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Activating CGI - a sorry tale

gandb
Dabbler
Posts: 14
Registered: ‎01-09-2009

Activating CGI - a sorry tale

I has the misfortune to try to activate CGI on my webspace last Monday (24/8). More than a week later, it's still not useable.
OK, so telnet access is disabled.  But I can't get in via ftp at all, so can't do a thing!  I've raised a ticket, but got nowhere - just conflicting responses and advice - so I assume the support staff don't know what to do.  The last one basically said forget it and go to PAYH.  I thought I was paying Plusnet to host my website!
What happened:
Mon 24/8: activate CGI and MySQL. Receive MySQL email, database set up, all ok. Receive nothing about CGI
Wed 26/8: raise ticket asking for my CGI login and pwd as no email received.
Thu 27/8: no response yet so add chaser to ticket
Fri 28/8: receive 1st response which says there's no problem with my CGI, but my "files are hosted on a separate server, meaning your domain as standard wouldn't be pointing towards this, we can point your domain to the CGI server if you like?" I reply yes please
Fri evening: I chase again
Sat 29/8: another reply saying no problem with my CGI!
Mon 31/8: I reply "I am still unable to run php scripts on my website. I cannot browse or ftp to ccgi.gandb.plus.com. I cannot telnet to cshell.plus.net (and I haven't received the cgi-activation email telling me the password for ftp/telnet)"
Tue 1/9: another reply saying no problem with my CGI!
So I phoned. The guy didn't want the ticket number, didn't know the details and told my to telnet in!  I explained that telnet access is disabled (news to him!) but that ftp didn't work either as I don't have a password.  At that stage, he said "go to PAYH".  I asked where I could get details; he didn't  know and suggested I google it!
So I'm about to leave plusnet - and not to PAYH.  That'll be broadband, phone and webhosting - the lot.
4 REPLIES 4
bobpullen
Community Gaffer
Community Gaffer
Posts: 16,869
Thanks: 4,950
Fixes: 315
Registered: ‎04-04-2007

Re: Activating CGI - a sorry tale

I'll take a look at your account now and see if I can figure out what's happened...
Edit: I've added some details to your ticket. Basically it looks like there's a problem with new CGI activations since we disabled SSH access. Let me know if you need any more details after reading the comments I've added to your ticket.

Bob Pullen
Plusnet Product Team
If I've been helpful then please give thanks ⤵

gandb
Dabbler
Posts: 14
Registered: ‎01-09-2009

Re: Activating CGI - a sorry tale

Thanks, Bob - I now understand what's going on and will wait for the rebuilt CGI platform...
Geoff
gandb
Dabbler
Posts: 14
Registered: ‎01-09-2009

Re: Activating CGI - a sorry tale

Thanks Bob - you've now resolved the problem and I'm a happy bunny again!
Regular readers won't be surprised that it took Bob to resolve it!
xpcomputers
Grafter
Posts: 461
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎13-04-2007

Re: Activating CGI - a sorry tale

If I remember back to the last time I activated CCGI access on an account, the implication was that I'd receive an email with the details, but if you look elsewhere, it is reported that NO such email is ever sent out! I think this was a problem with one of the help or signup pages wrongly saying about an email. The username & password are your usual ones to start with, but the password is stored independently, so if you change it, then it will be different from your main username & password set from then onwards (same applies in reverse if you change main password and not CCGI one).
I did request a while back that the misleading help pages, were updated to remove this ambiguity. Of course it isn't helped by the fact that people signing up for CCGI often sign up fr MYSQL at the same time. Of course, the help pages for that correctly tell you, you will receive an email with the database details, which DO arrive.
Once you know what you are doing, it is normally fairly straight forward.
Mike