• Eric
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Topic: Who is hosting this?

Good morning! So I'm still working on piecing this new project together and I have a question.

Part of the information I need to gather from the perspective client, in order to provide my service, is the Web Host's name, username, and password. Many, if not most, will likely not know this information off the top of their head. Many will also not be in contact with their web designer anymore probably. Or, they may have lost all pertaining information all together.

So, whats the easiest and best way (in your opinion) to obtain the clients Web Host's name, username, and password? So far I've narrowed down these two methods http://www.whois.domaintools.com and http://www.whoishostingthis.com

But still, the perspective client will have to call their newly found web host and obtain this information. Is there any other way to accomplish this? Or is there any information they (the client) can give me to obtain the information (username and password) on their behave? Basically, I'd rather do all this leg work myself, but I currently don't see any other around it, do you???

Thanks!

Last edited by Eric (2009-09-14 09:22:19)

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Re: Who is hosting this?

I have this problem from time to time and like you I tried to do it all myself but I found that I still needed some of the client's personal information to verify that the account belongs to the client.

The easiest by far is to see if the web host has a phone number and then give them a call to ask them to send the user ID and password to the email account on file.  You would then have the client forward that email to you.

If by chance that the client no longer has the email account then the client will need contact the host and go through the rigorous verification.

Last edited by newseed (2009-09-14 11:58:27)

  • Eric
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Re: Who is hosting this?

newseed wrote:

The easiest by far is to see if the web host has a phone number and then give them a call to ask them to send the user ID and password to the email account on file.  You would then have the client forward that email to you.

Thanks Eddie! That's a good idea.

But, this brings another question to light. I need to get this info in order to get their FTP username and password (one in the same right???). But what if the client is set up on a resaler account (the current web developer is resaling the hosting to the client). Is that now his FTP information, or does each client get their own username and password to FTP at "their" will if they'd like? Thanks!

  • From: Florida
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Re: Who is hosting this?

If the resellar is set up to allow each client it's own account then yes, they should have their own account login info.  I am a resellar and I allow my clients to register their own accounts so they will be in control of it.

With their own account info, they should be able to have their own FTP info.

Last edited by newseed (2009-09-14 12:27:03)

  • Eric
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Re: Who is hosting this?

Thanks again Eddie. I just called my host, as you said, they said that yes they could send the info to the email on file. But, if it was a resaler account the email on file would be the resaler. So another option, but not fullproof.

If the client was to provide me the last 4 digits of the credit card number on file, that would apparently be enough for the host to give me the username/password. But, most are not going to want to give me that info, and that may not be enough for other hosts. Trying to find a one size fits all solution. But I may have to settle for "fits some solution".

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Re: Who is hosting this?

One quick comment... Be aware that http://www.whoishostingthis.com doesn't always give accurate results. For example, when I put in my website, my host doesn't come up -- someone else does. Now, I suppose it is possible that my host is actually reselling someone else's hosting... but either way, the host name that the site gives me is incorrect.

  • Eric
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Re: Who is hosting this?

Hi Ben, yeah in the facts it says that it is about 90% accurate.

Suppose worse case scenerio... Suppose their previous developer has skipped town, the client has forgoten (or never knew in the first place) who is hosting the site, the whoishostingthis resource is not accurate, and putting in (in the URL area) the domain plus an inacurate address does not lead to the hosts error page. Well in cases such as those, how would I/client find out who was hosting it?

Is there any other way, or would you just have to download the whole site (I see that there are programs for that) and start over? Thanks!

  • Susie
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Re: Who is hosting this?

I always just do a WHOIS search at NetSol or something.  http://www.networksolutions.com/whois/index.jsp  And then if it comes down to it, the host should have procedures to follow for your clients to gain control over their account.  One of my clients had to send a letter on official letterhead and then verify some other personal info in order to gain control.

  • Eric
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Re: Who is hosting this?

Hi Susie! Oh, OK, so going off the "Name Servers" from a Whois search is more accurate then I imagine? I wonder if the Name Server name is always an obvious indicator of who is hosting it though?

  • Susie
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Re: Who is hosting this?

I've always found the nameserver to be accurate.  I've even had a client tell me the name of her host and when I checked the whois, it showed a different name.  After investigating, I found that the client gave me the name of her reseller (her web designer who resells) and I had found the actual host.  Does that make sense?

  • Eric
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Re: Who is hosting this?

Perfect. It's all coming together now!