Web Hosts Beginner Guide

Z

Zachary McClung

New member
Good Evening,

I know that many individuals are eager to start their own hosting companies. What I would like you to help me do is to put together a beginners guide for them. I would like to see reviews, suggestions for software, and tips.

We have the following items I know of.

Control Panels
------------------------
cPanel/WHM
Plesk
Direct Admin
H-Sphere
Ensim

Billing Software
-----------------------
WHM.Autopilot
Modern Bill
AWBS
Whois.Cart
Client Exec
Lpanel

Merchant Account Providers
-----------------------------
CDGCommerece.com
Paypal.com
modernauthorize.net
ibill.net
worldpay.com

Support Software
------------------------------
eSupport
Support Trio
Cerberus

Support Video's
------------------------------
Demodemo.com

Domain Resellers
------------------------------
Directi.com
Enom.com

SSL Resellers
-----------------------------
Geotrust.com
SSLFactory.com

Fruad Prevention
---------------------------
fraudguardian.com
fruadgate.com

Out Source Tech Support (We do not use them)
---------------------------------
touchsupport.com
bobcares.com

If anyone else has any categories please post them. What I am looking for is a review of each. Along with a tip that you could share with newbies.

I will post my reviews of what we use. Please, add the provider you use with a review of them on your posts. Or, review give your two cents in on one of theses.
 
dubs said:
Thanks for the informative post, seems very useful to the new hosts.
Click to expand...

Do to the length of the post and the words you used I am going to take it as your being immature and sarcastic. And, as much as I would just love to start on you about how you should be professional do to the fact this is public forum and everything you say and do reflects directly on you and your hosting company I will not.

For your information, giving just that lists of comapnies and products alone is helpful for a new host. Would you like to know why? Because, it is a starting point for them. I did not have help when it came to choosing the products that I use to run a hosting company.

Another thing is, instead of downing the idea why do you not show your vast about of knowledge after taking over the company you are co-president of now. I have read the issues you went through.

Concerning reviews and information here is the following:

Control Panel
---------------------------------
I have worked with cPanel, Ensim, and Plesk. Out of all of them I feel as if cPanel is the best; however, it is buggy and they are working on fixing them. The only issue with this is they seem to fix one bug and three more pop up. For the hosting companies going for a less technologically advanced group it is the way to go.

Plesk ont he other hand is for the techy. It has more room ease of usability for someone with a technical background. It allows more flexbility for this group as well.

Ensim it is not even worth starting on. It is horrible.

Billing Software
--------------------------------------
Modern Bill I love it. I have stated it many times. Yes, there are bugs in it as well; however, Modern Gigabyte makes a effort to support its users and fix the bugs. Modern Bill 5 is coming out shortly. I am looking forward to it because of the new improved 1 page sign up sheet. :)

Merchant Services
--------------------------------------
Currently, we use CDGCommerce.com and Paypal.com to do all our payment needs. Customer service is top notch at CDGCommerce. After setting up the merchant account they called me to see if I had any questions and if everything was going alright. They tend to call about once a month just to check up. It is great to have someone there at all hours of the night and we is willing to make sure your still functitioning. :)

Paypal we all have used it. If it wasn't for so many people having paypal accounts and trusting paypal I would drop them. Plan and simple!

eSupport and Support Trio I have both used. I have had great success with both. I do like the functionality of eSupport much better; however, we are currently using Support Trio. Support Trio is simple, easy to integrate and had some features that I needed that eSupport did not offer. Either software is a great choice.

Support Video
------------------------------------
I have only used demodemo.com. I enjoy them, I find them simple, ease to use, and that customers love them as well. If there are any other video producers within the forums please give us links so we can review yours.

Domain Resellers
----------------------------------
Enom.com is the only one we have used. We enjoy using it very much so. It works well they have other products then just domain that they provide to you with an API easy integratable.

SSL Certs
----------------------------------
We have partnered directly with Geotrust.com. We do not have the best prices on certs; however, it was in our future plans so why not partner with the best. John is our AE and he is the best. Geotrust we use and we will never switch to another company.

Fraud Prevention
--------------------------------
Fraudgate.com is what we currently use. We have a special rate through CDGCommerce.com on it. It works well. It is a voice verification system which allows ut to have the digital recording along with matching up about 10 factors with the card.

Please feel free to post your reviews. It would be best to leave all negativity out. :)
 
Merchant Account Providers
-----------------------------
Add Authorize.net to your list they are great :thumbup:
Thanks for the detailed post I'm sure a lot will benefit from it!
Reagrds,
 
Chris,

I apologize, I took it as you were being sarcastic. I did not leave reviews of my own and that is what I though you meant by it.

CDGCommerce.com does provide authorize.net has one of their gateway providers. Great gateways I agree.
 
Thats ok, apology accepted. Just try to be more careful next time, as sometimes these things can cause big controversies.
 
Great post so far, I have a suggestion though, maybe adding links to each of the services would be more helpful to the new hosts as they may not know where to find them.
 
Jacko,

That is a great idea. Here they are.

Control Panels
------------------------
cPanel/WHM
Plesk
Direct Admin
H-Sphere
Ensim

Billing Software
-----------------------
WHM.Autopilot
Modern Bill
AWBS
Whois.Cart
Client Exec
Lpanel
PHPCoin

Merchant Account Providers
-----------------------------
CDGCommerce
Paypal
modernauthorize
ibill
worldpay
2checkout

Support Software
------------------------------
eSupport
Support Trio
Cerberus

Support Video's
------------------------------
Demodemo

Domain Resellers
------------------------------
Directi
Enom

SSL Resellers
-----------------------------
Geotrust
SSLFactory

Fruad Prevention
---------------------------
fraudguardian
fraudgate

Out Source Tech Support (We do not use them)
---------------------------------
touchsupport
bobcares

Other hosts will you please contribute. Provide a review and help the hostingdiscussion.com community grow. It will be better for the entire world. :)
 
I would be careful about referring to things like "Paypal" and "iBill" as "Merchant Account Providers". They are payment collection services, but not providers of Merchant Accounts. Sometimes, I have seen people who use Paypal or 2Checkout displaying credit card logos on their web site... that's a good way to get in a lot of trouble from Visa or Mastercard if it gets noticed.
 
ArielHost said:
I would be careful about referring to things like "Paypal" and "iBill" as "Merchant Account Providers". They are payment collection services, but not providers of Merchant Accounts. Sometimes, I have seen people who use Paypal or 2Checkout displaying credit card logos on their web site... that's a good way to get in a lot of trouble from Visa or Mastercard if it gets noticed.
Click to expand...

I agree.

Merchat Gateway: works between customer's bank account and your bank account for money transfer. So it works as integrated unit in most of hosting control panels. Generally payment is credited automatically in clients account.
Example: LinkPoint, AuthorizeNet, Paradata.

Payment processors: Are also called "web payment system" . Here when you choose to pay, you are taken to their site (payment processors) and then you pay. In most of the cases, this payment needs to be credited manually in client's account. Example : 2CheckOut, Paypal, Worldpay, GestPay

Both are quite different.

Here I would also appericiate BHNSupport for an effort to help new hosts :thumbup:

Also, I would like to add that an open forum is also essential. vB, PhpBB etc.

Thankyou.
 
Also, I would like to add that an open forum is also essential.
Click to expand...
That really depends on the target market. While most resellers will use forums, most offline business owners/managers won't. A phone # will be of much more value in their eyes (even though it might not be the best venue for support).
 
Last edited:
Zachary I like the idea,
here are some other things you could add:

Control Panels:
Webmin

Support Software:
Intellodesk
PHP Live Support

:)
 
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