New Webspace Problems

Phil123 · Sep 18, 2007, 16:30:16

I am trying to upload some files to my new IDNet webspace. I'm just using internet explorer as I'm just storing some photo's etc. I've set up my webspace, I go to the FTP/Publishing URL listed in my IDNet account, IE then asks me for my username and password, the username is already filled in, I guess because my FTP URL contains my username, I input my password but it doesn't accept it. I have double checked and I'm definitely inputting the correct password in lower case as it is under the webspace section of my account.
I can see the index file that IDNet have already put on my webspace but as soon as I try to upload anything that's when I'm asked for my FTP password. I'm doing this from my IDNet connection so it's not an IP address problem.
Any ideas what's going wrong?

Rik · Sep 18, 2007, 16:34:08

Hi Phil

We haven't had a chance to try the new features yet, so you may have to ask support. Are you using the FTP/Publishing url?

Phil123 · Sep 18, 2007, 16:34:29

Problem solved. I clicked log on anonymously and everything worked.

Rik · Sep 18, 2007, 16:45:43

Hi Phil

I've just been doing some checking. It's best not to use IE for the job, it gets confused easily. I think you uploaded some pictures from Llandudno? Those are all there, but the index page has been deleted. If you create a new one, you should be OK.

Phil123 · Sep 18, 2007, 17:00:45

Yes problems again. I'll give it a go with different software.

Rik · Sep 18, 2007, 17:19:27

Hi Phil

I just slung a quick group of images together and then used Smart FTP to upload them. That worked just fine.

Phil123 · Sep 18, 2007, 17:23:24

Rik, I've managed to upload some pics. I've put them in a file pics123. If I go to my webpsace address http://******.www.idnet.com/pics123 I just get Forbidden You don't have permission to access /pics123/ on this server. On webspace I've used in the past a list of the files usually come up and people can click and look at the pictures, this way I can share them easily with friends and family, why is this not the case on IDNet's webspace? Sorry for the dumb questions.

Phil123 · Sep 18, 2007, 17:24:04

Quote from: Rik on Sep 18, 2007, 17:19:27
Hi Phil

I just slung a quick group of images together and then used Smart FTP to upload them. That worked just fine.

Yes I'm using smart FTP and it's uploading well.

Rik · Sep 18, 2007, 17:37:44

Try putting them in your root folder, Phil, see if that works. You can see what I slung together (and I emphasise slung, it was about 3 minutes flat...) at http://rik.www.idnet.com.

mchunt_idnet · Sep 18, 2007, 17:43:27

Try looking at it now. :-)

Quote from: Phil123 on Sep 18, 2007, 17:23:24
Rik, I've managed to upload some pics. I've put them in a file pics123. If I go to my webpsace address http://******.www.idnet.com/pics123 I just get Forbidden You don't have permission to access /pics123/ on this server. On webspace I've used in the past a list of the files usually come up and people can click and look at the pictures, this way I can share them easily with friends and family, why is this not the case on IDNet's webspace? Sorry for the dumb questions.

Phil123 · Sep 18, 2007, 17:46:03

Seems to have cured itself now I can see the files on the net. Not sure what a root folder is I'm afraid.

Rik · Sep 18, 2007, 17:46:40

It's the one you first arrive in, Phil, where the index file is...

Phil123 · Sep 18, 2007, 18:01:31

Quote from: mchunt on Sep 18, 2007, 17:43:27
Try looking at it now. :-)

Thanks mchunt. Now Smart FTP keeps giving me the following error:

A connection attempt failed because the connected party did not properly respond after a period of time, or established connection failed because connected host has failed to respond.

Then if I restart smart FTP it says:

421 Too many connections (2) from this IP

The only way to cure the too many connections error is to restart my pc

ReDGryphoN · Sep 18, 2007, 18:06:51

I use coffeecup FTP, its free and simple but works well

ReD

MAABOF

Rik · Sep 18, 2007, 18:18:05

Quote from: Phil123 on Sep 18, 2007, 18:01:31
Thanks mchunt. Now Smart FTP keeps giving me the following error:

What version of Smart FTP are you using, Phil? I found the newer ones were a problem, so I'm using 1.0.982.

Phil123 · Sep 18, 2007, 18:22:09

Quote from: Rik on Sep 18, 2007, 18:18:05
What version of Smart FTP are you using, Phil? I found the newer ones were a problem, so I'm using 1.0.982.

I'm using the newest one. It's on a 30 day trial so I can't use the older one's. I don't think the time outs are smart ftp's fault, loads of files upload nice and quickly then the ftp server just seems to stop excepting any more files. Maybe everyone is trying out their new webspace and that's causing the problems?

colirv · Sep 18, 2007, 18:22:49

I've been using SmartFTP without problems, but once I moved to Firefox as my browser the FireFTP extension is even better. Highly recommended.

Rik · Sep 18, 2007, 18:25:08

Thanks for that, I'll have to pick it up.

Rik · Sep 18, 2007, 18:26:35

Quote from: Phil123 on Sep 18, 2007, 18:22:09
I'm using the newest one. It's on a 30 day trial so I can't use the older one's. I don't think the time outs are smart ftp's fault, loads of files upload nice and quickly then the ftp server just seems to stop excepting any more files. Maybe everyone is trying out their new webspace and that's causing the problems?

I don't know, tbh, I've not had any problems but it could be anyone of several factors. If you've still got an issue tomorrow, give support a ring as they'll be able to see what's happening. Unless, of course, someone here knows the answer.

Phil123 · Sep 18, 2007, 18:37:02

OK Thanks Rik

Phil123 · Sep 18, 2007, 18:40:13

Quote from: colirv on Sep 18, 2007, 18:22:49
I've been using SmartFTP without problems, but once I moved to Firefox as my browser the FireFTP extension is even better. Highly recommended.

Thanks, I've tried Fire FTP and it just keeps saying unable to connect no matter what I do. I've put the FTP server for my IDNet webspace in the host box and username and password in the relevant boxes but it just keeps saying unable to connect.

Rik · Sep 18, 2007, 18:43:20

Hi Phil

I've just tried with Fire FTP and had no problems. I'm wondering if you have got the username or password wrong by any chance?

Using Fire, the url became ftp://ftp.idnet.com, with the username and password entered separately. It needs to be the ones given on the setup page, not your normal IDNet login name/password.

Apologies if I'm teaching my grandmother, but it's the only area I can think of which could be different.

Phil123 · Sep 18, 2007, 19:57:39

Hi Rik, yes that worked. I was using the FTP/Publishing URL that takes the form of username&password@ftp.idnet.com

Many thanks for the assistance.

Simon · Sep 18, 2007, 20:37:41

Quote from: Phil123 on Sep 18, 2007, 19:57:39
Hi Rik, yes that worked. I was using the FTP/Publishing URL that takes the form of username&password@ftp.idnet.com

Many thanks for the assistance.

Yes, that's something else that makes me slightly nervous. I don't like my password seen displayed anywhere. Given that this is also IDNet account access details, does this pose any security risk? On the webspace with my last ISP, I'm pretty sure only the username was displayed in the FTP url.

Rik · Sep 19, 2007, 08:37:53

It's only the publishin url which contains them, Simon, no-one else needs to see them.

The only security risk it might pose, if people got hold of them, is that they could log in to your account, but as you can change the password for that, you should be fine.

Simon · Sep 19, 2007, 10:12:01

Yeah... obviously I know what it is,

but for the benefit of others, what's a "publishing url"?

Rik · Sep 19, 2007, 10:14:56

The one quoted on the setup pages.

It's the ftp URL used to send your data to the webspace, whereas people looking at it will use an http URL.

cavillas · Sep 19, 2007, 10:25:12

Now Si6776 knows what it is as well.

Simon · Sep 19, 2007, 10:35:25

Thanks Rik, that will no doubt be a help to someone.

Ray · Sep 19, 2007, 15:47:08

Well I've managed to upload to my web space using WS-ftp with no problems and have uploaded a temporary Photo Gallery.

The web address is http://scolebrook.www.idnet.com if any one wants a look, the gallery has been created using Photoshop Elements which seems to use Flash to produce the page so you will need Flash player installed on your browser to view the photos.

Rik · Sep 19, 2007, 15:49:00

Nice work, Ray.

Simon · Sep 19, 2007, 17:09:18

So... can anyone who knows the web address see all files on a users webspace? Is there any way to stop that? For example, I might want to upload files that I wouldn't want anyone else to be able to 'steal'. I'm sure, with my Poopex webspace, my files aren't open to all.

Rik · Sep 19, 2007, 17:13:28

If people know the URL, they can see the files. If you want something more sophisticated, you'd probably have to pay for hosting. Of course, if you put files into a folder with a cryptic name, it would make life harder for people, but it's essentially in the public domain once you publish the URL.

I suppose one thing you could do is to ZIP the photos with a password...

RobMc · Sep 19, 2007, 17:27:25

The simple answer under linux hosting is to password protect a folder with .htaccess and a password file but whether this is available under the idnet hosting I'm not unsure (I don't plan on using the free webspace as I have hosting elsewhere). When you sign up for webspace it does say...

QuoteIf you require something more advanced like php, cgi, domain name mapping, mysql databases or more space then please contact us and ask about our web hosting services.

Rob.

colirv · Sep 19, 2007, 18:57:06

Quote from: Si6776 on Sep 19, 2007, 17:09:18
So... can anyone who knows the web address see all files on a users webspace? Is there any way to stop that?

I have my own domain hosted with purplecloud, where it is very easy to password protect directories. Otherwise the easiest way to make files invisible (unless the name of the file is already known) is to put an index.htm file in every directory, even if index.htm contains nothing, or nonsense, or a message saying "oh no you don't!". If someone then types a URL in their browser just down to directory level at your web site, instead of getting a list of files in that directory they will get the index.htm.

Rik · Sep 19, 2007, 18:59:16

Nice trick, Colin. Thanks.

RobMc · Sep 19, 2007, 19:21:42

Yes that's a good approach to hiding your files but they are still accessible to anyone who guesses the filenames. However you're not likely to be putting anything sensitive on a publicly accessible website are you? $:-\$

Rob

RobMc · Sep 19, 2007, 19:38:47

A sample file to "hide" your files would be:

Code Select


<html>
	<head>
		<title>No Browsing</title>
	</head>
	<body>
		<h1>No Browsing</h1>
	</body>
</html>

Save this as a file called index.htm and copy it into your folder that you want to hide your files in.

eg. whatever.www.idnet.com/myfiles/index.htm

Now when people visit whatever.www.idnet.com/myfiles/ all they will see is "No Browsing" and not a list of your files.

Please note this isn't a secure way to hold files on the internet. If you have files that you want to keep secure then maybe something like bt digital vault would be a better solution (and free for 1GB of space).

Hope this helps.

Rob.

Simon · Sep 19, 2007, 21:28:35

Thanks guys, I'll do the index.htm thing. It's not that I have anything I especially want to hide, but I don't particularly wish to allow the world and it's wife access to my files either. Just a paranoid privacy thing, I guess.