Web Hosting FAQ
If your question is not covered here, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Getting started
- Do I need to register a domain name to use your web hosting?
- How long does it take to set up my account?
Website content and scripting
- Do you use Windows or Unix servers?
- Can you help me design and/or build my website?
- Can I use Microsoft FrontPage to create and upload my website?
- Can I use .htaccess?
- Do you support ASP?
- What version of PHP do you run?
- What version of MySQL do you run?
- Do you have Perl module X or program Y available?
- Do you support Tomcat/JSP or Coldfusion?
Uploading your website
- I cannot use FTP due to network/firewall restrictions. Is there an alternative?
- Can I have multiple FTP accounts for my domain?
- Why can't I access my web user/subdomain directories?
Changing your web hosting service
- Can I change the domain used for my web hosting?
- What if I change my mind, can I get my money back?
- Can I change my package?
Databases
- What type of databases do you support?
- What are my database details (username, password, etc.)?
- Why can't I connect to my database from my computer?
- Can I access PHPMyAdmin without needing to log in to the control panel?
SSL
Miscellaneous
- Can I add another domain to my email service?
- What happens if I exceed the data transfer limit for my account?
Getting started
Do I need to register a domain name to use your web hosting?
No - you can use a free Purple Cloud subdomain (e.g. yourname.purplecloud.com) if you do not wish to register your own domain name. You can also transfer an existing domain to Purple Cloud for use with your web hosting.
How long does it take to set up my account?
Normally your account would be up and running within 1 hour. Also if you are registering or transferring a domain then it will take 12-48 hours for the necessary DNS changes to propagate before you can use the service.
Website content and scripting
Do you use Windows or Unix servers?
Our servers run Debian Linux.
Can you help me design and/or build my website?
No, we provide hosting not website development services. We can only help you with issues relating to hosting.
Can I use Microsoft FrontPage to create and upload my website?
Yes, via FTP or WebDAV - however as we use a Linux/Unix hosting platform, FrontPage Extensions are not available and some Frontpage specific functionality may not work with our service.
Can I use .htaccess?
Yes, this feature is fully supported.
Do you support ASP?
No, ASP is not available on our hosting service.
What version of PHP do you run?
PHP 5 is fully supported, and is the default. PHP 4 is also available for backwards compatibility, although it's use is discouraged as PHP 4 has been end-of-life'd by the PHP foundation. More Information.
What version of MySQL do you run?
We are currently running MySQL 5.0
Do you have Perl module X or program Y available?
We have a wide variety of Perl modules and other programs installed on the server for customer use and are often happy to install others when requested. Please contact us to check your requirements.
Do you support Tomcat/JSP or Coldfusion?
No, these features are not currently available.
Uploading your website
I cannot use FTP due to network/firewall restrictions. Is there an alternative?
Yes, you can use the web based File Manager tool to upload, manage and even edit your files. This is accessible from My Purple Cloud.
Can I have multiple FTP accounts for my domain?
No, you can only have one master FTP account. It is however possible to allocate a separate FTP account to web users and subdomains.
Why can't I access my web user/subdomain directories?
If the web user/subdomain has its own FTP account, then only this account can be used to access the files. Even the main FTP account for the domain will not have access.
Changing your web hosting service
Can I change the domain used for my web hosting?
Yes, although if you require a new domain name you will need to register it first.
What if I change my mind, can I get my money back?
We operate a 14 day money back guarantee, so you have two weeks to try our service and see if it is right for you. If not, you can get a full refund of the price of your web hosting. Click here for more information.
Can I change my package?
Yes - please click here for details.
Databases
What type of databases do you support?
We provide MySQL Databases.
What are my database details (username, password, etc.)?
The hostname for accessing your database from scripts on your website is "localhost" You can choose your own database name, username and password. To create your database, log in to My Purple Cloud.
Why can't I connect to my database from my computer?
For security reasons it is only possible to access your database from scripts on your website.
Can I access PHPMyAdmin without needing to log in to the control panel?
Yes - please log in to My Purple Cloud for the URL.
SSL
Do you offer SSL?
You can host files using https - simply place the files in the httpsdocs directory instead of the standard httpdocs. However, because we operate a shared hosting platform, the SSL certificate used will not match your domain name. This means that most browsers will display a trust warning to people visiting your secured site, even though the communication is secured.
Can I buy a certificate for my domain?
No, this is not possible on our service at present. We hope to offer some form of full SSL service in the future.
Miscellaneous
Can I add another domain to my email service?
No, each web hosting package you purchase only provides service for one domain name. You can however order additional packages for your extra domains.
What happens if I exceed the data transfer limit for my account?
By default your domain will be suspended to prevent it using any more data transfer. However, you can opt to allow your account to exceed its limit. In this case you will be billed 1p per MB plus a 50p administration charge at the end of the month.