Why won't my web page come up after I log into MyServer.org by it's domain?
Before signing up for any of our Domain/Free Services we suggest that you have a friend on another Internet service provider try to access your web server using your external IP address from within their web browser (Internet Explorer, Netscape, or Opera). If they are unable to bring your server up by it's external IP address, your ISP is probably blocking http access on port 80. Another test you can do is to change the port your web server is listening on to 8080, after you change the port have your friend try to access your web site again within their web browser by the external IP address :8080 (Example http://68.15.187.28:8080). If accessing your web site with the port number following the IP address works, you will need to sign up for our HTTP Domain Port Relay services or Basic HTTP Relay Services to run your own web server.

MyServer.org shows that your are accessing this web page from 192.225.114.6 , this is most likely your current external IP address. If you are using a Cable/DSL router you will need to set the router to open the port you wish to test.

Helpful Links:

How to open a port up on a Linksys DSL Router
Comprehensive listing of common TCP/IP Service Ports

How do I run MyServer.org Dynamic DNS app as a service on Windows NT/2000/XP?
We are working to get that feature installed on our new version of the software. There are third party applications that will allow you to run any program as a service. We recommend firedaemon. Before running our application as a service remember to check the remember logon box and set up which records you want to auto update.

How do I change my password for my account?
Simply Click Here to go to the Profile Update page

I forgot my password, now what do I do?
Simply go to our password retrieval page and enter your username. Your password will be mailed to the E-Mail address on record for the account. If the address is no longer valid or unreachable we will not manually look it up with he exception of paid accounts. It is your responsibility to ensure that your user data is kept up to date.

Ok, I registered, downloaded the software but don't know what my logon name is?
When you registered you created a sub domain IE: bob.myserver.org. Your logon name would be "bob", no need to add the MyServer.org part.

When I'm in IRC chat, is there any way to make my Myserver.org hostname appear?
No, Myserver.org only provides forward host to address mappings. In order for Myserver.org to provide reverse lookup capabilities, it would require a lot of work for your ISP. Even if they could do this for you, they probably wouldn't anyway.

What ports do I open up on my router for my mail/web server?
We have compiled a list of the most common ports used for typical server based applications,
Click Here to preview them. Should you not see the port you are looking for please let us know by sending us a comment. Here is a step by step instruction sheet for the Linksys DSL router.

What is a DNS Round Robin?
Round robin DNS is a method of managing server congestion by distributing connection loads across multiple servers (containing identical content). Round robin works on a rotating basis in that one server IP address is handed out, then moves to the back of the list; the next server IP address is handed out, then it moves to the end of the list; and so on, depending on the number of servers being used. This works in a looping fashion.

Let's say a company has one domain name and three identical home pages residing on three servers with three different IP addresses. When one user accesses the home page it will be sent to the first IP address. The second user who accesses the home page will be sent to the next IP address, and the third user will be sent to the third IP address. In each case, once the IP address is given out, it goes to the end of the list. The fourth user, therefore, will be sent to the first IP address and so forth.

Round robin is different than load balancing. Load balancing distributes connection loads across multiple servers, giving preference to those servers with the least amount of congestion. In round robin's case, server distribution remains on a rigid one IP address to one user rotating basis.

As an example, let us assume that we at MyServer.org have three (3) web servers: their real names and IP addresses are: 1/3 of the web requests going to www.myserver.org will be directed to 209.219.51.101.

People going to my site are getting the message "No web site is configured at this address."
This message is actually coming from your web server. If you are using IIS you need to configure what are called Host Headers. Click Here for an example of how to configure your IIS server.

My domain has the right servers in whois, why is it not active?
The information stored in whois is separate from the information in the DNS system. Many registrars will update whois information very quickly, but not update the DNS for hours or days. Until the DNS information is updated with the correct servers, the domain will not be activated.

My IP currently resolves to some name provided by my ISP. Can I change that to my MyServer.org host/domain?
No, this is not possible due to the nature of the DNS system and the way reverse DNS resolution works. If your IP is static or mostly static, you could ask your ISP to change your reverse DNS lookup, but there is nothing we can do to change it.

What is a domain name?
A domain name is a name, such as microsoft.com, yahoo.com, or MyServer.org, which uniquely identify your company, product, service, industry or interests. They can be used for web sites and personal e-mail addresses (such as you@yourcompany.com).. The machines on the Internet only understand addresses in numerical form, for example 68.15.187.28, so a domain name is used to make the address easier to understand. The above address might point to MyServer.org where "MyServer" is the name of the company, and "org" is the part of the global network on which the machine sits

Why do I need to register a domain?
Your domain (Internet address) defines your company's identity on the Internet. If people are looking for your company on the Internet they will often start by typing in http://www.yourcompany.com. Your own domain also gives you a professional looking Web and e-mail address.

Even if you do not intend having your own company e-mail address or Web site, it is wise to reserve your domain as soon as possible, because another company may register your name before you do.

It may also be a good idea to set up a temporary Web page giving contact information about your company for people who are looking for your company on the Internet. Some 90,000 Internet domains are registered each month globally.

What are your DNS server addreses?

What can a domain be used for?
Primarily, your domain name is used for e-mail addresses and Web sites. Once you have registered your domain name you will be able to develop a Web site with the Internet address of http://www.yourco.com, or whatever other extension you registered. Your e-mail addresses will look like annoyance@yourco.com.You can also move any existing Web site onto your new address.

Your Web site address and e-mail address can be printed on your stationery along with your other contact information.

You can have a Web site or e-mail address without having your own domain name, but these generally look less professional.

What do all the different domains, like .com, .net, and .org, mean?
The root-domain defines what kind or organization you are, so it is important to pick the right one to register. Most companies will try to register a .com
domain
There are many types of global root domain:

".com" is the American"commercial" root-domain. Many people think this is the most desirable as it portrays a company as being international.

".edu" is the American education domain - this domain is not available for registration unless you are an American educational establishment.

".org" is the global root-domain for non-profit-making and charitable organizations.

".net" is the global root-domain usually used by companies who provide Internet based services, but can be registered by all.

As well as these global root-domains, there are also regional root domains:

".in" for India as a whole, ".fr" for france, ".de" for Germany, and so on.

New global root domains have also been proposed, such as .firm, .arts, .rec and .nom, but these are not yet available.

If I register my domain name, do I then own it?
Once you register a domain name, you then become the owner of the name. No-one else will be able to register it. You can sell it, move it and retain full control over it.

What domain name should I use?
Generally, a domain name should be chosen which reflects your company or your web site's content, although this is simply to make the site address more memorable to visitors.

Most companies with a known brand name which is important to their business will choose to register their company name with the appropriate root domain extension (.com, .org etc..).

Choosing the right root domain is a bit more difficult, and really depends on how you wish your company to be perceived. See the section on 'What do the different domains mean' to help with this.

What do I do if my company name is already taken?
There is nothing you can do if the name you want is already taken. The alternative is to add a suitable extension to the name eg.www.yourcompany-india.com.

Who owns the domain name service?
Everyone. The domain name service is a database laid out like a huge tree, with the root servers at the base of the tree, the domain servers on the branches, and the websites and individual machines on the leaves. The root-servers know about root domains. The domain name service is not a single entity, but a system spread across thousands of machines in dozens of countries.

What does it cost?
Network solutions charges  $35.00 / year per domain, this is not included in the price of our services.  You are responsible for the registrar registration fees. If you have an EDU domain, you must register it yourself, as well as any other foreign nation domains, some links to these Foreign Domain Registrars are HERE. Prices listed above are subject to change without notice.  

Can I include characters such as @, - and * in my domain name?
A domain name cannot contain dots, spaces or any special characters of any kind except the hyphen ( - ). So, even if the name 'chatindia' is taken, you could still register 'chat-india'. Try to keep the name you register as short and simple as possible.

What is InterNIC ?
Essentially, InterNIC (Internet's Network Information Center) maintains the database of all of the .com, .net .org and .infonames on the internet. They make this data available to all ISP (Internet Service Providers) so that when you surf the internet, the ISP knows where to direct you.

Ok, I have registered a domain. What do I do now?
Once you have a domain / web address, you need two things.

1) space on a web server

2) web pages

1) The reason for having a web address is to deliver information. So that people can access the information at your address, it must be stored on a computer (server) that is connected to the Internet. Also, this server must be set up so that when anyone types in your address, the server will respond and send the information to them.

2) Web pages contain the information that you want to serve. Also known as a website, homepage or netsite, this is the "meat and two veg" or content of the world wide web.

For more information or to post questions or comments about the use of our products please visit our Online Support Forum.