CCCDezynz Posted August 11, 2006 Share Posted August 11, 2006 I am suspecting, after a sudden four-fold increase in bandwith usage each day over the last week, which is continuously closing my site within 12 hours, that I am being subjected to hotlinking/bandwidth theft??!! I have looked into .htaccess and attempted to upload to my server however, I believe that Bravenet do not support this. I currently have my hosting and my domain name registered with Bravenet and am looking to move it all over to a host that supports hotlink prevention (in easy format!! ) From what I've read here, this could be the place for me however, I'm not totally sure at this moment in time, that hotlinking IS the problem?! Whether this is hotlinking or not, I never seem to be able to get many answers from Bravenet nor assistance if required but with these forums you have here, this definitely seems a lot more user-friendly and focused! Although I am used to working with basics such as HTML and using Ipswich WS_FTP etc., I'm not familiar at all with moving hosts (I've always been with Bravenet and my site has grown from day 1 with them!) so will probably need a bit of simple expaining as to how to move it all over - Will this type of assistance be available? Many thanks for your anticipated assistance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevevan Posted August 11, 2006 Share Posted August 11, 2006 (edited) Having come from a "Free" host to TCH, I can tell you it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Been here over 3 years and have not regretted it at all. If Bravenet is using CPanel, then it's super easy. Even if they're not, the tech's here are wizards and can hook you up with minimal effort. From what you describe, it may very well be hotlinking. Of course, there may be other reasons too (spammers using your site, outdated scripts that someone has gotten into, etc.). If you could ever hear back from Bravenet, you could ask their techs about the problem. And if that EVER happend here, all it would take is a ticket to the help desk to find out. Good luck in your search and I hope you end up here with TCH. And where are my manners? Welcome to the forums! Edited August 11, 2006 by stevevan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samrc Posted August 11, 2006 Share Posted August 11, 2006 Welcome to the forum and hope we can welcome you to the family soon. Yup sounds like hotlinking. Been there done that! Very simple to resolve using cPanel. Works wonders. Even if could resolve your situation at your current host, let me still invite you to consider TCH for its uptime, excellent service, terrific forum and involved management and support team! Having used free hosting and paid, TCH is still my favorite. You can still use many of the features that Bravenet offers even if you do not host with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCCDezynz Posted August 11, 2006 Author Share Posted August 11, 2006 Thanks for the welcomes - I feel at home already!! I do pay for my hosting as I have a fairly large site (currently hosting somewhere between 500 - 700MB disk space) - I have their basic package which allows 50gb of bandwidth each month (monitored daily) and 3gb of disk space plus all the other bits and pieces.... site counters, email addresses etc. I'm reluctant (no, adamant!) that I will not upgrade to their pro service as 600gb of bandwidth is just ridiculous for my site - I just don't get that many visitors each day and can't see me EVER getting it! I've no idea what cPanel is although, hubby has attempted to explain it to me .... he was the one who found your site and read up on it whilst trying to resolve my hotlinking problem (I was all ready to just delete my site and throw away the last five years worth of work and joy - it saddened me that much!) I don't believe Bravenet have cPanel and will definitely be following ALL of your instructions very carefully. I definitely feel that TCH is where I want to be right now so as soon as I have the funds sorted into the right bank account tomorrow (move from hubby's wages into my account ) then I will come and join you all - but be ready for the onslaught of questions I may have! Many thanks for your words of advice and encouragement - you're the best! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCH-Tim Posted August 11, 2006 Share Posted August 11, 2006 Ask all the questions you need, we don't mind. When you're ready to move your accounts over just open a ticket with the help desk (https://tchhelp.com) and we'll do our best to move you over as painless as possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samrc Posted August 11, 2006 Share Posted August 11, 2006 I've no idea what cPanel is although cPanel is the interface, the Control Panel, that some hosts offer. It is many options within a few clicks. Makes things like installing scripts (many provided with Fantastico), protecting web pages with password, preventing hotlinking and more SIMPLE. If you have images that are fun, they could be hotlinked to other sites or forums. Royal pain and really gobbles the bandwidth. Within cPanel it is just a matter of a few clicks and you stop that dead. You can define what types of files (images, flash, movies, soundclips, etc) and who IS allowed to hotlink. Many other hosts have far more difficult path to accomplishing this task. Bring on the questions. This forum is a great place for them. Use the search feature and you'll be able to find tutorials on many topics! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCH-Thomas Posted August 11, 2006 Share Posted August 11, 2006 Welcome to the forum, Chrissy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCH-Andy Posted August 11, 2006 Share Posted August 11, 2006 Welcome to the forum, Chrissy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCCDezynz Posted August 11, 2006 Author Share Posted August 11, 2006 Thanks again for all the "Welcomes". Just one more question (if I may?) - I currently am using three email addresses (many more are available to me though!) that are linked to my site e.g. webmistress@chrissyscozycorner.com - will I still be able to use these if I move my hosting over to TCH? I know it's probably a stupid question and, if I searched around the forums, I'd probably find the answer myself but I'm suffering from sleep deprivation at the moment (3am before I called it quits on re-arranging my site last night - I removed all of my graphics pages ..... yes, I make web graphics with each page having a MP3 on it so hotlinking is quite likely!!) I feel quite angry and sad that I'm being forced down the alley of "butchering" my site, but only on a temporary basis until I find out where the bandwidth is going from or alternatively ..... I come over here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCH-Thomas Posted August 11, 2006 Share Posted August 11, 2006 Yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCH-Andy Posted August 11, 2006 Share Posted August 11, 2006 I just spent a happy time wandering through your site , you have some good images and background music that gives a really nice feel to your site , so I'm not surprised if people are hotlinking to parts of it It's always good to have a few more Brits around to, although I may be biased of course Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCCDezynz Posted August 11, 2006 Author Share Posted August 11, 2006 I just spent a happy time wandering through your site , you have some good images and background music that gives a really nice feel to your site , so I'm not surprised if people are hotlinking to parts of it It's always good to have a few more Brits around to, although I may be biased of course Unfortunately, my site has only been back up and running for the last hour or so as bandwidth was exceeded last night at around 10pm (GMT) which is becoming the norm now!! Also, you may have notice in big bold red writing, that I have closed down the best part of my site - the graphics section This is where all of my linkware and purchaseware is kept and probably the majority of my graphics and music is kept - when I move over to TCH (ticket just raised to help me get started) then you can take a look at some of these (if you like!) Yes, always nice to see fellow Brits around the big WWW! Oh..... another small query...... when I just opened a ticket, it asked for cPanel Username and password?? I didn't have one of these so used my TCH member details instead??? Do I need to register with cPanel at all and if so, how and where?? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCH-Thomas Posted August 11, 2006 Share Posted August 11, 2006 No. no need to sign up for cpanel. Just enter "unknown" for for the parts that you don´t know in the tickets until you have received a welcome email. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCCDezynz Posted August 11, 2006 Author Share Posted August 11, 2006 Just enter "unknown" for for the parts that you don´t know in the tickets until you have received a welcome email. Oops!!! I hope I haven't confused things then by putting my TCH member details in instead?!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCH-Thomas Posted August 11, 2006 Share Posted August 11, 2006 You might have. But when you submitted a ticket, a email reply with a link to where to read & respond was sent to you, please click it and in the "thread" that opens, please tell them this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCH-Don Posted August 11, 2006 Share Posted August 11, 2006 Welcome to the forum, Chrissy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCH-JimE Posted August 11, 2006 Share Posted August 11, 2006 Welcome to the forums Chrissy! Like Andy says above, its great to have another Brit amoungest us. Hotlinking is an evil thing, but thankfully, is also a very solvable one. Finding where its coming from it also a reasonable easy, but in my opinion its often easier just to stop all hotlinking all together, rather then try and ban site by site or ip via ip because you can end up chasing your tail. Never be afraid to ask question, the more the merrier. Any problems, give us a shout JimE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCH-Bruce Posted August 11, 2006 Share Posted August 11, 2006 Welcome to the forum, Chrissy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCH-Don Posted August 11, 2006 Share Posted August 11, 2006 Chrissy, I went through your site, I had a good time. Beautiful graphics and nice music, I normally turn off my speakers when I hear music,but I liked it. Nice pet page and thank you for adopting them You will find a link to hotlinking in cpanel, (HotLink Protection) and it is easy to use. You can add other sites to the allowed list if you wish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ussff Posted August 11, 2006 Share Posted August 11, 2006 Mr CCCDezynz beaming in! Nice to see a great, warm welcome here... you looked like a helpfull bunch when I went in search of a NEW host, after I realised the downfalls of Chrissy's (current money pit) hosting solution- so far you've not failed... and she is at last smiling, for the first time in a few days when I mention her web site! I did a bit of research on the web to find you - I'm the "tech brain" in the family that works out what is and isn't "on the money" and tracked Bravenets fail in the hotlink situation and lack of support for the problem but the creative mind behind the web site is all down to Chrissy - its a shame she has had to pull her 'graghics' section to prove hotlinking - (now at 19% after 15 hours instead of 100% at 12 hrs) - to prove it, you chaps have missed her latest and best creations! ...rest assured, as this becomes affordable - you've a new client - and a pair of prolific BB posters! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCH-Bruce Posted August 11, 2006 Share Posted August 11, 2006 Welcome to the forums ussff (Mr CCCDezynz) I'm sure you would be happy here. The TCH family loves to help when you get stuck on something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCH-Thomas Posted August 12, 2006 Share Posted August 12, 2006 Welcome to the forum, ussff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCH-Andy Posted August 12, 2006 Share Posted August 12, 2006 Welcome to the forum ussff (Mr CCCDezynz) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCH-Don Posted August 12, 2006 Share Posted August 12, 2006 Welcome to the forum ussff (Mr CCCDezynz) We are like family here and love to help. If you need any help, please ask. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCCDezynz Posted August 12, 2006 Author Share Posted August 12, 2006 I did it!!!! I just signed up for hosting with TCH and after a day or so of messing around with Bravenet/Pages, I finally found out how to access my domain name information so I will be able to change the DNS details - I was having so many problems with that which is why it took me so long to sign up here - but it's done now! Now I just need to wait for my account information email to be sent to me in the next few hours before I can start moving all my stuff over - I'm so excited!! Anyway, I just wanted to thank you all for your kind words of encouragement over the last few days - your friendly posts were what really convinced me to move over here and not all the teckie stuff that Darren (hubby) was trying to explain to me!! Many thanks you guys - you're the best!! PS - Does anyone know why I can't upload my photo or my own avatar to my personal profile area?? I've tried uploading from my own C: Drive but I've also trying uploading it to my server and linking from there, but neither with any success (just that awful little red cross!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCH-Bruce Posted August 12, 2006 Share Posted August 12, 2006 Congratulations and welcome to the family. Not sure as to why you cannot link to your avatar. I'll look into it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCH-Don Posted August 13, 2006 Share Posted August 13, 2006 Welcome to the family Chrissy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevevan Posted August 13, 2006 Share Posted August 13, 2006 Welcome to the family! You won't be disappointed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samrc Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 Welcome to the FAMILY! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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