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Are there tips on how to setup Dotster hosting?

1. Linking Your Domain to Your New Hosting Subscription.
For your email and hosting to work, your domain must point to Dotster's name servers. To set your name servers, you will need to log into your Dotster account (or at your selected domain registrar) and set your name servers (DNS Servers) to the following:
NS1.DOTSTERHOST.COM
NS2.DOTSTERHOST.COM
NS3.DOTSTERHOST.COM

Your email will not function until the name servers have time to propagate, which typically takes between 24 and 48 hours after the changes have been made. If you need help updating your name servers, click here.

2. Creating Mailboxes and Assigning Email Recipients
The next step is to create email boxes for various email users. In this area of your account, you will also be able to enable features like email forwarding, SPAM-filtering and virus-scanning.

If you need help setting up mailboxes, click here.

3. Accessing WebMail
You can access your email account from anywhere with an Internet connection by using our WebMail feature. Simply click on WebMail Login from the Dotster home page and a login screen will prompt you to enter your full email address and your email-specific password. Email will be accessible for any user and mailbox that you have set up.

* Please note that if you're using both an Email client (such as Outlook) and WebMail, then the server will automatically deliver any new mail to the location where you login, but not both. If you would like new messages to appear in both places, then you will need to alter the settings of your email client to leave messages on the server. This way, both your email client and WebMail can access incoming messages.

4. Downloading Email to Your Desktop (POP3)
Setting up your mail client for POP3 (Post Office Protocol) access is easy. POP3 is the most common protocol for retrieving email messages on the Internet. You can use any POP3-compatible email client (Microsoft Outlook, Eudora or Netscape Communicator) to access your email. These applications typically have their own directions for setting up your email account but universally, they will require you to supply several variables:

Incoming Mail (POP3): mail.dotsterhost.com
Outgoing Mail (SMTP):mail.dotsterhost.com
Account Name: youraddress@yourdomain.com
Account Password: Your choosing
* The Outgoing Server requires authentication: use the same information as Incoming Server.

For more information on setting up a Pop3 for Microsoft Outlook, click here. For more information on setting up a Pop3 for Microsoft Outlook Express, click here.

5. Finding Your FTP Information
If you'd like to upload a website to your hosting account, then you will need access to the FTP information related to your hosting account so that you can point your site to the appropriate location. To access this information:

1. Log into your Dotster account
2. Click on the My Services tab
3. Click on Manage Services button, next to your selected hosting plan
4. Click Web Space
5. Click FTP Access and here you will see all of your FTP details.

Linux VS Windows - Which should you choose?

Dotster hosting packages offer you an option between Linux or Windows platforms. We let our customers decide which operating system they prefer. Both technologies can support your website equally well, and ultimately it comes down to personal preference, system familiarity and your comfort level.

Linux or Microsoft... both can work for you!

Linux is a freely-distributed operating system that was created in 1991 by a student at the University of Helsinki in Finland. It was created with the assistance of developers from around the world under an open license that has since made it freely available to everyone. Today, it is robust, reliable, and very efficient. It has repeatedly proven itself as a popular solution for web hosting servers.

Linux uses PHP, Perl, or MySQL as languages for adding access and processing online data. Linux is ideal for websites that display information as a brochure, in newsletter format or as data sheets. Linux works well for interactive display sites like inquiry forms, online purchasing and other e-commerce functions. Site design programs like Microsoft FrontPage® can also be successfully used with Linux technology. In fact, Dotster offers FrontPage Extensions with Linux hosting packages.

As most people are aware, Microsoft is a preeminent giant in the computing environment. Microsoft's solution is ideal for customers that want to use ASP (Active Server Pages) or other Microsoft applications to design their web pages. Microsoft hosting also offers an advantage if you wish to incorporate searchable databases in your website. The Microsoft platform delivers reduced development time and better functionality for databases.

Hosting Infrastructure

Not only is Dotster a top domain registrar, we've got a world class hosting infrastructure!

Dotster's World Class Hosting Infrastructure:

• State-of-the-art data center - Multi-homed, redundant network featuring Tier-1 Gigabit and OCx Internet connections
• Best-of-breed router, server, and firewall equipment
• Full network redundancy
• Diesel generator and UPS battery backup
• Redundant data center cooling and climate control systems
• 24/7 Network Monitoring
• Data Backups
• 99.99% network uptime track record

What is a Virtual Server?

Also referred to as a Virtual Dedicated Server, a VPS (Virtual Private Server) empowers you with the flexibility and freedom of a dedicated server at a fraction of the cost. Unlike shared hosting which uses a single file system shared by all users, a VPS, like a dedicated server, resides in private environment with its own independent operating system, web server, mail server, and software instances. Dotster’s VPS plans give businesses the reliability, scalability, and security of hosting on an enterprise-quality dedicated server. With root access, you have full control. You can install any software or make practically any OS-level configuration change.

What Can I Do With A Virtual Private Server?

A virtual private server (VPS) is capable of hosting a business website, a database driven online store, or a corporate intranet. Many companies use virtual private servers as dedicated mail servers or development platforms. Other uses of a VPS include: reselling hosting services, offsite data storage, web-based CRM, groupware, managed email services, and more.

What is Virtuozzo?

Virtuozzo creates multiple isolated Virtual Private Servers (VPSs) on a single physical server. Each VPS performs and executes exactly like a stand-alone server for its users and applications as it can be rebooted independently and has its own root access, users, IP addresses, memory, processes, files, applications, system libraries, and configuration files.

Do your VPS plans come with a control panel?

Yes, we offer the two industry-leading control panels, cPanel and Plesk. Both control panels allow you to set up and manage multiple websites, email accounts, databases, and DNS entries through a web-based interface.