Basic FAQ and instructions on how to use HostExcellence with iWeb and using HE in general...

Chapter 1: Why should you use HostExcellence?

Chapter 2: Uploading to HostExcellence

2.1 Where to find the connection data (server settings)

2.2 Upload to HostExcellence using iWeb’s integrated FTP

2.3 Connect and upload to HostExcellence using Cyberduck (or any other FTP application)

2.4 What is the root?

Chapter 3: Domains

3.1 What happens if I have multiple domains?

3.2 How do I add another domain to my hosting account?

Chapter 4: E-mails

4.1 How can I have e-mails like me@mydomain.com?

4.2 How do I use e-mails like me@mydomain.com with Mail application, Outlook or on the iPhone?

4.3 How do I check my e-mails on the web?

Chapter 5: How can I have a custom "404 Error - Page not found" page on HostExcellence? And how do I create it in iWeb?

Chapter 6: How can I password protect my site on HostExcellence?

Chapter 7: How to install WordPress blogs or a PhpBB Forum on HostExcellence

Chapter 8: An important note

Chapter 1: Why should you use HostExcellence? (back to the top)

If you’re looking for a good hosting I would really recommend you to use HostExcellence since I’m using it for my own websites. I think that’s already a pretty good reason. I know that it’s working great and that their customer support is great too. They are definitely on the good side of the jungle. Also I think it’s really easy to use.

HostExcellence currently mainly offers two hosting packages:

I’m currently using the Unlimited Business Plan since I have a lot of websites which I store on one hosting account. To me it’s really worth it. I barely ever run into problems and if I did their support was most helpful. Since I know how HostExcellence works I could give you better support if you run into problems with my FAQs.

If you signup select the Linux platform (default) not the Windows platform.

Here you will find some basic instructions and FAQs I wrote on using HostExcellence...

Chapter 2: Uploading to HostExcellence (signup) (back to the top)

2.1 Where to find the connection data (server settings) (signup) (back to the top)

Once you signup to HE you will receive an E-mail (New Account: Ultimate Business or similar) containing all the informations you need to connect to your server. In the E-mail you find something like this:

To access your account by FTP, use:

Host Name: webXYZ.hostexcellence.com

Login: c22XYZX

Password: c8b9afXYZXYZ

Note: the above data is just an example. You will find yours in the E-mail.

2.2 Upload to HostExcellence using iWeb’s integrated FTP (signup) (back to the top)

In iWeb select the site you would like to publish from the left menu

and you will see the following window:

Publish to: Choose “FTP Server”

Site name: Enter site or whatever you want in yourdomain.com/site/pagename.html

Contact email: (if you want, I don’t)

Server address: equals Host Name in the E-mail containing your data (see Chapter 2.1) hence something like webXYZ.hostexcellence.com

User name: equals Login in the E-mail containing your data (see Chapter 2.1) hence something like c22XYZX

Password: the one specified in the E-mail containing your data (see Chapter 2.1)

Directory/Path: You will need to upload the files to the folder named yourdomain.com.

So under path you need to write “/yourdomain.com/” without quotation marks as on the image above (where yourdomain.com stands for the domain you choose when you signup or you want to upload the selected site to)

Protocol: FTP

Website URL: type in your domain name as on the image above.

Click “Publish Site” at the bottom left or go to File and choose “Publish Site Changes” or “Publish Entire Site”.

2.3 Connect and upload to HostExcellence using Cyberduck (or any other FTP application) (signup) (back to the top)

From iWeb publish to a folder. Remember to enter your domain in the “Website URL” field of the “Site Publishing Settings”.

Cyberduck is Freeware (or Donationware). It is very good, really easy to use and the one I like the most...

First thing I have to do when I launch the application for the first time is configure it to allow it to access the server and retrieve/send data.

I click on Open Connection

and get a dialog window like this one:

This is the connection data you have to enter in Cyberduck (or any other FTP client) to connect to your server...

Server: equals Host Name in the E-mail containing your data (see Chapter 2.1) hence something like webXYZ.hostexcellence.com

Username: equals Login in the E-mail containing your data (see Chapter 2.1) hence something like c22XYZX

Password: the one specified in the E-mail containing your data (see Chapter 2.1)

Check the “Add to Keychain” checkbox for it to remember the password and hit “Connect”.

To make things easier Bookmark the location you upload your files to in Cyberduck.

Next time you use Cyberduck simply go to

click on the downward flash at the right and a tear down menu will appear from which you choose the bookmarked location on your server to connect to it.

Once you’re connected you will see a list of folders. One for each of your domains.

Drag&Drop the files you published from iWeb

- index.html

- Folder named after your sitename in iWeb

from your computer into the folder named after the appropriate domain of the website in Cyberduck.

2.4 What is the root? (signup) (back to the top)

If you upload a picture to the root of your server or website (let’s call it picture.jpg) the picture will show up if you enter yourdomain.com/picture.jpg in your browser (ex. Safari)

Connecting to HostExcellence you’re first shown a list of folders where each domain name has its folder. If you want to upload the picture.jpg file to the root of your website all you have to do is drop the file into the folder named after the website’s domain.

Example: picture.jpg

dropped into the iwebfaq.org folder

will show up entering iwebfaq.org/picture.jpg in the browser.

Chapter 3: Domains (signup) (back to the top)

3.1 What happens if I have multiple domains? (signup) (back to the top)

If you will have multiple domains the server will still be the same but once you connect to the server there will also be another folder called yourdomain2.com to upload the files which go to that domain. It’s really easy.

When you’re using iWeb’s integrated FTP everything stays the same but under Directory/Path write

/yourdomain2.com/ (which stands for the second domain)

instead of

/yourdomain.com/

all the other parameters will stay exactly the same as above.

3.2 How do I add another domain to my hosting account? (signup) (back to the top)

1. Login to your account. In your control panel click on “Add a domain name”. Choose the domain name and check out (pay). Once this process is completed it will appear on your Control panel where all your domains are listed (Domain registrations).

2. Under “Hosting products” click on “Manage” and a new window will popup. Click on Domains, Add new domain. Type the domain you just bought into the field and click Submit. Continue.

Now this domain will have its own folder when connecting via FTP as described above.

Chapter 4: E-mails (signup) (back to the top)

4.1 How can I have e-mails like me@mydomain.com? (signup) (back to the top)

Login to your account. Under “Hosting products” click on “Manage” and a new window will popup. Click on “e-mail”.

Under “Mail manager/Mail domains” choose for which domain you would like to setup e-mails and hit “Go”.

Under “E-mail Setup functions” click on “New E-mail”.

Under “Email address” fill in what you would like instead of “me” in me@mydomain.com

Now you have to choose whether you want to use it as a Mailbox or a MailForward

Mailbox: is a real standalone e-mail box

MailForward: e-mails sent to this e-mail will be forwarded to another e-mail address of your choice.

As an example me@mydomain.com forward to whatever@yahoo.com

If you choose Mailbox enter a password.

You should also have one e-mail with “Catch All” meaning that all the e-mails sent to an address of the type me@mydomain.com that are inexistant (e.g inexistant@mydomain.com) get forwarded to that e-mail address.

Usually people make an e-mail address like

webmaster@mydomain.com which is a good idea.

Once you made your e-mail address click on Submit at the bottom of the page.

4.2 How do I use e-mails like me@mydomain.com with Mail application, Outlook or on the iPhone? (signup) (back to the top)

You can only use it in Mail if you’ve set it up as Mailbox.

Go to Mail=>Preferences=>Accounts and hit the “+” at the bottom of it.

The data to enter in the fields is:

Full Name: Your Name

Email Address: me@mydomain.com

Password: The password you choose for your e-mail address

=>Click on Continue

Account Type: POP

Description: enter your e-mail address

Incoming Mail Server: mail.yourdomain.com

User Name: me@mydomain.com

Password: The password you choose for your e-mail address

Outgoing (smtp) server: will be the same as your incoming Mail Server, thus mail.yourdomain.com

4.3 How do I check my e-mails on the web? (signup) (back to the top)

All you need to do is enter mail.yourdomain.com in your browser and you will be forwarded to a page with login fields.

Username: me@yourdomain.com (thus your e-mail address)

Password: the password you choose when you set up the e-mail

Chapter 5: How can I have a custom "404 Error - Page not found" page on HostExcellence? And how do I create it in iWeb? (signup) (back to the top)

In iWeb add a new page and build your 404 page. I would recommend you to have a redirect on it (with time delay if you want) leading to your website's main page.

It's a good idea to add Statcounter on that page added with Alternative HTML or anyway to the page itself not in an HTML Snippet. This way you see where getting to the error page come from. If they come from one of your pages you know that there's a wrong link on that page and you should fix it. In Statcounter add a extra project only for the Not found page.

click the domain you want to add a custom 404 to, scroll down until you find "Error". Hit "Add".

Error Document Code "404 Not Found"

Message or URL enter the URL to your 404 page

Type "Redirect"

Hit "Submit" and you're done.

Chapter 6: How can I password protect my site on HostExcellence? (signup) (back to the top)

1. Login to your Control Panel. Under Hosting products choose Manage, File Manager, hit "Protect" at the bottom of the page then navigate to the folder you want to protect. Once you found it click on the folder icon near the folder name and you will see this on your screen

2. Choose edit and you will find a "Was not found" message

3. Hit "Create" and enter data (username and password)

Hit Save.

4. You can now choose to add more users or change existing users

if you're done hit Close.

5. You're brought back to the first screen

Hit "apply", "next" and you're redirected to this page

Hit "save".

In the File Manager you will now find a new folder called .htmaster, open it and you will find a file called .ok_user

To add new username and passwords perform step 1 and 2 but now in step 2 you will not get the "Not found message" anymore. Once you hit edit you will be sent to the screen you see at step 4. Add, change or delete. Remember to always save your changes. Once you're done hit Close.

If you want to have different folders protected you can choose to use always the same .ok_user file login data or create a new one by entering something different than .ok_user before hitting edit at step 2.

Now when someone tries accessing any file inside the protected folder he or she will have to type in the username and password to continue…

How can I password protect an iWeb site on HostExcellence? A site is a folder too. As you know the URL of an iWeb site is http://yourdomain.com/sitename/pagename.html the "sitename" folder is the one you have to choose to protect.

Can I also just password protect a single page of my site? No. You would have to build a site for that page only.

Chapter 7: How to install WordPress blogs or a PhpBB Forum on HostExcellence (signup) (back to the top)

How to install a WordPress blog on HostExcellence is described here on wordpressfaq.org

How to install a PhpBB Forum on HostExcellence is described here on phpbbfaq.net

Chapter 8: An important note (signup) (back to the top)

In the folders which have the name of your personal domains you will find that there are already some folders called: cgi-bin; cp; webalizer. Never delete those folders (especially never delete the cgi-bin), simply ignore them.

Chapter 9: Signup (signup) (back to the top)

Basic Plan (3,95$/month) - Unlimited Business Plan (7,95$/month)

If you would like to know anything else or want me to add something to this FAQ please let me know...

iWebFAQ.org - Tutorials, Tips & Tricks is made with iWeb and for iWeb.

It’s presented by Cédric and hosted by HostExcellence.com

I would like you to give me feedback on this page by commenting in the appropriate section of the Forum. Tell me if it's been helpful. If it wasn’t please tell me why. If you think something is missing please tell me what. If you have questions about it post them there and I will probably try to give you an answer.

Thank you for visiting and supporting my website.

- Cédric -