European users encountering 404/403 errors.

[NWLB]

My site, www.RoyalCaribbeanFan.com, has users, and people whom I've requested try to view the site, reporting 404/403 errors, IE: "You don't have permission to access /rcifan01 on this server."

One user, consulted with her ISP in the UK, and was able to view it, then the next day, couldn't. Another in Norway is reporting the same pattern.

Now I can access the site. Clearly my U.S. user base can view the site.

But I'm trying to gain some idea of what to tell these people.

My stats only indicate some seemingly routine errors going out due to wrong URLs being attempted, or a graphic image not being on the server.

Any experience anybody can lend? Directions to head?

ON EDIT:

My Norwiegian member said, for reasons I'm waiting to learn, he thought I was somehow using SpaceTrend for hosting. Is there any chance that Jaguar might mirror my site in Europe, for the sake of whatever reason?

[EuroNut]

people whom I've requested try to view the site, reporting 404/403 errors, IE: "You don't have permission to access /rcifan01 on this server."

One user, consulted with her ISP in the UK, and was able to view it, then the next day, couldn't. Another in Norway is reporting the same pattern.

It took me a minute to figure out how that URL is actually set up! I'm in the UK, and I could access the site, but there's some crazy redirecting going on which is probably behind the errors.

First, the link you quoted isn't hosted at Jag, and there is no /rcifan01 directory there. What there is is a redirect to another domain, hosted at Jag, with that folder, which then displays your web site as a sub-domain of the original domain you quoted.

The reason for the 403/404 error is when the redirect doesn't work (maybe because of people from Europe having a slower response from the non-Jag server than you who is nearer to it). If you move the domain that's not hosted at Jag to Jag, then you won't need the redirect and you can state the "true" URL to the /rcifan01 folder without having to use sub-domains and redirects off a slow (non-Jag) server.

[NWLB]

So basically I can blame Godaddy for making their service features out to give you flexibility, which in reality is messing the works up. I'd believe it.

If I point GoDaddy to the normal Jag DNS server ns.nocdirect.com, and I use the CP panel to created a parked domain name, can I point incoming traffic looking for that name, to a specific subdomain and file?

I DO NOT, at this time, nor for the foreseeable future, wish to Muti-host. I want the subdomain address visible to the search engines, etc.

[EuroNut]

So basically I can blame Godaddy for making their service features out to give you flexibility, which in reality is messing the works up. I'd believe it.

Hehe ... Far be it for me to knock GD. They sent some customers my way last month, so I'm full of loving for them

If I point GoDaddy to the normal Jag DNS server ns.nocdirect.com, and I use the CP panel to created a parked domain name, can I point incoming traffic looking for that name, to a specific subdomain and file?

Almost. To keep that URL exactly as you want it, then maybe

1) Create a sub-domain first - ro**car**f**.c***ficio**dos.com (I've blanked out some of the characters deliberately 'cos I don't want to mess with your search-engine work)

2) Within that sub-domain, create your /rcifan01, and upload all your data into that so it's ready to rock and roll once DNS starts to switch over.

3) Create a redirecting index.html or an .htaccess file to redirect from the root of the sub-domain you made (ro**car**f**.c***ficio**dos.com) to the sub-folder /rcifan01

4) Test you're happy with the redirect first by just typing the www.ro**car**f**.c***ficio**dos.com into your browser to make sure your URL works nicely the way you want it for your search engine stuff.

5) Switch the nameservers over from GD to JaguarPC.

I DO NOT, at this time, nor for the foreseeable future, wish to Muti-host. I want the subdomain address visible to the search engines, etc.

No problem - I hope the above works OK for you (someone will shout at me if I got it wrong)

[jason]

Multihosting is pointing a secondary domain name to subdomain of the primary domain name. It will not mask the secondary name in any way.

Here's the basics for multihosting:

You have two domains dogs.com and cats.com. You have a JPC plan for dogs.com already and you want to also host cats.com in the same account so you've set up cats.dogs.com as a subdomain.

Since the cats.com domain name is already resolving to a valid address cPanel will not let you set up the multihost yourself--you will have to open a support ticket. Just ask that your cats.com domain name be pointed at cats.dogs.com. Then change the nameservers on cats.com to the same ones you're using for dogs.com. When all of the propagation is done both cats.dogs.com and cats.com will resolve to the same content but neither will redirect to the other.

For purposes of good SEO you may want to redirect any requests for cats.dogs.com to cats.com via mod_rewirite, but this is optional and doesn't affect the performance of your site.

Hope this helps.

--Jason

[NWLB]

Sublime, smooth, cool like the other side of the pillow.

[NWLB]

Ah, just when you think is going to be easy.

I think the advice would have worked fine, but naturally, its turning into a game of ticket tag.

Since I also wanted to point another domain at the same subdomain, its "outside" of the normal multi-hosting path, so they want to charge $15. Joy. So now I have to back off of that, and have them just point one of the domains where I want it, and pray a previously problematic setup of redirects can work.

[NWLB]

Ah, just when you think is going to be easy.

Since I wanted a second domain pointed at the same address, that took it outside a "normal multi-hosting path" and would cost $15. So never mind on that point. I'm stuck having to go back and hope the sub domain I"m using won't be erased by using the cpanel, 24 hours or more from now.

What is frustrating about this, is that I have to wait 24 hours for the DNS to populate, then another 24 hours for Jags systems to get the multi-hosting setup right, and pray all that works well.

[EuroNut]

Ah, just when you think is going to be easy.

Since I wanted a second domain pointed at the same address, that took it outside a "normal multi-hosting path" and would cost $15. So never mind on that point.

Yeah, I can see that - Jag would have to put some special stuff in place for you. Bummer. Oh well, if and when you're inclined to move up the chain, you'll probably try reseller hosting first and start to see what the Jag guys have to play with.

What is frustrating about this, is that I have to wait 24 hours for the DNS to populate, then another 24 hours for Jags systems to get the multi-hosting setup right, and pray all that works well.

Nah. This is a trade secret, right, so don't breath a word to anyone else, but the 24 hours, 48 hours and 72 hours excuses that everyone doing anything to DNS states is the safety net that side-swipes 99% of the complaints that would arise if anyone claimed lesser timescales. The DNS database is the most humogenous distributed database on the planet, getting updates from all and sundry every second of the day. Where the system falls down is with the ISPs (cable/DSL/dialup) who cache everything and don't bother to keep up.

Personally, I'd put up the 15 bucks and get everything running sweetly - especially if you intend making money from your site(s). But it's your call, and I wish you good luck with them

[Vin DSL]

This is a trade secret, right, so don't breath a word to anyone else, but the 24 hours, 48 hours and 72 hours excuses that everyone doing anything to DNS states is the safety net that side-swipes 99% of the complaints that would arise if anyone claimed lesser timescales. The DNS database is the most humogenous distributed database on the planet, getting updates from all and sundry every second of the day. Where the system falls down is with the ISPs (cable/DSL/dialup) who cache everything and don't bother to keep up.

I love you!

You're the 4th person in the world to understand this!

[Vin DSL]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_file

zonefile.jpg

Shall we?

[EuroNut]

I love you!

You're the 4th person in the world to understand this!

Oh Vin, you sweetheart LOL (Where have you been hiding all day??? You missed the troll-bashing)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_file

zonefile.jpg

Shall we?

Sure! Let's! But, I really do need to get some sleep first - I have to be in my coffin before sun-up ya'know

[NWLB]

At some point, likely inside of 6 to 12 months, I'll have to upgrade the hosting service, simply from the increase in traffic. As for making money, its not doing that, but I'm not trying at this stage.

[jason]

What is frustrating about this, is that I have to wait 24 hours for the DNS to populate, then another 24 hours for Jags systems to get the multi-hosting setup right, and pray all that works well.

If support is doing the multihost setup for you they can do it while your domain still points at the old nameservers so your old setup can continue to work until you are sure that JPC is done (and this is something that cPanel/WHM does automatically and reliably, so there is little need to worry about mistakes). Then, when you switch over the DNS, *both* systems will continue to work for a short period of time (assuming that GoDaddy doesn't automatically disable the redirecting when you switch the DNS), so you won't have any downtime.

The 24-72 hour turnover time number is a bit antiquated at this point. Way back when in the mid-90's, when Network Solutions had control of everything, the central DNS database was only updated once a day, so changes could easily take 24 hours just to go live. Then add in a day or two for those changes to propagate and you're up to three days. Today most registrars make changes to the central database in real time and DNS providers can afford to refresh caches more frequently (because bandwidth is more available and less costly), so changes actually take much less time. Upwards of 24 or 48 hours is still possible is some rare cases, but when I started moving my sites to a VPS I had a couple of domains propagate in minutes.

--Jason

[jason]

To avoid the $15 charge, if you don't mind your site being down for a bit (see above post), I believe that a) if you change your DNS to JPC's servers first and b) set up your own multihosted domain via cpanel, you'll be able to point two names at a single multihost instance. Just use the same subdomain name as you did for your previous multihost and both names should be pointed correctly.

--Jason