Arlin.net Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

Why should I host my web site with Arlin.net?

Will I be stuck with any hidden expenses or contracts?

How do I get my web space at Arlin.net?

Can I have a business site at Arlin.net?

What is a domain name & will I need one?

Can I get a subdomain like name.companydomain.com?

What is a virtual domain?

How do I get my own domain name?

What is the InterNIC?

What are the guidelines for choosing a domain name?

What will my domain name cost?

How long does it take to get my domain name set up?

How do I transfer my existing domain to Arlin.net?

Will my web address work with or without the "www"?

What is meant by "unlimited hits"?

What is transfer bandwidth?

Do you provide technical assistance for web site set-up?

How do I get my files to my web site?

Answers & Tips

Why should I host my web site with Arlin.net?

We, at Arlin.net are excited to offer you the best Net tools and resources on the web today! We continually research the newest web marketing strategies and opportunities, and update our information and resources for you. We strive to be your one-stop Internet resource! When you host your site with us, you will gain access to all the tips and tricks to make your web site successful. We provide superior service and always respond to your needs within 24 hours. We maintain reliable up-to-date technology to ensure your site always runs smoothly and securely, all for a great competitive price.

Will I be stuck with any hidden expenses or contracts?

All our hosting policies and guidelines are accessible and straightforward. There are no tricks, no contracts, and no hidden costs! Our web hosting price chart details our fees, and we will even waive your small one-time set-up fee if you pay for twelve months in advance.

How do I get my web space at Arlin.net?

Getting your web site set up at Arlin.net is easy! Just fill out a simple sign-up form and arrange payment, and we handle all the technical issues of initially setting up your server disk space and registering your domain name for you. To view your site or to upload your web page files yourself, by File Transfer Protocol (FTP) or with MS. FrontPage Extensions, you will need access to the WWW. You are responsible for set up and maintenance of your own computer equipment and your Internet access through an Internet Service Provider (ISP). You can use a local provider or a national online service (such as AOL, Compuserve, etc.).

Can I have a business site at Arlin.net?

Yes, you are free to use your web space to post and promote any commercial or personal information you choose, as long as you maintain appropriate content in keeping within Arlin.net standards, as stated in our site policies and guidelines. Advertising on the Net is the most efficient and cost effective way to reach the biggest audience. We encourage and support you in using Arlin.net to access the tremendous business potential of the Internet!

What is a domain name & will I need one?

A domain name is an Internet name that you purchase and own each year. Each domain name is individual and one-of-a-kind. There can be no duplicate domain names because your domain name is used as your Internet address (URL). It is associated to a numerical address, called an IP address (e.g. 216.167.30.26;21). A domain name server translates the domain name into it's IP address to bring up each web page. Domain names contain two parts, the actual name, and the hierarchy extension to which it belongs (e.g. .com, .net, and .org. and newer one's such as .cc, .to). You will want your own domain name if you are promoting your own business on the Net, and if you want to choose an Internet address name that will be easy to remember and associated to your business name.

Can I get a subdomain like name.companydomain.com?

Yes, you can use can a sub-domain, meaning it is not fully your own personal individual domain. It would contain your identifying name in part, attached to a domain name owned by a larger proprietor, (e.g. yourname.arlin.net, members.aol.com/yourname). Usually a sub-domain is longer than the simple domain name you would choose. The advantage in this type of account is that InterNIC registration is unnecessary and so there are no InterNIC registration fees.

What is a virtual domain?

A virtual domain is your own domain name (http://www.yourname.com). Since each domain name must be different, many domains that are in demand have already been taken. Approximately 10,000 domain names are being sold each day on a first-come first-served basis! If you want a particular domain name, you must check with Network Solutions InterNIC to see if the name is available. Once you decide on an available name, you should register it immediately!

How do I get my own domain name?

When you sign-up for an account with Arlin.net, you will have the chance to choose the domain name you want and check for it's availability. After you check and decide on an available domain name, fill in that information on our sign-up form and submit your payment, we will take care of all the registration details for you.

What is InterNIC?

Network Solutions is an independent organization that handles the InterNIC purchase, registration, and routing of Internet domain names. There are now additional companies permitted to register domain names as well. Registration fee is $70 for the first two years and $35 per year thereafter for your virtual domain name.

What are the guidelines for choosing a domain name?

You must choose a domain name that has 26 characters or less, including the top level domain suffix at the end (.com,.net,.org). It must begin and end with a letter or a number, and may contain letters, numbers, or a dash (-). It may not contain underscores (_).

What will my domain name cost?

At this time, it costs $70 to register a domain name for the first 2 years and $35 for subsequent. Fees are payable in advance. Arlin.net does not charge you for your domain name or for parking it on our server, but we will handle the registration details for you after you sign up and submit payment to host your site with us.

How long does it take to get my domain name set up?

Once the domain name you have chosen has been registered, confirmed, and approved through InterNIC, it takes an average of 1 to 3 business days to become active. Then when your domain is active, all Internet providers propageate, a system which updates their records (DNS tables) to reflect new site locations. Within a total of 3 to 5 business days the process is completed and your domain is ready to use. If you change hosting companies, you have to register the new location of your domain residence, thereby modifying your InterNIC account. Modification can take longer to register than it does to register a new domain, because the old host for your domain must acknowledge and approve the transfer request, sometimes causing delays.

Note: When transferring your domain to our servers, we can provide you with a temporary IP address to allow access to your site with your present domain name, despite InterNIC registration delays!

How do I transfer my existing domain to Arlin.net?

When you sign up to have your existing domain hosted by us, we can put in the transfer request to InterNIC for you. If you prefer to do this yourself, specify you are transferring your existing domain and NOT requesting a new domain. Keep your old host active until InterNIC completes the transfer process. We provide you with a temporary IP address so you can upload your site to our server and access your site. E-mail and web pages can continue to be accessed from your old site. When InterNIC activates the transfer, visitors can access either site during the 72 hour propagation period, after which you must have the old host delete your old domain location from their records and update their DNS record. If your old host also provides your Internet access, they must update their DNS before you can access your domain site. InterNIC requires e-mail authorization from either the Administrative or Technical Contact for the old domain location before they will validate the transfer request.

Will my web address work with or without the "www"?

Yes, we are now able to access web sites on the Internet with or without the "www" in front of the domain name address (http://www.yourname.com or http://yourname.com).

What is meant by "unlimited hits"?

Many hosts will advertise "unlimited hits" as a marketing ploy to attract your business. The "hits" they refer to are the number of times each and every file at a particular domain are accessed by viewers. If you have 25 image files on a page, each time a viewer visits that page, your server will count up 26 hits (1 for each of the 25 image files, plus the 1 page file) for the summoning of files to be transferred and viewed on the visitor's computer. Even when that same viewer visits your page again, your server will add up another 26 hits whether the files are actually transferred again or not, because the request is what is being counted, not just the transfer.

What is transfer bandwidth?

Transfer bandwidth differs from "hits" (described above) in that it is the amount of data actually transferred from your domain server to the visitor's browser, rather than the amount of times it is requested. Usually data moves one time from the resident server to the viewer's browser and then is stored in a cache directory on the visitor's computer disk. Regardless of how many times the viewer returns to that same page, file transfers would only occur again once the cache is emptied.

Do you provide technical assistance for web site set-up?

Arlin.net provides three options for web designing service, Quality Custom Design, Limited Basic Design, and Economy Budget Design. If you need assistance when uploading a site to our servers yourself, first visit our technical support page to contact us by e-mail. We will always respond within 24 hours. For urgent technical issues, you will find our toll-free support telephone number there.

How do I get my files to my web site?

We provide convenient access to your site's disk space 24 hours per day. You can use MS FrontPage extensions to upload site files which were created in FrontPage, or you can transfer your files to our web server via File Transport Protocol (FTP) or Telnet. If you need FTP software, WS_FTP is available to download from our site. If you need any other Internet transfer applications, try Telnet, Mail, or others at www.shareware.com or www.TUCOWS.com, where the latest applications are rated and reviewed for your convenience. You can also find FTP tutorials on the Net if you need more information.

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