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Maintaining PlusNet hosting from a non-PlusNet Phone Line

Ruyton
Grafter
Posts: 26
Registered: ‎06-11-2014

Maintaining PlusNet hosting from a non-PlusNet Phone Line

I author a website for the organisation remotely from a non-PlusNet (Force 9) telephone line.  Unfortunately, this appears to give me limited access to the webspace hosting control panel, only allowing access to the Standard hosting options.  I am unable to log in to setup the CGI hosting as my username and password are not accepted as I'm using the non-Plusnet line.
It isn't practical for me to travel to the site where the phone line is registered, besides which, they do not have the web authoring software anyway (wrong OS).
As I have no access to the CGI hosting, I've had to resort to hosting some of the cleverer web pages on another host, linked from the PlusNet site - and make those pages look as if they are on the main site - very cumbersome and time consuming.
I can't believe that I have to be on the PlusNet phone line to properly manage the website, but this is what I am being told every time I ask the question.  It's all getting too difficult now and I'm considering telling the account holder to move to another provider, although they went for the PlusNet package as it provides the phone/Internet and web hosting package as a single deal.  Maybe they will have to bite the bullet and pay for an additional hosting service that I can actually work with.
I wonder if anybody has any ideas here or can maybe correct my assumptions?
22 REPLIES 22
bobpullen
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Re: Maintaining PlusNet hosting from a non-PlusNet Phone Line

I'm confused! Huh
Quote from: Ruyton
I author a website for the organisation remotely from a non-PlusNet (Force 9) telephone line.  Unfortunately, this appears to give me limited access to the webspace hosting control panel, only allowing access to the Standard hosting options.

Customers can access the CGI Hosting Control Panel from any Internet connection (assuming they have access to the service).
Quote from: Ruyton
I am unable to log in to setup the CGI hosting as my username and password are not accepted as I'm using the non-Plusnet line.

The reason is more likely due to you using an incorrect username and/or password Wink
Quote from: Ruyton
I can't believe that I have to be on the PlusNet phone line to properly manage the website, but this is what I am being told every time I ask the question.

When were you told this!? In a response from our support team earlier today, you were actually advised to the contrary.
When you're trying to log into the Hosting Control Panel, what format are you using for the username? It should be 'ccgi.username.force9.co.uk' and the password you should have been emailed when the CGI webspace was migrated to a different provider earlier in the year. Failing that, you could try using the forgotten password link but if you do, make sure you enter the account username as I've advised.

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

Ruyton
Grafter
Posts: 26
Registered: ‎06-11-2014

Re: Maintaining PlusNet hosting from a non-PlusNet Phone Line

Bob,
Thanks for the quick reply.
I'll dig out the appropriate message from way back regarding accessing the CGI hosting control panel from a non-Plusnet line.
I must be using the wrong username and password, this is where I am:
- I can log into the PlusNet (Force 9) member area by using my User Name and Password - all good.
- ! can go to My Account and Website settings and I can see 2 icons - Standard Hosting and PlusNet CGI Hosting
- Clicking on CGI Hosting brings up a PlusNet login screen.  I have NEVER been able to get beyond this point using the same User Name and Password at to log into the member area.  Is this where I'm going wrong?
- This means that although I have been running the website using Standard Hosting for a number of years, I've never been able to get into the CGI 'bit' to activate it and use it.
- As I hadn't activated CGI, I obviously haven't been migrated and therefore haven't received a new password so where do I go from here please.
- I don't recall ever being instructed to use 'ccgi.username.force9.co.uk' to log into anything, but I've just tried that (with my username) to do a password reset and I'm waiting to see if an email arrives Smiley
Thanks again for your help with this matter.
bobpullen
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Re: Maintaining PlusNet hosting from a non-PlusNet Phone Line

Quote from: Ruyton
I'll dig out the appropriate message from way back regarding accessing the CGI hosting control panel from a non-Plusnet line.

Worth noting that access to the platform /was/ restricted prior to migration to Hostopia.
Quote from: Ruyton
- Clicking on CGI Hosting brings up a PlusNet login screen.  I have NEVER been able to get beyond this point using the same User Name and Password at to log into the member area.  Is this where I'm going wrong?

Yes, almost certainly. As mentioned in my previous reply, the username is probably in the format 'ccgi.username.force9.co.uk' (minus quotes).
Quote from: Ruyton
- As I hadn't activated CGI, I obviously haven't been migrated and therefore haven't received a new password so where do I go from here please.

The account has been migrated, so there must have been some active CGI space associated with it at some point.
Quote from: Ruyton
- I don't recall ever being instructed to use 'ccgi.username.force9.co.uk' to log into anything, but I've just tried that (with my username) to do a password reset and I'm waiting to see if an email arrives Smiley

Let me know if it doesn't turn up.

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

Ruyton
Grafter
Posts: 26
Registered: ‎06-11-2014

Re: Maintaining PlusNet hosting from a non-PlusNet Phone Line

Thanks Bob, no email as yet but hopefully it will arrive soon Smiley
Here is the body of the response I got to my ticket when I said that I couldn't access the CGI control panel:
DATE: 2013-03-11 11:35:32
FROM: <support@plus.net>
We are pleased to be able to inform you that a member of our Customer Support
Centre has now escalated your Question [number  66817151 ]
for further investigation.
The following comment was added to the Question
Dear Mr ******
Thank you for getting in touch with us about your CGI space.
I have checked the connection details and this shows me that you are only able to access the CGI space when on a plusnet connection so I believe this is why you are having difficulties. Can you please try to access this page from your connection with us to see if issues persist.
Please do not hesitate to get back in touch online at https://portal.plus.net/wizard/?p=search if we can be of any further assistance.
Kind regards,
Ruyton
Grafter
Posts: 26
Registered: ‎06-11-2014

Re: Maintaining PlusNet hosting from a non-PlusNet Phone Line

OK, I'm in Smiley
I've found the CGI email with the new username and Password in my archive.  I completely ignored it due to the support ticket response received previously.
No password reset email received, but used password in the email to log on and set a new password,
So, need to read up now to see how to get the site onto the CGI space.
Thanks
Gary
Ruyton
Grafter
Posts: 26
Registered: ‎06-11-2014

Re: Maintaining PlusNet hosting from a non-PlusNet Phone Line

Right, I've activated my CCGI hosting account and am happily uploading to the new address cgi.username.force9.co.uk and I can see the site at that address.
When I've finished sorting the site out, how do I get my existing domain www.username.org to point at the new ccgi address?
I think that I need alter the DNS settings, do I do this through the ccgi web management interface?
Getting there slowly Smiley
bobpullen
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Re: Maintaining PlusNet hosting from a non-PlusNet Phone Line

Quote from: Ruyton
When I've finished sorting the site out, how do I get my existing domain www.username.org to point at the new ccgi address?

Raise a support ticket and we'll sort it out for you.

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

Ruyton
Grafter
Posts: 26
Registered: ‎06-11-2014

Re: Maintaining PlusNet hosting from a non-PlusNet Phone Line

Bob,
That's fantastic, thank you Smiley
I'll get the site sorted at the ccgi address then raise a ticket.
Much happier now, don't know why I didn't try the forum before!
Regards
Gary
Ruyton
Grafter
Posts: 26
Registered: ‎06-11-2014

Re: Maintaining PlusNet hosting from a non-PlusNet Phone Line

OK, getting there slowly.  Plusnet kindly changed my DNS setting to point at the CCGI webspace, but after 72 hours I am still seeing the 'Standard hosting' website at my domain www.rafars.org
The 'new' CCGI site looks good at ccgi.rafars.force9.co.uk but still seeing the old site at my domain address.
Having read further, I believe that I now need to request the following to be able to see the CCGI site at www.rafars.org?
"Change the CGI service to basic"
I have just raised a support ticket, but the response time seems faster via this forum Smiley
bobpullen
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Registered: ‎04-04-2007

Re: Maintaining PlusNet hosting from a non-PlusNet Phone Line

I've just bounced the ticket back to you.

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

Ruyton
Grafter
Posts: 26
Registered: ‎06-11-2014

Re: Maintaining PlusNet hosting from a non-PlusNet Phone Line

Thanks Bob, ticket comment received.
Ruyton
Grafter
Posts: 26
Registered: ‎06-11-2014

Re: Maintaining PlusNet hosting from a non-PlusNet Phone Line

Bob,
Still no joy.  Domain is www.rafars.org and ccgi webspace is ccgi.rafars.force9.co.uk but still seeing old site hosted on homepages.force9.net rather than the new ccgi site.
This is what I get from an NS Lookup
DNS server handling your query: localhost
DNS server's address: 127.0.0.1#53

Non-authoritative answer:
www.rafars.org canonical name = homepages.force9.net.
homepages.force9.net canonical name = hp.force9.net.
Name: hp.force9.net
Address: 212.159.8.90
Name: hp.force9.net
Address: 212.159.9.90
A question - should there be a full stop after the domain name in the Left Field of the 'A Type' redirect to the ne IP address?
I know that there should be a full stop after the address in the Right Field of the CNAME but I've got one in the left field too.
Screenshot of a web Domain Health Check include - although there are no dates on this errors, so maybe of little use?
Regards
Gary
Ruyton
Grafter
Posts: 26
Registered: ‎06-11-2014

Re: Maintaining PlusNet hosting from a non-PlusNet Phone Line

Thanks Bob, got your message via the ticket system.
Ruyton
Grafter
Posts: 26
Registered: ‎06-11-2014

Re: Maintaining PlusNet hosting from a non-PlusNet Phone Line

It looks like the DNS redirect has gone through OK now, but now I'm getting a 403 error.
DNS server handling your query: localhost
DNS server's address: 127.0.0.1#53

Non-authoritative answer:
www.rafars.org canonical name = rafars.org.
Name: rafars.org
Address: 91.136.8.9
Forbidden
You don't have permission to access / on this server. 403 Error