Frequently Asked Questions
System Requirements
Web Hosting Features and Benefits
Extra Web Hosting Features
E-Commerce
Domain Names
The Domain Name Registration
Process
Cost of Domain Name Registration
System Requirements
Which platform or operating system (OS) does Site
Served use?
Site Served currently offers only UNIX-based hosting. However,
plans are underway to offer Windows-based Web hosting in the
future.
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What kind of equipment do I need in order to use
Site Served’s Web Hosting services?
In order to use Site Served’s Web Hosting services,
all you need is a computer with Internet access and one of
our Web Hosting or E-Commerce packages.
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Web Hosting Features and Benefits
How can I measure how many people visit my site?
Our hosting products will come with a software application
that allows you to track the number of hits your site receives.
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Does my site come with mailboxes?
Yes. You’ll receive at least 30 mailboxes with your
Web Hosting package. Our most inclusive package comes with
40. You can also add extra mailboxes at any time via our Web
Hosting and E-Commerce Extras page.
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Does Site Served offer any ready-to-run CGI scripts?
Not at the moment. But soon we provide you with three ready-to-run
CGI scripts that you can add yourself. We also provide tools
to help you build a hit counter, message board, and guest
book for your site.
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Can I password-protect my Website?
Yes. You can password-protect as many areas of your site as
you’d like.
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Can I securely accept credit card transactions through
my Website?
Yes. If you want to sell merchandise on your website, you'll
want to consider one of our E-Commerce Packages.
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Does Site Served offer 24-hour technical support?
Yes. We offer technical support 24/7 via Email.
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Extra Web Hosting Features
Can Site Served design my site for me?
Yes. Site Served can design your site for you. We have many
packages to choose from to acomidate the individual customer
on up to the corporate entities.
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E-Commerce
What is e-commerce?
E-commerce is the ability to conduct business with customers,
suppliers, or partners on the Internet. This includes online
billing, online customer support, scheduling people and resources,
lead generation, accessing applications, and accessing databases.
When a customer, supplier, or partner visits your website,
he or she can then find your applications and databases.
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What is an e-commerce application?
E-commerce applications make it possible for you to sell goods
and services on your Website using a shopping cart, a merchant
account, and a payment gateway.
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What is a merchant account?
A merchant account is a commercial bank account established
by contractual agreement between your business and a chosen
bank. You need to have one in order to accept credit card
payments online. Merchant accounts are included with most
of Site Served’s E-Commerce Packages. You can then conduct
online transactions via a payment gateway.
A merchant account is an optional feature, priced separately,
of Site Served E-Commerce Packages.
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What is a payment gateway?
An online shopping cart application posts and communicates
order information through a payment gateway, which allows
your bank’s payment processor to authorize, process,
and manage online transactions. The payment gateway approves
or declines orders in real time. If it’s approved, the
order is then processed as pending.
You can access the Gateway Graphical User Interface (sometimes
also referred to as the Payment Gateway front end) in order
to complete the transaction. Once the order has been shipped,
you collect the money through the payment gateway.
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What is a shopping cart application?
Shopping carts are a key component of online stores. Your
Website must display them in order to sell products or services
online. A shopping cart application allows your customers
to browse your products and services, which are presented
as images with text descriptions and prices.
The shopping cart itself is a virtual shopping basket that
allows your customers to keep track of what they want to buy.
They can purchase multiple items in whatever quantity they’d
like.
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Domain Names
What is a domain name?
A domain name is a name that you choose as your Web address.
It's what people type into their Web browsers to get to your
Web site. For example, siteserved.com is a registered domain
name for Site Served. Customers who don't have a domain name
or names can pay to register one when they purchase any Site
Served Web Hosting or Site Served E-Commerce package.
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How do I register a domain name through Site Served?
Domain name registration through Site Served is available
with the purchase of any Site Served Web Hosting or Site Served
E-Commerce package. You can add domain name registration to
your Site Served Web hosting service by ordering online.
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Why would I want a domain name?
Any organization that wants to do business on the Internet
needs a domain name. A domain name identifies your business
and reinforces its branding, just like your company name and
slogan do. Your domain name makes it easy for your customers
(and potential customers) to find your company's website.
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Is a domain name the same as a URL?
Not exactly. But a domain name is at the core of every URL,
the unique Web address that locates every website. The URL
for the Site Served website is
http://www.siteserved.com. The siteserved.com part is the
domain name.
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Can I get any domain name I want?
No. Domain names are unique, and many names are already taken.
If you think you might want one, you should get it fast, while
you have more options. If you search for a domain name and
it's still available, Site Served can register the name for
you, then host your website.
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The Domain Name Registration Process
How should I choose my domain name?
That's up to you. Most established companies prefer to have
a domain name that mirrors their company name, like ibm.com,
disney.com, or nike.com. Often companies get a domain name
that coincides with one of its main products, like Coca-Cola
did by registering coke.com. If possible, companies and organizations
also like to register generic names or keywords that relate
to what they do. The Chicago Architecture Foundation, for
instance, is located online at architecture.com.
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What if the domain name I want is already taken?
If you search for a name and it is already taken, try searching
for variations of the name. Try lengthening or shortening
it. Try using synonyms. Try hyphenating words if you have
a two- or three-word name. Try searching for the same name
with a .net, .org, .biz, or .info suffix. Get more domain
search tips.
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Do I have to use a name that ends in .com?
No. You can also register names that end in .net, .org, .biz,
.us,and .info. Many companies are now registering the same
name in .com, .net, .org, .biz, and .info to protect their
corporate identities. And companies whose names are not available
ending in .com are turning to the other suffixes rather than
registering a domain that doesn't match their name.
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Should I register more than one domain name?
Maybe. Many companies are now registering the same name in
.com, .net, .org, .biz .us, and .info to fully protect their
corporate identities. It's possible that if you have a successful
Web site, a competitor could create a Web site with a similar
name, but ending in .net, .org, .biz .us, or .info in order
to confuse some of your customers.
You may also want to register multiple domain names if you
have multiple trademarks or product names that you want to
promote and protect.
You can register and purchase additional domain names and
arrange for them to redirect customers to your Web site using
EarthLink's Domain Pointing service.
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What if I already own a domain name? Can EarthLink
host it for me?
You don’t need to register your domain through Site
Served in order for us to host your site. Site Served can
host any domain ending in a TLD (top-level domain) recognized
by ICANN, the world’s Internet governing body. Your
Site Served sales or service representative can tell you how
to point your domain to your site once you start hosting it
with Site Served.
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How long does it take to register the domain name?
When you request a domain name through Site Served, we submit
the application for you. We usually know whether or not we
can register the name you requested within 24 hours.
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Cost of Domain Name Registration
How much does a domain name cost?
A new two-year domain registration costs $40. Web hosting
fees are separate.
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Who do I pay for the domain name registration?
Site Served will bill you for your new domain name at the
time of registration.
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