able to access the domain address with or without the "www" in front of the domain name. | |
| Q. | What is an e-mail alias? How many can I use? |
| An e-mail alias means if you send mail to webmaster@yourdomain.com, that address is aliased to whomever needs to receive it. It can be one person or multiple people, however you need it structured. It is unlimited — get as many as you need for no extra charge! This basically means that you can have email sent to fred@yourdomain.com, james@yourdomain.com and so on without having to set up any thing further. It also means that as long as people get the yourdomain.com part correct, email will reach you. | |
| Q. | Is there FTP and FTP Anonymous access? |
| Yes, both FTP and FTP Anonymous access are provided. | |
| Q. | Is there access to a CGI-BIN for the domain? |
| Yes, most account packages come with a CGI-BIN. | |
| Q. | How can I manage my e-mail users (add/remove/update)? How can I setup mail redirection for my users? |
| To add or delete POP boxes, use the Mail Manager provided with the Web
based control panel. You redirect mail by editing the address, un-forwarding to the POP box (which deletes it if that's the only reference to it) and forwarding to whatever email address you desire. |
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| Q. | What cgi scripts are preinstalled? |
| count.cgi (page counters), FormMail.cgi (form to e-mail) and pgpmail.pl (form to PGP and e-mail) |