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Frequently Asked Questions

Find anwsers to your questions

We value our customers at here at Anvil and so we've looked at the most common questions that people ask us and compiled the answers on this page.

Hopefully these will help to solve any problems or queries you may have. However if you have a question that is not answered here please contact us and we'll get on it, and perhaps even add it to this list!

General Questions

  1. Why should I use a Web hosting provider?

    Web Hosting is a service that allows you place files such as web pages, images and other content on the World Wide Web. Simply put, if you want a website or currently have one then you need web hosting.

    We offer a range of packages and we hope there is one that suits your needs. We understand that not everyone is technically minded and so we've built our Package Chooser to help you find the solution to your needs.

  2. What exactly is web space and bandwidth/data transfer?

    Web Space you can use to store your web pages, images, videos and other files on our web servers; much like on your computer's Hard Disk Drive.

    Monthly Traffic (referred to as 'Bandwidth') the amount of data that can be transferred to and from your webspace per calendar month. It is important to make sure that you choose a package that has enough Monthly Traffic to serve your needs.

    For example if you are a Photographer and have a large portfolio of photographs you will probably require a large amount of bandwidth. Smaller sites such as brochure websites or personal blog would require smaller amounts of bandwidth (dependant on visitor numbers).

  3. How do I track how many hits my website gets?

    Included in every package as standard are several Industry Standard web stats solutions and - for techy types - access to the raw log files.

  4. Will there be advertising on my site - things like banner ads or popup ads?

    No, Never. You are free sign up for an advertising service such as Google Adwords if you wish to generate revenue from your website.

  5. What is the difference between UNIX hosting and Windows hosting, which do you offer?

    Our servers run on the Linux platform (Apache on CentOS to be exact) rather than Microsoft Windows.

    The biggest difference this makes is that ASP or ASP.NET (both Microsoft products) will not run on our servers, instead we offer the widely used PHP language.

    The type of web hosting offer is commonly referred to as LAMP - Linux (Operating System), Apache (HTTP Server), MySQL (database software), PHP (web scripting language).

  6. What technical support do you offer?

    Support can be requested by going to our support page and filling in the contact form, or by email to support@anvilhosting.co.uk. We also offer limited telephone support on a request basis.

  7. What extra features do I get with my web hosting?

    Each web hosting package comes with a variety of extra features including SpamAssassinTM email protection and over 50 pre-installed scripts. Details of all these extra can be found over on our package features page.

Getting Started

  1. How do I open an account with you?

    1) Find a package you like, if you can't send us an e-mail and we will see what we can do for you.

    2) Sign up, this will ask you all the information we need to set up your web hosting.

    3) Once your account is activated we will send you an e-mail with all the details that you need to start configuring your web hosting.

  2. How long does it take for my account to be setup after I sign up?

    As soon as you sign up and you have paid for your package (via PayPal, or when we receive your Cash/Cheque payment). Domain names can take take up to 48 hours to become fully operable across the Internet, but this period is often a lot shorter. If there are any issues in setting up your account we inform you immediately.

  3. None of the packages offer exactly everything I want, can I design my own?

    Of course! Please email info@anvilhosting.co.uk with your specific requirements, and we will be in touch with a free no-obligation competitive quote. If you like what you see, let us know and we will get it all set up for you for free of charge.

  4. How do I check to see if the domain name which I want is available?

    Head over to our domains page where we have a handy search tool, just enter domain name and extension(s) you want to search for and hit the search button.

  5. I want a website but I don't know anything about creating one. Can you help me?

    Yes we can. We are partnered with a number of great web designers and web developers who work with us to provide web design services. Visit our bespoke work page to request more information.

  6. How can I pay for my package?

    We offer two ways of paying for your package. The PayPal option allows you to pay using your PayPal account or a credit/debit card. If you choose this method, we will pass you to the PayPal website for the processing of the payment. If the payment is yearly or monthly - as with most of our packages - this will set up a recurring payment on PayPal.

    The second option, Cash/Cheque, allows you to pay by Cash, Cheque or Bank Transfer. Once you have completed the sign up process a member of our team will contact you to arrange payment. Once your payment has been received, your account will be activated.

DNS & Domain Names

  1. How long will it be before I can use my domain?

    When you order a domain name with your web hosting package the domain name will take 24-48 hours to be registered and accessible across the Internet. You will be supplied with a temporary address to access your web space while this process is occurring.

  2. The domain I want is already taken, what can I do?

    Try searching for variants of the domain you want - your-domain.com instead of yourdomain.com - or using a different extension - your-domain.org.uk instead of yourdomain.org.

    Caution should be taken to ensure you aren't in breach of any Registered Trademarks.

    If the domain you want isn't available isn't in use you can check domain name markets such as Sedo to see if it is for sale.

  3. I already have a domain from another provider, can still use it?

    Of course! Domain names are only pointers to the server where your website is stored. By changing the DNS records you can point your website to any web server in the world. How you change these records on depends on where your domain name is currently held and who manages the DNS.

    If you have control over your DNS, you can just switch your name servers [guide coming soon!].

  4. How can I change my DNS settings?

    Domain names bought as part of a package are maintained by our team, however if you do want to make any changes or just the current DNS settings of your domain, just e-mail support@anvilhosting.co.uk.

  5. I already own a domain name, how do I transfer my domain name to you?

    If you already own a domain name with another provider and want to transfer it to us so that we can manage it on your behalf please contact our support team at support@anvilhosting.co.uk.

Switching to us

  1. I already own a domain name, how do I transfer my domain name to you?

    Not at all. Domain names are only pointers to the server where your website is stored. By changing the DNS records you can point your website to any web server in the world. How you change these records on depends on where your domain name is currently held and who manages the DNS. If you have control over your DNS, you can just switch your name servers as detailed here

    If your domain name is managed by a previous web hosting provider we would recommend that you transfer your domain name to us, where we can manage the DNS for you. We will make sure the domain name is in your name, with Anvil Hosting as an administrative contact, and is remains fully working throughout the transfer.

  2. I already have a website and I want to transfer onto my new web hosting, can you do this for me?

    If you contact us after you sign up we will give you as much help as possible in transferring your website over to your new account, however we cannot offer any guarantees against any data loss or loss of sales that may occur during the transfer.

    Please contact us for more information.