General

What is a Web Host?

In order to have a Website on the Internet, you first need to have a Web server. Unfortunately, owning a Web server can be very costly and requires technical expertise that most businesses don't have. This is where Web hosts come in. Web hosting companies provide the equipment and other technical resources that you need without the headaches that come when you have to do it yourself.

Think of a Web host as the landlord of a building. A landlord rents out storefronts to various businesses. Each business decorates and runs their store differently, and doesn't worry about the maintenence of the building. In a similar way a Web host rents out space on a Web server to various businesses. Each business builds their own Website and never has to worry about the maintenence of their Web server.

In other words, the Web host provides the place on the Internet where your Website lives. It's a lot cheaper than buying your own server, and you don't have to hire the technical staff to take care of it.

How long does it take to set up a new account?

We will have your account setup within a few hours from the time your order was placed. If you have just registered a new domain name, you will be able to use it in approximately 48 hours

What type of databases does Willetts Systems, Inc. support?

We offer support for MySQL databases that are hosted or developed by us. Additionally, we can work with and develop with other Relational Database Management Systems (RDBMS), like Microsoft's SQL Server platform, Oracle, and many more. Call for details.

What kind of statistical reports does Willetts Systems, Inc. offer?

All of our accounts include a statistics package, that includes the number of visits to your site, as well as other important information. We also offer Google Analytics.  It is a more advanced stats package that helps in tracking how well your Website is marketed, etc. Please call us for details!

How do I cancel my hosting account?

You may cancel your hosting account by giving us a call at (877)310-9622. 

Can I host multiple Websites?

Yes. You can have as many Websites hosted with us as you need.

How long after I sign up will I be able to start uploading my Website?

If you have just registered your domain name, it may take 24 - 48 hours for the domain to have propagated throughout the internet, therefore, nothing will show up at your domain name until this occurs. If you have had your domain name transferred to us, we will get your domain name set up, and ready for you to upload to within 24 hours once we have all of the information that we need.

Do I have unlimited access to update my pages?

Willetts Systems, Inc. will provide you with your FTP information for you to use when you want to update your Website. If you are working with one of our Design Firm partners, they will also have access to this information, on your behalf, for the same purpose.  If you have a content management system on your website, you can also update your pages at any time.  If you are interested in a content management system, but do not currently have one, feel free to give us a call to inquire about this service.

Do I have to sign a contract to use your service?

Willetts Systems, Inc. does not require you to sign a contract to use our services. You may leave at any time, by giving us a call at (877)310-9622. However, if you would prefer to sign a contract before working with us, we will provide that option.

Can I track how many people visit my Website?

All accounts come with a powerful Site Statistics Tool that shows hits, referrer logs, country stats and more! You can even look at this data in a graphical format showing daily, monthly and yearly activity.

In some cases, Google Analytics may be added  to your site. Google Analytics is a full featured Web analytics package that will not only help you discover more about your stats, but also provide detailed information on the success of your marketing efforts. Call us for details!

Do you provide dial-up Internet access?

No, we do not. You will need local Internet access in order to maintain your Web site and retrieve email addressed to your site. Specializing in hosting service means that we do not have hundreds of modems to maintain, so we are able to devote our time and expertise to serving our customers and to focus on further improving our service and reliability.

Does Willetts Systems, Inc. provide any database solutions?

Willetts Systems, Inc. specializes in database solutions for business. Please give us a call, or fill out our online Project Form, and one of our Project Mangers will be in touch with you to discuss your project needs.

What are Willetts Systems, Inc. Name Server Addresses?

Willetts Systems has mulitple servers, which means we have miltiple Name Server Addresses.  Please give us a call at (877)310-9622, or submit a support ticket and we can give you the Name Server Addresses for your specific website.

How do I transfer my domain name without experiencing any downtime?

To avoid downtime, you must first sign up for a new Web hosting account. Once your account is setup, you should receive FTP login information. Next, upload all of your files to your new server.   You will also need to notify us of any email addresses that you currently have for your domain name, so that those may be st up as well.

After you've uploaded your files, contact your domain name registrar and have your domain name pointed to your new Domain Name Servers provided. It takes about 48-72 hours for your registrar to update their DNS (actual time varies by registrar). Once it's updated, your domain name will point to your new Website/host.

If you use e-mail associated with the domain name, check mail at both locations (with your previous hosting company and on your new mail server). Once you confirm that all e-mail settings and your Website are properly pointed to your new host, you can cancel your account with your previous hosting company.

Why should I use Willetts Systems, Inc. as my hosting service?

Willetts Systems, Inc. offers various hosting plans that are packed with features. With our network reliability, redundancy, security, and high-speed connections to the Internet, we are able to offer our clients competitive hosting no matter where they are located, along with outstanding service and support.

How long has Willetts Systems, Inc. been in business?

Willetts Systems, Inc. has been in business since January 1997.

How much webspace do I get with my hosting account?

500MB of website space is included with your hosting account. If you go over 500MB, the cost is $10 per month per additional 100MB.

 

About Us

What type of databases does Willetts Systems, Inc. support?

We offer support for MySQL databases that are hosted or developed by us. Additionally, we can work with and develop with other Relational Database Management Systems (RDBMS), like Microsoft's SQL Server platform, Oracle, and many more. Call for details.

What kind of statistical reports does Willetts Systems, Inc. offer?

All of our accounts include a statistics package, that includes the number of visits to your site, as well as other important information. We also offer Google Analytics.  It is a more advanced stats package that helps in tracking how well your Website is marketed, etc. Please call us for details!

Do I have to sign a contract to use your service?

Willetts Systems, Inc. does not require you to sign a contract to use our services. You may leave at any time, by giving us a call at (877)310-9622. However, if you would prefer to sign a contract before working with us, we will provide that option.

Do you provide dial-up Internet access?

No, we do not. You will need local Internet access in order to maintain your Web site and retrieve email addressed to your site. Specializing in hosting service means that we do not have hundreds of modems to maintain, so we are able to devote our time and expertise to serving our customers and to focus on further improving our service and reliability.

Does Willetts Systems, Inc. provide any database solutions?

Willetts Systems, Inc. specializes in database solutions for business. Please give us a call, or fill out our online Project Form, and one of our Project Mangers will be in touch with you to discuss your project needs.

 

Billing

How do I cancel my hosting account?

You may cancel your hosting account by giving us a call at (877)310-9622.

What forms of payment does Willetts Systems, Inc. accept?

We accept VISA, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, personal or corporate checks, and money orders.

Is monthly billing available?

Monthly billing is available on all of our hosting plans. We also offer annual billing as an option for those who would rather pay a year in advance.

Can I change my billing cycle at any time?

Yes. Just call our Billing Department and request the change in billing cycle.

How will I be billed for my account?

If you pay by credit card your credit card will be charged automatically for each hosting account on the first day of every month either monthly, or annually, whichever you decide.

If you want to pay by check, you will be emailed an invoice on the first of each month. Your payment is due upon receipt. You can send in your check payment to the address on your invoice.

If I cancel before the end of my hosting term, do I get a refund?

Willetts Systems, Inc. does not offer refunds on hosting fees paid for in advance, nor do we refund partial months if you discontinue service in the middle of a month or year that has already been paid for.

Email

Will I be able to add email accounts and change my password myself?

All of our hosting plans include your own Email Control Panel, which enables clients to set up email accounts, change their password, and much more!

How many email accounts do I get with my account?

40 POP email accounts. Each email account has a storage space of 25MB, which can be increased for an additional charge, if you wish. The space can be increased on a domain bases, or individually.

Is Web based email included?

Webmail is offered on all accounts. Webmail is a web based email account that is setup for you, and can be accessed by anyone with an email address on our system. You can access it by going to http://webmail.yourdomain.com, and typing in your email username and password. The webmail interface may be accessed from any machine with an internet connection.

What happens when I go over the allotted space for my email account?

You will be notified via email when you are nearing your limit. All you have to do then is go into your Webmail, and clear out any unwanted email from your account. If all of the email in your account are items that you want to keep, you may upgrade to a higher plan, at an additional cost. Just contact us and we can discuss your options, and add more space to your account. The upgrade will happen within 5 minutes.

What is the size limit of each mailbox?

We monitor mailbox sizes and if any of your email boxes goes over 25 MB you will be notified. If you use an email client such as Outlook, Outlook Express or Eudora this should not be a problem. Just be sure that you are not leaving a copy of your emails on our servers. This is generally the default setting in most email client software, but you can go to your settings to check. If you need more space than 25 MB, your space can be increased at an additional cost. Please call us for details.

What do I do if I am having trouble connecting to my email account through Outlook or Outlook Express?

If you are experiencing trouble connecting to your email account using Outlook and Outlook Express, check your email account settings. One of the more common causes of connection problems is that the account may be established as an IMAP-based account, instead of a POP3-based account.

Email settings vary per account.  For more information about setting up your email account to work with a specific email client, give us a call!

What is "spam"?

In terms of email delivery, "spam" is unsolicited bulk email. Spam is generally considered junk email and can be a continuing annoyance to its recipients. It is considered poor etiquette to send spam. Because of the rapid proliferation of increasingly innovative spammers, advanced spam-filtering technology, such as SpamShield Pro, which is featured in all of our email accounts, is becoming increasingly pervasive.

How do I know if my email accounts are Webmail or email?

All of our email accounts are also Web-Based Email Accounts. To access your email account using the Web-based interface follow these instructions:

  1. From your browser window, go to your Web-Based Email account. The URL for your Web-Based Email account is the same as your Web address, but you replace "www" with "Webmail". For example: http://Webmail.yourdomain.com, where "yourdomain.com" is your domain.
  2. Type your personal email address as your username (e.g., sales@yourdomain.com) and enter your password.
  3. Click Login .

    *** If you have forgotten your password, please call us. We will help you resolve this over the phone.***

What is the maximum attachment size I can send through my email account?

The maximum total message size for an email message sent using SMTP is 30MB. There is no constraint on the size of file attachments as long as the total message size does not exceed the 30MB limit. However, depending on your ISP, and connection speed, any messages over 5 MB may not go through, or may take a long time to send, and give you an error.

What do I do if I have trouble connecting to my email account?

Check Your SMTP Settings

If you are having trouble connecting to your email account, it could be caused by your ISP. Below is a listing of the ISPs that we know could be causing issues for outgoing email. If you have any of the following ISPs, change your SMTP server to what is listed beside them...

Verizon - outgoing.verizon.net
Comcast - smtp.comcast.net
Cox - smtp.east.cox.net


Check Your Port Settings

The SMTP relay service is configured to work with the following ports: Port 25, Port 80, and Port 3535. For most email systems, the default port is 25 and your email client uses this automatically. If your ISP (AOL) employs a firewall that prevents relays from using port 25, you may need to change your port settings to 2525. If you need assistance with this, please give us a call.

Check Your Message Size

Check the size of your message. The maximum message size for our SMTP service is 25MB. Most ISP's message size limit for their SMTP service is much, much smaller, usually 5 or 6 MB. A larger message size allows you to send larger files to your recipients.

Domain Names

What should I consider when choosing a domain name?

A domain name is the label used to identify your Website, for example 1-hosting-solutions.com. It usually describes some aspect of your site. In order for visitors to access your site you must select a unique domain name and register it with an accredited domain name registrar.

Your domain name will represent you and/or your business. Make sure that the name you choose is memorable, descriptive and that it instills confidence, particularly if you plan on selling goods and services on your site.

Your domain name can be up to 67 characters long and can include any combination of letters, numbers and dashes (it cannot start or end with a dash). A domain name must end with a domain extension, such as .com, .net, or .org.

How do domain names work?

A domain name works like an address forwarding service.

All of your Web site content sits on a computer with a unique address. This is called an IP address. An IP address is made up of a series of numbers, such as 123.23.234.45. Your domain name directs visitors to your site using this IP address.

We use domain names instead of IP addresses because most people find it easier to remember a name rather than a series of numbers.

What do I do with my domain once it's been registered?

Besides setting up your Web site, there are a number of things you can do with your domain once you register it.

Sell it. Domain names can be a great investment. If you have registered a domain name that you are not using, maybe someone else can. Call us, and we can help you advertise your domain.

Protect your brand online. The more domain names you register, the better. It prevents others from registering a similar domain name to yours - just to steal away your customers. What to do with all these names? Forward them to your main domain name.

Hold on to it. Maybe you haven't decided what to do with your new domain name. Don't worry - there's no rush. You can leave it parked with us for the length of your registration for just $5/month.

What happens when my domain registration expires?

If your domain registration expires, the domain registrar will attempt to automatically renew it for you.  12 days after the domain registration has expired the domain enters a redemption period, during which you may retrieve your domain name for an additional fee and renew it by contacting customer support. The redemption period lasts 30 days.

One week into the redemption period, the expired domain assuming that its registration has not been renewed is placed into a 10-day domain auction, allowing prospective registrants to bid on the domain. The winner of the auction obtains the domain registration ownership two weeks after the auction end date if the original owner fails to renew the domain by the end of the redemption period.

Once the redemption period ends and the domain has neither been renewed nor obtained through auction or backordering the domain is deleted at the registry. The domain name re-enters the public pool of available domains, and it is no longer redeemable.

Support

What type of databases does Willetts Systems, Inc. support?

We offer support for MySQL databases that are hosted or developed by us. Additionally, we can work with and develop with other Relational Database Management Systems (RDBMS), like Microsoft's SQL Server platform, Oracle, and many more. Call for details

What kind of statistical reports does Willetts Systems, Inc. offer?

All of our accounts include a statistics package, that includes the number of visits to your site, as well as other important information. We also offer Google Analytics.  It is a more advanced stats package that helps in tracking how well your Website is marketed, etc. Please call us for details!

How do I cancel my hosting account?

You may cancel your hosting account by giving us a call at (877)310-9622.

Will I be able to add email accounts and change my password myself?

All of our hosting plans include your own Email Control Panel, which enables clients to set up email accounts, change their password, and much more!

What kind of technical support does Willetts Systems, Inc. offer?

Our office hours are Monday - Friday, 9AM - 5PM.  However, we offer 24x7 always-on support through our Customer Support section. Our email support is very efficient and our average support ticket response time is around 1 business day.

How do I promote my site to the search engines?

Willetts Systems, Inc. offers promotional tools to our clients that help them get noticed! We take the time to find out your needs, and we help you pick the best marketing strategy for your needs. We specialize in getting our clients listed in major search engines like Google and Yahoo!.  Call us today for details!

Does Willetts Systems, Inc. offer technical support 24 hours a day 7 days a week?

Yes we do! We offer 24 x 7 online support via our Help Desk, as well as  telephone support Mon-Fri from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST .

We're proud of our dedicated team of qualified support technicians, who are ready to tackle any problems you might be experiencing at any time of the day or night. On average, we resolve technical support questions within 1 business day.

How do I reach technical support?

You can submit a support ticket or talk directly to a technician, by calling during our phone hours. For more information please visit our Support Page.