Multiple sites on one host package

[Jonsey]

Hi,

I've had a good look around the forum for an answer but I cannot find exactly the solution:

I have a 1&1 host package that allows me to have many websites on the same package. I am worried that if I upload another webshop (with a different URL) that certain parts of the shop will over-write files of my current shop in the root directory. I am not sure what to change in the network setup so that things like the CGI-Bin etc are not overwritten. Can anyone advise?

Thanks,

Mark J

[Duncan Rounding]

In your 1and1 control panel you can configure each of your domains to have it's root (destination) in it's own folder. Each domain will have subfolders for cgi-bin and acatalog etc. Your netork settings are very simple (the same as with only one domain) per the following example:

HTTPPROXYMODE	0
HTTPPROXYADDRESS	
HTTPPROXYPORT	80
HTTPPROXYUSER	
HTTPPROXYPASSWORD	
FTPPROXYMODE	0
FTPPROXYADDRESS	
FTPPROXYPORT	21
FTPPROXYUSER	
FTPPROXYPASSWORD	
SCRIPTID	1
SCRIPTEXT	.pl
SMTPHOST	auth.smtp.oneandone.co.uk
WEBSITEURL	http://www.domain1.co.uk
IGNOREPASSIVEERRORS	true
USERELATIVECGIURLS	false
PATHTOPERL	/usr/bin/perl
USEENHANCEFTP	true
FTPCLIENTTIMEOUT	15000
FTPRETRYDELAY	3000
FTPSILENT	true
FTPMAXRETRIES	30
FTPCONNECTTIMEOUT	25000
SMTPAUTHREQUIRED	false
SMTPUSERNAME	
SMTPPASSWORD	
CATALOGURL	http://www.domain1.co.uk/acatalog/
CGIBINURL	http://www.domain1.co.uk/cgi-bin/
PATHFROMCGITOCATALOG	../acatalog/
CODEBASE	./
FTPHOST	www.domain1.co.uk
FTPUSERNAME	
FTPPASSWORD	
PATHTOCGIBIN	/domain1/cgi-bin/
USEPASSIVEFTP	true
FTPPATHFROMCGITOCATALOG

In your webspace you will have something like:
Webspace Root
- Domain1folder
--- cgi-bin
--- acatalog
- Domain2folder
--- cgi-bin
--- acatalog
- Domain3folder
etc...

[wjcampbe]

Just one thing to add to Duncan's very helpful post. You should give each site a different scriptid number - that eliminates any chance that the sites could get confused in the script processes.

[fatoftheland]

Be careful... SEO-wise depending on what you hope to achieve this can be a big no no! If you are hoping to link these sites together with complimentary products then you'll find that totally seperate hosts with different class c servers would be far more beneficial for ranking.

If the sites sell totally different products then it may not effect you too much.

Regarding the sites "colliding" it shouldn't be an issue at all if the script id's are unique as WJ posted. The sites should be in total separate public folders on the server since the domain names are different.

[chris ashdown]

Why put all your eggs in one basket, what happens when the system is down for some reason. your sales stop

If you keep all with the same isp but different servers you stand a better chance of keeping some sites up

If you spread them around other isp's you stand a much better chance

[Jonsey]

Thanks for the advice. The different sites will not be linked and so will be stand alone sites. I take your comments regarding spreading the risk and is something I will consider. Howver, I am trying to upload my new site, created it's 'own' root directory (albeit a subdirectory from the actual root) set up all the permissions and I just can't get the bugger to work. I keep getting the following (its been a long day and so I may be missing a trick):

Actinic is not able to run the CGI scripts on the server. It appears as if the scripts are not installed. The most likely cause is that you have an incorrect CGI-BIN URL. If you've never uploaded the site, then you should do it before a download of orders. If you've uploaded the site ever, then Run Web | Configure Web Site Details... to review your web site configuration.

The web server returned error code 404 - Requested URL not found. This means Actinic can not execute the CGI scripts on your web site. Run Web | Configure Web Site Details... to check the web setup.

My settings are as follows;
HTTPPROXYMODE 0
HTTPPROXYADDRESS
HTTPPROXYPORT 80
HTTPPROXYUSER
HTTPPROXYPASSWORD
FTPPROXYMODE 0
FTPPROXYADDRESS
FTPPROXYPORT 21
FTPPROXYUSER
FTPPROXYPASSWORD
SCRIPTID 1
SCRIPTEXT .pl
SMTPHOST auth.smtp.oneandone.co.uk
WEBSITEURL http://www.mydomain.co.uk
IGNOREPASSIVEERRORS true
USERELATIVECGIURLS false
PATHTOPERL /usr/bin/perl
USEENHANCEFTP true
FTPCLIENTTIMEOUT 15000
FTPRETRYDELAY 3000
FTPSILENT true
FTPMAXRETRIES 30
FTPCONNECTTIMEOUT 25000
SMTPAUTHREQUIRED false
SMTPUSERNAME
SMTPPASSWORD
CATALOGURL http://www.mydomain/acatalog/
CGIBINURL http://www.mydomain/cgi-bin/
PATHFROMCGITOCATALOG ../acatalog/
CODEBASE ./
FTPHOST www.lugardeuk.co.uk
FTPUSERNAME xxx
FTPPASSWORD xxx
PATHTOCGIBIN /cgi-bin/
USEPASSIVEFTP true
FTPPATHFROMCGITOCATALOG /acatalog/

I would call it a day but this will not beat me (although my wife might if I stay on too much longer!)

[wjcampbe]

Have you ftp'd to the site and checked the cgi-bin content is where you think it is?

Is this the first Actinic site you have loaded to this webspace (answers self - must be, you're using SCRIPTID 1) then you may need to change the permissions on the folders manually the first time (acatalog = 777, cgi-bin=755).

[Duncan Rounding]

You are sharing the same cgi-bin. Why not setup your domains as I have above then each will have itr's own. Look at the pathtocgibin.

[Jonsey]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the reply. Just to clarify things:
1. I have my current business website which is set up from the root directory.(1&1 Business Pro package)
2. My new website using Actinic has a different web domain (mydomain2)which I have, through 1&1, created a destination to a folder from the root called (/mydomain2). I will be creating further separate websites as times go by (although your comments about spreading downtime risk is duely noted).
3. As I understand it, when I now reference mydomain2 to FTP my shop to 1&1, the procedure (Actinic) assumes that the folder '/mydomain' is the root and paths to the cgi-bin etc uses this 'root' directory as it virtual reference.
4. I have created sub-directories cgi-bin & actinic under '/mydomain2' and given them the correct permission (I have even created them in the actual root directory just in case).

And it still doesn't want to play, saying that the '..scripts appear not to be installed....'. Am I just stupid or is the problem a little more complex. I have been working like a sod on the shop (creating quite complex products, even if I do say so my self), taking in all of your comments etc and I feel a bit of a wally failing at the last hurdle.

Thanks,

[Duncan Rounding]

Your network settings show the same cgi-bin.
You have:
PATHTOCGIBIN /cgi-bin/
I use a separate cgi-bin per domain as:
PATHTOCGIBIN /domain1/cgi-bin/

Also - I have no path set for:
FTPPATHFROMCGITOCATALOG
You have:
FTPPATHFROMCGITOCATALOG /acatalog/

I have multiple domains all working fine with these settings. Try these changes and keep your fingers crossed.

[Jonsey]

Hi,

I've done it! My problem was that in the FTP host I should have put in www.mydomain1.co.uk not www.mydomain2.co.uk. It has taken 2 nights and a lost of forum searches and additional thanks to your posts, guys.

When FTP'ing I did get the dreaded message of 'An error occured when sending a merge request' but after an hour of looking at possible solutions it worked!

I'm going to bed now.

Cheers,

Mark J

[george]

Anyone successfully done this with Clara webspace?

Its the Soho package if that makes any difference.

Any potential problems?