Today was goning to be the day and I've already stuffed it....

[Giraffeinbath]

Trying to get a store online, I'm using a Fasthost windows server and struggling to get anywhere using a combination of Actinic instructions and those supplied by Fasthost themselves.

Just can't seem to get anything to work, I've tried using the 'Web/Configure web site details..' wizard and I get stuck on the point where it asks you for the website address, tells me it 'does not refer to a webserver or the webserver or network is down' however I know it's not because I can visit the 'coming soon' page that I put up to replace the default host page.

If I try to set it up via 'Advanced/Network Setup' then it tells me it has a problem with the cgi-bin, but I've entered all the details to the letter so I'm getting a little frustrated.

Help Please!!!!

[pinbrook]

a forum search on fasthosts will bring up a multitude of threads, locate the ones that talk about Fasthosts windows Server, and you will see the challenge you face

[chris ashdown]

Are you using the Windows server or Linux at fasthosts

[Giraffeinbath]

Hi Jo,
Just been looking at the past threads on fasthosts.......but it's there and it's paid for so I really need to use it.

Hi Chris,
It's a Windows server, which is what the guy at FH's recommended when I spoke to them, reading some of the previous threads though that seems not to be the case. Just learnt that Windows servers don't have a cgi-bin which is one of the problems I seemed to encounter, but none the wiser as to how to fix it.

[chris ashdown]

These are the settings I used for windows with Fasthosts which work ok

I would suggest though that you ask to be transfered to a Linux server as they seem more stable

edit

I think I may have had to upgrade the windows server up from the basic to get a cgi-bin but not sure as a long time ago

[pinbrook]

Hi Jo,
Just been looking at the past threads on fasthosts.......but it's there and it's paid for so I really need to use it.

It is helpful for us to know that you have searched the forum for solutions before asking for help. There are several topics that regularly pop up from time to time, where the answer is already documented in the community - hence my initial response

Fasthosts Windows servers present challenges, some people just give up and go elsewhere, others persevere and get it working.

Hopefully Chris will be able to help as he has the same platform

[Giraffeinbath]

Thanks Chris,

I think it's the windows business account that we have, so anything we need should be there, it may just be my inexperience on how to switch it on. Is Linux a lot more straight forward, or will I just hit a different set of problems?
I'm something of a beginner on this so anything which minimises problems has to be worth it.

[Giraffeinbath]

Hi Jo,
I took a look at the threads after your response, should have looked at these first I guess but when your feeling impatient and frustrated with it you just want to ask the question, hope you don't mind.
I'll see how I get on, if it gets to the point that I want to cut my own head off I may come back and have a chat with you about hosting.....

[Dave Fisher]

Gareth,

We use Fasthosts for all our flat format brochure sites (ie non actinic) and tried everything to get actinic running with them as well BUT after many hours of banging heads we gave up and went elsewhere.

We now hosting one site with Jo @ pinbrook and will have another 4 sites live before the end of the year. Have to say after all the problems with Fasthosts the site with pinbrook was up and running straight away !

I understand your fustrations and reluctance to move away after already paying but you may get it working as Chris has done.

Good Luck

[chris ashdown]

There is much to say about Fasthost’s both good and bad

The bad generally seems to be on initial set-up which for various reasons causes problems, mainly with the windows servers which I think are unique to Fasthosts, with Linux it just seems a problem with the permissions.

Known that you cannot run part of your site SSL on Fasthost sites but can run the full site with SSL

The good side is

Quite cheap

Good telephone support (yesterday i needed to change from a dot com and redirect it to a dot co.uk, Phone Fasthosts, answered 2 min's at 14:00 and suggested a solution. did not work so called back about a hour latter 1 min wait and the person listened to my request found out the problem and did the re-direct for me straight away)

I have only had one instant of downtime caused by fasthosts and that was on the one site using windows server which they updated the software on and stopped my site working

Very large organisation which can be either good or bad (look at BT)

I also have a site with Jenny Hanson and that has been up for just over a year and behaved perfectly with all initial set-up done by jenny, which made it like plug and go, could not be simpler
__________________

[Giraffeinbath]

Thanks for all the info,

In FH's support as you say they have been really helpful on the phone, I actually went with them in the first place because I was reassured by their size and profile as opposed to going with more of a wildcard smaller outfit, and and was a little dismayed when I read about the problems people had encountered with Actinic afterwards.

However just got off the phone to them and swapped everything over to Linux, going to make a coffee while I wait for them to email me the new paswords, then make a fresh start this afternoon.
Hopefully I'll be able to let you all know that I'm all happy and smiley and everything is working perfectly soon, I'm staying optimistic!

[chris ashdown]

Try these setting, they work on Fasthosts Linux for me

Dont forget it will take about 24 hours for the server to be recognised by all computersand even a couple of hours if you use the 111.11.11.11 type address

[Mr Bump]

Hi Gareth, I got my site working on fasthosts windows - but have to have the whole site ssl, I think this is because the use two seperate cgi bins one ssl one not.
What I have done is placed actinic in the ssl folder and my own brochure page as index.html not.
I can send you the network settings if you want.
You can see how the site works - Although in early stage at the mo, Not sure if i'm going to keep it like this but it works.

[Giraffeinbath]

My optimism is wearing thin today.......
Time to do something else and come back to it. Thanks for your help, I'll let you know how it goes.

Gareth

[chris ashdown]

Gareth

In case you dont know, you only need SSL if you are going to take the card details yourself for processing

If as most do ,you are going to use a PSP like Protx or Worldpay or paypal then you do not need SSL, as the customer gets directed directly to the relevant PSP site to enter their details, and they are all SSL sites

I understand that full SSL on a site can slow it down quite a lot, but with the fast broadbank now around I dont know if that is as great a problem as it was.