What recourse do I have when my web host is non-communicative (i.e. no service)

[Ronald...@adobeforums.com]

What recourse do I have when my webhost that I have had for years is completely non-communicative?

They will not respond to my emails and their phone gives a message that it is out of service.

And though my web site is still on line... I cannot change anything on it.

Also my email has not worked for many days (since last Thursday).

I have done a WhoIs search but even though that gives me another phone number they do not return my calls.

The web host is ehostsource.com

Any ideas?

Thanks for responding.

Ron

[Luc_Des...@adobeforums.com]

Do you own your URL or did you sub lease from ehostsource.com?

[L...@adobeforums.com]

Hi Ron,

This doesn't sound good. Can you login in using the Control Panel? Or can you access Live Help? Is your Domain Name registered with this company too?

When I have a problem I generally either use the Online Help or login and post my problem, and I always seem to get a pretty quick response.

I host most all of client sites with iPower. As much of a bad rap that iPower has got over the years, I've found them to pretty much always respond within an hour or so when I need assistance, or post a problem.

On the flip side, I had a client who hosted with one of the top rated hosting companies. When I needed help I had to wait several days to get a response.

Linda

[Murray]

Do you have the files locally? Get a new host and upload them - then change
the DNS pointers for the domain. Bye bye ehostsource.com....

--
Murray

[Ronald...@adobeforums.com]

I had forgotten to change my email address here so I would know when someone posted (reason why I had not gotten back sooner). Since as I mentioned... my web host's server is not getting any of my regular email to me.

Murray - I believe you're right... it's just that I've already paid for the full year and I am only approx. one-half of the way through it. And she (the owner) will not even answer my emails or phone calls to get a refund. And now her message mailbox (phone) is full and won't even accept messages. And even my emails are now getting bounced back to me.

Linda - can't log in to anything. The message on her answering service says to be patient since they are moving to new servers! Patient? Patience is hours, or maybe a day at the most. Here it has been since last Thursday that nothing works.

Luc - I have my own domain name and ehostsource has it locked up (unless as I do what Murray correctly suggests. Unfortunately then I will probably will have paid for half a year's service for nothing. Refunds don't look likely with such a flake.

I've been with ehostsource for years... and as long as I don't need any tech support I've been fine (they're very inexpensive and so tech support is pathetic) but after this... IF it comes back online... I will certainly not be renewing with them and will tell anyone that will listen not to use them.

Looks like I may wait another day and then change web hosts. Any inexpensive ones you can recommend? I don't need virtually any tech support (and so many don't understand Macs anyway).

Also... anyone know of an internet agency of any type that I can report this to?

Thanks for posting.

Ron

[L...@adobeforums.com]

Ron,

As I said, I use iPower. It's very cheap and you get a lot for the money. If you decide to go with them and want to use My Link <http://graphicspalmbeach.com/webhosting.html> I am an affiliate.

[Ronald...@adobeforums.com]

Thanks Linda.

I'm going to give ehostsource another day before I decide.

Hate to lose a half year that's already paid.

Ron

[L...@adobeforums.com]

I hear you Ron. Actually now that I think about it, there was a period of time when iPower was migrating their servers. During that time many of us experienced something similar. So it's possible that once your company gets this fixed it will be fine. They might have more requests than they can handle right now.

[Jim_J...@adobeforums.com]

A warning with iPower...

About 2 years ago they were folded in with Endurance International, a company that has been gobbling up decent discount hosts and trashing them. Their hosting platform is atrocious if you have scripted functions and/or MySQL services (e.g., WordPress, Joomla, Drupal). If seeking a new host and scripting/MySQL is important to you, avoid any of the Endurance International companies (BizLand, FatCow, Virtual Avenue, Hypermart, FreeYellow, PureHost and PowWeb - - to name a few). Static HTML is fine on these hosting brands.

[Murray]

> Murray - I believe you're right... it's just that I've already paid for
> the full year and I am only approx. one-half of the way through it. And
> she (the owner) will not even answer my emails or phone calls to get a
> refund. And now her message mailbox (phone) is full and won't even accept
> messages. And even my emails are now getting bounced back to me.

Did you pay by credit card? I believe you can demand the money back.

> Any inexpensive ones you can recommend?

http://www.hostmysite.com @ $11/month is pretty inexpensive.

> Also... anyone know of an internet agency of any type that I can report
> this to?

Your credit card company!

--
Murray

[Ronald...@adobeforums.com]

I found these top 10 lists... and on all three different sites they seem virtually identical.

Some sites are as little as $3.99 per month for the first year!

<http://www.thetop10bestwebhosting.com/>
<http://www.the10besthosts.com/?gclid=CMqW17bLzZkCFRIcawodPQMguA>
<http://www.top10hostinglist.com/index.html>

Good idea about the credit card company and getting my money back.

Thanks all!

Ron

[L...@adobeforums.com]

Ronald,

Just so you know... I'm pretty sure BlueHost is the company that took several days to respond to a simple question I asked.

[Ronald...@adobeforums.com]

Thanks again Linda.

[Murray]

Just remember that cost and response time/quality are usually related.

--
Murray

[Nini Tjäder]

I use golivehost and am very happy with them. Despite the name they don't only host sites done in GoLive... ;) even though the guys who run it were heavy GoLive users at the time. Info about them and their services here <http://golivehost.com> . I've never heard anything but good things about them, and they usually respond quickly to queries and are very helpful too.

[steven_...@adobeforums.com]

as a general rule I have my domains with a big company here in Spain and have the sites hosted by someone cheaper.

the big company I use for the domains - arsys.es - are really good on the tech side and are available 24/7 but they are pricy on the hosting - this is why for some of the less important sites (less important in terms of if they are down for a few hours it's not going to me a major problem - like my kid's soccer blog site) I use any one of a number of cheap hosting companies.

I've always been really worried about having my domains registered through a cheaper company although to be very fair one or two of them have been really smooth to work with and have gven no problems - <http://www.streamline.net> - have been very good and have hosting for £1,99 a month at the moment (though I think if you want MySQL and PHP you need to splash out to £3,99)

[Hostingforabuck]

Not always.

[Ronald...@adobeforums.com]

Nini,

I'm trying out GoLiveHost since they said they can do it on a month-to-month basis in case ehostsource.com becomes active again in the next couple of weeks.

Just paid yesterday so hopefully it won't be too long before I can upload and get my regular email again.

I would imagine that the email that I have not received in the last week will be lost for good.

[Nini Tjäder]

Ronald,
I hope it will work out for you. I have only good experience from them and have been using them for quite some time now (years actually).

[L...@adobeforums.com]

Keep us posted Ronald. Course with the new forums, not sure how things will go.

[Ronald...@adobeforums.com]

I have already found that they have absolutely no way to contact them quickly to get an answer. No phone numbers at all.

And the info they gave me for uploading my files will not connect me.

Via email this is really taking quite a while (hours before they reply).

Looks like I may not go with them and ask for a refund.