Hosting Problem ?

[Movie2Mail]

This is not so much an Actinic issue but perhaps a hosting problem, but I have not found a solution to it in over 6 months and my last resort will be to move hosts.

I can go for up to 48 hours at a time during which I am unable to FTP to the main site directory folders or to collect e-mail from mailboxes associated with the site. This means I am unable to download orders during the time this problem persists.

No one has yet explained why I can FTP to the root directory OK but trying to access my site folders or cgi-bin directory produces a return of generally 68 Bytes and then just hangs eventually timing out. The host (Fasthosts) have maintained it's not a problem with them, but I took the trouble of having a duplicate site hosted by another web host and have never had the same problem with that site.

I connect using ADSL, use the same FTP client and mail client to access both sites and disable my Firewall during connection. Trying to connect to the site through Actinic V5 or 6 is also not possible when the problem starts.

The only difference between the connections to the two sites is the route from me to each host. Fasthosts tell me they have done "tests" but will not tell me what they have tested, or how.
Anyone got any ideas ?

http://www.movie2mail.com

[Jan]

I use fasthosts and have also noticed problems uploading and downloading occasionally, however since changing ISPs the problem has gone away. Next time you can't connect try dialing up though a different ISP and see it that makes a difference.

Regards,

[Movie2Mail]

Thanks for the reply. As I use ADSL I can only use one ISP to connect and no longer have a dial up connection. What's strange about the problem is that I can FTP to the root directory of the site, but if I attempt to access the main catalog folders, i.e. cgi-bin or acatalog directory I get the first 68 bytes of the return data and then nothing. It's almost as though the network is bandwidth restricted. I could accept that for certain periods of the day but not for periods which frequently extend to 48 hours.

[Jan]

When I couldn't connect I found that if I tried to access my website using FTP Voyager I could get to the root no problem but could not open the acatalog directory (other secondary directories were fine).

I know that at the time I had problems, fasthosts were messing about with their servers (ie. doing essential maintenance work).

Regards,

[Movie2Mail]

If Fasthosts doing maintenance is the reason for my problem then all I can say is they must do a lot of it and for long periods. My site availability over a 30 day period is typically 66%, a bit short of the 99.9% one might expect. If it were not for the fact that I had paid a full years hosting fee I would probably have moved host some time ago and cut my losses.
Thanks
www.movie2mail.com

[Jan]

66% is terrible, you might be loosing your hosting fee in lost orders if customers are also experiencing problems.

Let's hope that a fasthosts expert will appear on here and solve the problem for you.

Regards,

[Mike Hughes]

It sounds similar to a general FTP problem that can sometimes occur.

Try setting your ftp software to 'passive mode' and see if that makes a difference.

Mike

[Movie2Mail]

I have tried different settings including passive within Actinic and FTP clients. I have used 3 different FTP clients to reach the site.
Unfortunately the problem of not being able to reach the site is not confined just to FTP, I am also unable to recover email from any of the 6 boxes I have provided by the same host. I have mail forwarding to boxes I have with my other web host and recover it from there.
I think I have just about exausted all the possibilities but I thought I would post the problem in this forum to see if anyone else has thought of something I haven't.
Thanks for the suggestion anyway.

regards

www.movie2mail.com

[pinbrook_nick]

I certainly have heard of quite a few people having reliability problems with Fasthosts. The decision logic here seems to run as follows:

- Try ftp'ing in with another computer.

- Try ftp'ing in with another isp (have you still got your old modem in your machine? - use Altaire for a dial-up: tel no: 08456043228 username: anything password: anything).

- Turn off any firewall software.

- You have tried another host with success - this would seem to indicate your computer and ISP are probably fine.

- You can only ftp successfully into the root folder, and Fasthosts are adamant that there is nothing wrong with the space - some hosts have a habit of fobbing people off, while still taking their money.

As Jan said earlier, it would probably be cheaper to move hosts than to stand the chance of losing any more business!

[locky_ftech]

Also try ftp'ing from http://web2ftp.com
Its a very useful site if you are having problems.

Matt

[BPJSURF]

adsl problem

In looking at this thread I recall a problem I had here over a year ago with a hoster. I use DSL (adsl) and a linksys router. I can connect with out problems to many hosts. I had one host that I would loose packets or lose connect very randomly. This drove me nuts!

Well after some research I discovered the issue was between the Sun server at the host and the Linksys router. I downloaded the latest revison of the router software installed and the problem subsisted. I would suggest you look at the hardware your using with your adsl. make sure your running the latest release for the chipsets in your router and try connecting.

Or move hosts. :-)