Cheap Shared Web Hosting Problems and Solutions – Part 3

This is a continuation of things to consider when purchasing cheap web hosting. The following suggestions are displayed in no particular order and are not listed in order of priority.  If you are interested in reading more hosting suggestions, you can read part 1 and part 2.

• Dedicated server hosting require some tweaking based on the applications you will be running on them. If you are strictly running database queries, you would need to allocate your processing power accordingly. There are many thirty-party programs that can assist you in allocating these assignments if you are not comfortable doing so in task manager.
• To prevent slow down later on due to misallocated processing power, it is best to plan out your server ahead of time. Chart out the tasks your server will be completing and the weight of those tasks so that the processor may be allocated accordingly.
• It is very uncommon that no operating system will be installed on your server. Without an operating system, you will not be able to access the server at all. There are some VERY inexperienced cheap php web hosting companies out there that will sell a server without an operating system. As this is a large error and one that reflects inexperience in the business, you would be best off cancelling your service immediately and finding a new cheap php web hosting company.
• Though it is not common that an operating system is not installed, when purchasing a new dedicated server, be sure to buy one that has the operating system you require pre-installed. Microsoft has many versions of operating system that are currently used today as does Linux. Check for compatibility issues before putting your name on the dotted line.
• If you need to install PHP, first check the version that your site requires. Download the PHP binaries from PHP.net and check the guides so you have a good idea on how to proceed. After copying, unzipping, and installing the files, modify the configuration accordingly in php.ini-dist. You will need to rename this file to php.ini once you have completed modifications.
• Ask that your server come preinstalled with the version of PHP your sites require. Most cheap php web hosting companies bundle this into a setup fee, should you opt for this service. It is a very common request and is almost essential with today’s websites.
• When regularly purchasing servers, you will find that your nameservers need to be configured before anything else. This simply involves configuring the DNS zones within the control panel of your server. The nameservers must be a subdomain of your domain name any the most common naming conventions are nameservers like “ns1.yourdomain.com” and “ns2.yourdomain.com” though the “ns1” and “ns2” portions could be substituted by whatever you would like.
• You can request that your cheap php web hosting company set up your nameservers, though they might charge a fee. It is not too complicated and can be done relatively quickly, so do not be afraid to go into the control panel and look around.
• The only issue with all that unrestricted access a dedicated server provides is that sometimes people can get a bit too adventurous and delete crucial files. This can damage the file structure of your operating system and/or your sites. Call your budget web hosting company and request that they roll back the server to your most recent back up. If too much damage has been done, they may need to reformat the disk, erasing all data.
• Never delete things that you do not understand. Research the file in question online to try to determine its purpose. Once you have secured the purpose of said file, ensure that you will never need it again before deleting it. The same rule applies for moving files.
• If you are unable to telnet into your dedicated server, ensure that telnet service is enabled. If it has been started, check that port 23 is open on your server and is not being blocked by a firewall. Should port 23 be open and the telnet service enabled, try restarting the service. Lastly, check the httpd.conf file to make sure that telnet is allowed.
• Before even attempting to telnet into your server, ensure your discount web hosting company has disabled this service by default. It presents a security risk if left open and unsecured, so some hosts will disable it. Also, make sure it is operating on port 23. Lastly, restart it so you have a fresh connection upon your first attempt.
• Advanced Policy Firewall has become the industry standard for Linux servers. It has enough features for novices and plenty of tweaks for experts. Should this not be installed on your server, it is fairly easy to get installed. Simply download APF from any of the 100’s of available sources (it is open source software). You might find it easier to use the wget command within your server. Run the install file by typing (“./install.sh”). You can edit the configuration of APF in the conf.apf file.  Hosts often install this automatically for users of dedicated servers. It is beneficial to them to have their servers protected. However, should it not be installed, your host could provide this service, sometimes at a small fee. It is freely available, open-source software.
• Brute Force Detection is imperative to the security of your server. Should this not be installed when you purchase your dedicated server, it is quite easy to install. Simply download BFD (it is open source and freely available) and upload to your server through SSH. It will be in tar.gz format. Run the install file (“./install.sh”). You can edit the configuration in the conf.bfd file.  Prior to purchasing your dedicated server, you may request that it come pre-installed with BFD. As it is open source and an industry standard for Brute Force Detection, it should not be an uncommon or unheard of request.
• If your server did not come with mod_security, check the versions first. ModSecurity 2.x only works with Apache 2.0.x. If you’re running a compatible version of Apache, ensure that LibXML2 is installed. It is is not, install it first. Download mod_security (it is freely available as open source). Upload and unzip the file. Stop apache by typing $/service/sbin/httpd stop. Add the mod_security directive to the httpd.conf file. Restart Apache.  As this is also a freely available product that has evolved into an industry standard, your cheap shared web hosting company should have no problem installing this package prior to your purchase of the dedicated server.
• Out of date services can sometimes indicate a poor or lazy cheap shared web hosting company. Updated versions of software typically provide enhanced security and features that assist in smooth operation of your server. If your services are out of date, you can request the host update or attempt to update certain services on your own such as mod_security and Apache.
• When purchasing your web hosting, ask the provider to check the versions on all software. Compare the provider’s versions with current releases. If something is out of date, bring it to the provider’s attention immediately.
• Slow SQL responses or lack of can be indicative of a myriad of issues. Check to see that the SQL service on your service is running. Restart it in any case. Check your SQL queries for coding errors or logical loops. Should everything pass the test on the coding side, look into your server allocations to make sure the SQL service is allowed enough processing power to handle the inquiries coming through.
• Plan out your server. If you have query-heavy websites running all the time, you may to dedicate a majority of your processor to the SQL service to allow smooth transition. Conduct load balancing tests to stay on top of your SQL service’s workload.
• Users will park common domains on your server should you be offering reseller hosting if you do not disable this feature. In CPanel, this feature (as well as a slew of other controls) are available under the “Tweak Settings” menu under Server Control. Otherwise, you may change this setting in the httpd.conf file.  Disable this setting prior to users ever parking a common domain on your server. They will do it if the feature is not disabled. This chews up very valuable resources and can be harmful to security.
• If you are receiving an unusual amount of mail and then receive a connection error from your mail server, it is possible that the POP3 Connection has been flooded. To resolve this, tweak your mailbox settings. Do not use a “catch-all” mail service. Bounce messages that are not addressed to a specific user. Block an address that has been receiving an oddly large amount of mail messages. Then, restart your mail service.
• To prevent POP3 Connection flooding, do not use catch-all services and do not SPAM. Though Spamming wouldn’t directly cause a POP3 Connection flood, thousands of bounced back messages would. Have very specific email addresses you use for different reasons and bounce any other email. Do not use common addresses like admin@yourdomain.com or webmaster@yourdomain.com as these are more likely to flood.
• If you are sure you have a Trojan on your server, stop the web service, ftp service, and mail service immediately and alert your budget web hosting company so it can be cleaned. Ensure that you do not download anything from the server, as you would risk contaminating your home computer. Alert your affordable web hosting company and the data center so they may eliminate the threat.
• The latest anti-virus and firewall software can help in preventing malicious software from spreading on your system. A bit of common sense helps as well. Do not run anything on your server that you cannot verify the origins.
• It is a scary thing when your server flashes a low on virtual memory message. You can increase the size of your page file to stop this message, though this is only recommended for experienced users. One might want to examine server resource allocations again and evaluate if an upgrade is needed.
• The importance of charting out and planning your server cannot be stressed enough. If you plan your resources according to your usage, you should never run into a low virtual memory message. Of course, you can always expand your page file from the start, so you do not experience this message even under a heavy load.
• On a fresh dedicated server, it is common to see configuration errors from the control panel. Check the httpd.conf file for any oddities. If you installed the control panel yourself, check the control panel’s guides and FAQs for assistance. If your cheap web page hosting company installed the control panel, contact them about the configuration errors before you install any sites.  To prevent this type of issue, triple-check the installation guides and FAQs before bringing your server live. If your cheap web page hosting company is installing the control panel, ask them to confirm that there will be no configuration errors prior to turning it over to you.
• Some hosts prefer to run MySQL 2000. Should your server come pre-configured with this and you feel it is time for an upgrade, you can find the latest downloads and upgrade instructions and www.mysql.com. Though this can be a bit daunting, take your time and follow the instructions on the site. There are many FAQs and Guides freely available.  In order to prevent a situation where you need MySQL 2005 and you do not have it installed, request that your cheap web page hosting company put the latest version of SQL on your server prior to purchasing.
• If frequent power outages are causing your sites to have a great deal of downtime, you have two options. First, you can see if your data center offers a UPS service. This portable power supply can take over seamlessly if the power goes out, without affecting the server’s performance. They will charge additional for this service. Second, you may seek out a new data center in a different geographical location, should the power outages be far too frequent.
• Ask your host/data center for names of some of their current clients and contact these clients about their service. Ask if they experienced frequent outages due to power outages and use that to gauge your service need.
• Domain expiration can be a confusing problem, because people do not often know that it is coming. We can easily forget about our domain names, as they renew so infrequently and do not appear as vital as the server, when in reality, they are everything! Contact your registrar to renew the domain. If you have forgotten your registrar, you can find out who it is by doing a whois of your domain name.
• Most registrars offer up to a ten-year term on a domain name and automatic renewal features. Be sure to circle the date of expiration on your domains for every calendar year, so you can make sure the renewal processes correctly.
• Assuming you purchased a dedicated server for reseller hosting, users will try to use your server for offensive sites. This is inevitable. The best way to resolve this is a monitoring system. Check on the sites you are hosting. If they are a blatant offense to any type or personal moral standard, you may cancel the site, provided that you refund the customer any money due.
• Have a strong hosting policy in place that specifically outlines banned content (i.e., pornography, terrorist literature, etc.). The policy/service agreement should be a mandatory part of the purchase flow when users buy into your reseller hosting. You will have a much stronger case if you ensure that they cannot complete the purchase flow unless they have opened and spent a certain amount of time on the service agreement.
• If your server is difficult to backup because of latency issues or errors, contact your cheap web page hosting company for a physical backup. Especially if you are experiencing such latency issues that you cannot backup, it would be best to request a refund of some kind from the host. You are buying a service from them and that service should work.
• Check the latency of other servers prior to purchasing into a hosting company. You might want to ping other servers the hosting company owns from different areas of the globe to see what your customers will experience when accessing your site.