Host4Africa.com
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If you have any queries about our products or the information relating to them please feel free to fill in the form below and one of our consultants will contact you as soon as possible.

Please keep in mind that requests can unfortunately only be processed during office hours.






FAQ
If you have a question which you cannot find answered here, then please send an e-mail to help@host4africa.com
Domain Names
Technical Information
Password Information
Billing & Invoices
Miscellaneous
Creating Email Addresses
Website
FrontPage
Why is Host4africa so cheap?
Quick Guides

Domain Names

Which domain name extensions are available?
You have the choice of registering a .co.za, .com, .net, .org, .info, za.net, za.org, .org.za, .co.uk, .org.uk or a .biz domain name.

Do you register the domain name, in the owners' name?
Yes.

I have submitted a transfer request for my domain name. Will you accept the transfer ticket?
No. Host4africa.com does not vote on transfer requests. It is the responsibility of the domain name registrant or owner to accept or decline the transfer.

Can I host a domain name not listed above?
Yes, provided you register your own domain name.

I have transfered my domain name, why are you still billing me?
Transferring a domain name does not constitute a cancellation of your services. You still have to cancel your services with us.

How do I add additional domains to my existing account?
You need to complete a new hosting application form for each new domain.

How do I accept a .co.za update request (also know as a COZA Ticket)?
The update request email contains all the information. You may also consult our "How to accept a .co.za ticket" guide.

What are the DNS servers I need to use if I am going to transfer or register my own domain name?
Once we have received your application and we have configured your services, we will send you an email containing the correct DNS servers to use.

How long does it take to register a .co.za domain name?
A .co.za domain name is usually registered within an hour and then takes about 8 - 24 hours to propagate around the world.

How long does it take to register a .org.za domain name?
A .org.za domain name is usually registered within 12 hours and then takes about 8 - 24 hours to propagate around the world.

How long does it take to register a .com, .net, .org, .info or .biz domain name?
A .com, .net, .org, .info or .biz domain name is usually registered within an hour and then takes about 8 - 48 hours to propagate around the world.

How long does it take to register a .co.uk or .org.uk domain name?
A .co.uk or .org.uk domain name is usually registered within 12 hours and then takes about 8 - 48 hours to propagate around the world.

How long does it take to register a .za.net or .za.org domain name?
.za.net or .za.org domain names are free domain names. The registration of these domain names, may take as little as 3 days but usually takes 14 days. We have seen cases where it took 3 months to be registered.

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Technical Information

I am seeing abnormal traffic in my logs from Googlebot. Why is that?
You will have to make the decision - Either disallow the robots (like Googlebot) from some or all of your images and pages, upgrade your hosting option or server, or pay for more bandwidth. You must decide if the cost of the bandwidth is worth the benefit that having all of your pages and images listed in Google brings.

I am using a Wireless Business Solutions (WBS / iBurst) connection and can not send mail, why is this?
WBS / iBurst have decided to block all outgoing port 25 (SMTP) traffic. Port 25 is the port assigned by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) for SMTP traffic and is the worldwide standard. Please contact your connectivity provider for a solution. For more information, please see: » ITWeb

What is your current server uptime?
We have managed a server uptime of 99.9% over the last 12 months.

How to FTP?
Please see our Quick guide.

Do you monitor your servers?
Yes. We monitor the servers and the services on each server on a 24 x 7 basis.

Can I request additional POP mailboxes over and above the quota included account?
No. You need to upgrade a larger account to get more POP3 accounts. You will only be able to add additional POP3 accounts to the largest of our hosting options.

How do I set-up or change my email account?
You need to set it up via your control panel. Also see Creating Email Addresses.

Do you support catch-all mailboxes?
Yes. Catch-all mailboxes are not enabled by default.

I can not open the attachment attached to my email, what should I do?

I can see the attachment in the email, but it is greyed-out, what should
To resolve this problem please do the following:
  1. Open Outlook Express 6 and click on Tools then Options.
  2. Select the Security tab.
  3. Remove the tick mark next to '' Do not allow attachments to be saved oropened that could potentially be a virus ''.
  4. Save the setting and restart the program.
Why I'm I getting the error: '553 sorry, that domain isn't in my list of allowed rcpthosts'?
Our mail servers requires POP before SMTP authentication:

You have to "authenticate first" on our servers by getting your mail (POP), then the mail server opens a "Relay Window" for you during which you can send email using the SMTP server.

When this window is expired, you will see your outgoing mail bounce back to you with this error.

Solution: Hit your "Get messages" or "Check mail" button to reopen a new window, and resend your message.

Note: To relay using SMTP, you need to enable it in the mail client.

  1. In Outlook & Outlook Express, check the box saying "My Outgoing Mail server requires Authentication" under the servers tab in the properties of your Mail account.
  2. In Eudora, check the "Authentication allowed" checkbox under the SMTP server name.
How long does it take for my autoresponder to be activated?
Autoresponders usually start to respond to emails, within 10 minutes after being activated.

What is auto-responders?
An auto-responders is a computer program that automatically responds with a prewritten message to anyone who sends an e-mail message to a particular e-mail address or uses an online feedback form.

How do I set-up my database?
You need to set it up via your control panel.

I want to register my own domain name. Who can I use?
http://www.register-it.co.za

Do you support JAVA/Java Servelets/JSP?
Yes, it is supported on certain hosting options.

Do you support ASP or ASP.NET?
No.

I get a "Page Not Found" error when I attempt to go to the Control Panel.
If you have a firewall on your machine or are attempting to access the control panel from a network, with a firewall that is blocking access to port 8443, you will receive the error this error.

How can I bypass all cache servers?
Adding a question mark (?) after the URL that your are requesting, will cause all caches to fetch the updated page, since they will assume that you are accessing dynamic content. e.g. "http://www.host4africa.com/?" or see our Quick guide.

How long will it take until I can upload my web pages to your site?
You will be provided with your FTP access details and FrontPage access details in your set-up information. It will take 36+ hours from when you placed the order for domain name propagation to complete.

Do you offer unlimited bandwidth?
No. We offer un-metered bandwidth and do not bill for bandwidth used. There exists no such thing as unlimited bandwidth. All bandwidth is limited.

I am using Windows XP and cannot connect to the FTP server. What is the problem?
Microsoft has made the decision to enable, by default, the built-in firewall in Windows XP. The Internet Connection Firewall (ICF) is automatically enabled when you install Service Pack 2 (SP2) or later.

How do I disable the Internet Connection Firewall (ICF) on Windows XP?
We recommend that you do have a firewall running on your computer. This is to protect you from the threats on the internet. To disable the ICF, please follow the link: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/using/howto/homenet/icf.asp

Which firewall should I be using?
The choice of a firewall is a personal choice. We at Host4Africa.com have had a number of good experiences with Sygate Personal Firewall (SPF).

I have made changes on my site, but they do not appear why?
Possible reasons for the problem might be one or more of the following:
  • Your ISP is running transparent proxy servers on their dialup network. These proxy servers may have the old site cached.
  • The site could be cached on your local computer.
  • When you are on the site press "Ctrl + F5", this will force the browser to fetch the latest information from the server.
  • Disable any proxy server set-up in your browser.
How do I stop Internet Explorer to make use of a proxy server?
Click on Tools | Internet Options | Connections | LAN Settings | Unselect use a proxy server.

How do I make sure that Internet Explorer, retrieves the information from the server, everytime I visit my site?
To correct this problem please follow the following steps, Open up Internet Explorer | Click on Tools | Internet Options | Under General | Go to Temporary Internet Files | Click on Settings | move the "Dot" to Every visit to the page.

How is my disk space usage calculated?
Your disk space usage is calculated once a day based on the amount of data used by the following services:
  • web site
  • log files
  • databases
  • mailboxes
  • web applications
  • mailing lists
  • domain backup files
Possible reasons for the Proxy problem might be one or more of the following:
  • Your ISP is running transparent proxy servers on their dialup network. These proxy servers may have the old site cached.
  • The site could be cached on your local computer. To correct this problem please follow the following steps, Open up Internet Explorer | Click on Tools | Internet Options | Under General | Go to Temporary Internet Files | Click on Settings | move the "Dot" to "Every visit to the page".
  • When you are on the site press "Ctrl + F5", this will force the browser to fetch the latest information from the server.
  • Disable any proxy server set-up in your browser, click on Tools | Internet Options | Connections | LAN Settings | unselect use a proxy server.
Turning off and turning on Norton AntiVirus Auto-Protect
Please go to: "http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/nav.nsf/docid/1997121131456".

How do I turn off the "Leave a copy of message on server" feature in Outlook 2003?
To disable the "Leave a copy of message on server" feature in Outlook 2003, you have to do the following:
  1. Start Outlook 2003
  2. On the Tools menu select E-mail Accounts
  3. In the next window select the option View or change existing e-mail accounts and click the button Next
  4. In the following window click the button More Settings
  5. In the next window click the tab Advanced
  6. Disable the option near the bottom called Leave a copy of messages on the server
  7. Click OK
  8. Click Next
  9. Repeat steps 2 through 5 for each POP account in the list
  10. Click Finish
  11. Close Outlook 2003
  12. Start Outlook 2003
Do you support Joomla (http://www.joomla.org)?
Yes. We suggest that you always run the latest version and upgrade regularly. Currently the latest version is:

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Password Information

Please explain your password format?
We have found that some clients use fonts on their computers, which blurs the difference between a 0 (zero) and a O (uppercase ohh), as well as the difference between a l (lowercase el), I (uppercase eye) and 1 (one), to name but a few examples. All our passwords consist of 9 characters, of which 2 are uppercase characters and 2 are digits. The rest are lowercase characters.

I have problems with my username and password, what can I do?
We recommend that you copy and paste the username and password from the email into a text editor, like Notepad for instance. This is to prevent you from copying any additional spaces. Then you should copy the username and password from the text editor into the program as required.

What is the maximum length of a password?
Your passwords should not exceed 14 characters in length.

How do I retrieve my username and password?
  1. Please go to: "http://www.host4africa.com/myaccount/"
  2. Click on the "look up" button.
  3. Enter your domain name in the "Domain name:" field.
  4. Select "Contact type:" as Customer.
  5. Click on the "next step" button.
  6. You will receive an email with your username and password.
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Billing & Invoices

I have transfered my domain name, why are you still billing me?
You have to cancel your services with us. We will continue to bill you until you inform us of your intention to no longer make use of our services.

I want to update my bank account details. When is the best time?
You may update your bank account details at any time. We do however suggest that you do it before the 20th of the month to make sure it is in time for the next month's debit order.

How do I pay for my hosting?
The charges applicable to your account will be deducted via debit order. The first debit order deduction will include a pro-rata fee (if applicable) one month's hosting fees and the domain name registration costs (if applicable).

When will the first payment be deducted?
The first debit order will be on or shortly after the 1st of the month following the month in which you subscribed. If our debit order system has been closed for the current month, the first deduction will be on or shortly after the 1st of the second month following the month in which you subscribed.

Will you only bill me once my website is active?
No. You will be billed from the date you apply.

How can you bill me if I have not uploaded my site yet?
We have had to allocate space to you on our servers and that unfortunately incurs costs.

Do you send out invoices?
No. Invoices are available online, in the "» my account" section, to view/print/download.

How will I receive invoices of my account?
We do not send out invoices. Invoices are available online, in the "» my account" section, to view/print/download.

How will I receive statements of my account?
We do not send out statements. Statements are available online, in the "» my account" section, to view/print/download.

How do I cancel my hosting?
You need to send a request to terminate your hosting together with instructions as to the disposal of your domain name to accountenquiries@host4africa.com. The request must originate from the email address we have on record for you and you need to include a scanned copy of a recognised and legible copy of a identity document. (e.g. passport, drivers license or national identity document.) Cancellation requests originating from an alternative email address will be ignored.

Do you accept monthly payments via Credit card?
No. However this could change in the future. For more information contact us at help@host4africa.com.

Do you accept monthly payments via Debit card?
No.

Do you accept monthly payments via EFT or cash deposit?
Yes, although only signups in which an annual (12 months) payments option is selected. For more information contact us at help@host4africa.com.

What happens if my debit order is returned or rejected?
You will be sent an email asking you to settle your account in 48 hours. You will need to deposit the returned amount together with the admin fee. You account will be suspended should you fail to settle the outstanding account. The outstanding amount will be debited from your account on the next debit run and your account will be instated shortly after that if the debit is successful.

I forgot to submit a cancellation and want a refund as I have not been using your services?
We have had to allocate space to you on our servers and that unfortunately incurs costs.

If a change occurs to my contact or banking details, how do I ensure that this is updated?
Please select the "» my account" option and update your details. We may request that certain updates be submitted via fax together with a copy of your Identity Document.

I have updated my bank account details but you have not made use of it, why?
You must make sure that all bank account updates reaches us before the 20th of the month, to be included in the following months debit order run. If the update is made after the 20th, we will use the current details we have on record.

Do you accept annual payments?
Yes. We accept payments on a monthly, quarterly, bi-annually and an annual basis. You will be able to select the period, during signup.

What is a pro-rata amount?
A pro-rata amount or pro-rata fee, is a portion of the full amount calculated by using the number of days left in the month. We charge you this amount from the day that you signup till the end of the month.

Why do we charge a pro-rata amount?
We charge you a pro-rata amount to recover funds for the services rendered from the day that you signed up, until the end of the month.

How do you calculate the the pro-rata amount?
The pro-rata amount is calculated as follows:

Pro-Rata Amount = Monthly charge for hosting option X (Number of days in current month - Current day)
Number of days in current month

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Miscellaneous

Do you offer a reseller program or reseller discount?
No. You are however more than welcome to resell the hosting you have with us.

May I signup with you and then resell the services to my clients?
Yes. You are our client and as such we will deal with you.

Where are your servers located?
Our servers are located in the state of Texas, in the USA.

If I signup multiple accounts do I qualify for discount?
No. Our prices are as low as they can be.

Do you offer any form of discount?
No.

May I upgrade at any time?
Yes.

What does it cost to upgrade?
We do not charge you anything for the actual upgrade. You will however pay the new monthly fee and a pro-rata amount for the upgraded period.

Norton Antivirus issue.
This page was created to help users find a fix to the Norton Antivirus issue caused by a Dec 6th, 2004 update that left users unable to receive mail. In Outlook Express this is Error 0x800ccc0F.

You can find the fix from Symantec by clicking on the first yellow plus sign which states "Download an updated version of a Symantec shared file", which can be found on the page:

http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/sharedtech.nsf/docid/2004120916505213

Once this plus sign becomes a minus sign you will find instructions under it.

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Creating Email Addresses

  1. Log into the Control Panel (https://www.host4africa.com:8443/), with your username and password.
  2. Click on your domain name e.g. (host4africa.com).
  3. Click on the 'Mail' button.
  4. Enter the first part of the email address in the 'Mail name:' field. e.g. 'sales' when creating the email address sales@host4africa.com.
  5. Click on the 'Add' button.
  6. Select the 'Mailbox' option.
  7. Enter a password in the 'New Password:' field and the 'Confirm Password:' field.
  8. Click on the 'Update' button, at the bottom of the form.
  9. You have just created your email address. You may now logout or add another email address.
You are also able to redirect your mail to a different email address. You may also activate autoresponders, if they are supported by your hosting option. All this is done via the Control Panel.
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Website

Please remember that the first file (page) of your website must be one of the filenames below:
  • index.html *
  • index.htm
  • index.php **
* Preferred for static sites.
** Preferred for PHP sites.

Files will also be accessed in the order listed above. This means that if you have both an index.html file and an index.htm file for instance, the content in the index.html file will display first.

What is the purpose of the at_domains_index.html file that was created in the httpdocs and httpsdocs directories?
The at_domains_index.html redirect file is automatically created by Plesk in your httpdocs and httpsdocs directories when you select the "Enable webuser@domain.com access format" in the web user preferences section of your control panel. If you do not need to have your web user's files accessed via http://user@yourdomain.com, then just deselect that option and the at_domains_index.html file will be removed.

Do you monitor the content of my website?
No.

What is your policy surrounding content?
We allow any content as long as you are not breaking a law.

What is your policy surrounding adult content?
We allow any content as long as you are not breaking a law.

What policies must I adhere to?
We recommend that you familiarise yourself with our Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) and our Terms And Conditions (TAC). You will find the information listed at the URLs below:
What will happen if I host illegal content?
Once the authorities have informed us, we will give them all the assistance they require.

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FrontPage

Do you still support FrontPage?
Microsoft officially ended support for FrontPage on 30 June 2006. We will officially terminate FrontPage support on 31 December 2007.

May I use FTP and FrontPage to upload my website?
We recommend that you do NOT use both. Choose one and stick with it.

Will I break my FrontPage server extensions if I use FTP?
Most likely, you will. If you insist on using FTP, never upload or delete any of the _vti_* directories.

My FrontPage server extensions stopped functioning. What now?
Send an email to our support team. They will delete the whole site and re-install the FrontPage server extensions. You will then have to publish the site again.

How do I publish my site with FrontPage?
Please see our guides on how to publish with FrontPage 2000/2002 and FrontPage 2003.
Do I have different access details for FrontPage and FTP?
Yes.

FrontPage continually asks me for my username and password. Why?
More than likely your FrontPage server extensions have been damaged. Please contact our support team.

Is FrontPage server extensions very delicate and temperamental?
Yes.

Should I use FrontPage?
If you have access to it, you are welcome to use it. FrontPage makes it easy to manage a website.

Will you support the advanced FrontPage 2003 features?
No. Microsoft will not be releasing FrontPage 2003 Server Extensions.

What versions of FrontPage will work with the FrontPage 2002 Server Extensions?
To our knowledge, the following clients are compatible:
  • FrontPage 98
  • FrontPage 2000
  • FrontPage 2002
  • FrontPage 2003 (Without the advanced features)
For more information on publishing with FrontPage see our Quick Guides:
You receive a "Cannot run the FrontPage Server Extensions on this page" error message when you use the File Upload feature in FrontPage 2003.
Please read this article from Microsoft.

I receive a "Cannot run the FrontPage Server Extensions on this page" error message.
Please read this article from Microsoft.

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Why is Host4africa so cheap?

  1. We do not include telephonic support in our options as a standard. If we were to do this, we would have to increase prices.
  2. We host our servers in the USA, where bandwidth is VERY cheap.
  3. We give our clients a large amount of control over what they can do with their domain via our Control Panel. This leads to us having to do less support and as such is able to pass the cost savings to our users.
  4. We have a highly automated system.
  5. We have experienced IT personnel that know how to get things done fast and reliably.
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