Pre-Sales
From Site5Wiki
Frequently Asked Pre-Sales Questions
Full-text search for "beginners" — We're adding more and more information for the person who has never, ever done this before now. We understand, and we want you to be comfortable here, and with your websites.
Can I...?
...allow robots from search engines to search my site? Ping services and search engines regarding my site's content? Use external services, such as Google Analytics or Google Ads?
Yes. Please do!
We know how important visibility and SEO are to you. So please, use Google's Services, allow robots to crawl and index your site, and ping whomever you see fit when you update any part of your site. Your directories' .htaccess files are yours to use as you need.
...run TortoiseSVN, SVN, Switchtower, Capistrano?
Yes.
...see one of your server's PHPinfo files?
Certainly!
You may view one at metis.site5.com/info.php.
...run x application/framework under FastCGI?
Yes and no.
FCGI was setup with ROR only in mind. So what you'd like to do might work, but it wouldn't be supported, and there's no guarantee that it would. That could change in the future, of course.
...change the credit card I use for my account at any time, without penalty?
Yes.
You can update your credit card information by logging into your account at https://backstage.site5.com.
Once logged in, please click the tab labeled Account (as shown in white in the screenshot).
Then, on the left-hand side, as shown in the image, you'll see a menu choice--the third one from the top--entitled Edit Billing Info.
Clicking that choice will allow you to update your credit card information.
We charge no fees for doing so; you may update your credit card information, or change it completely to another valid card, with no penalty or regard on our part.
The direct Backstage link for billing-related issues is https://backstage.site5.com/client/account/billing_info.
...use x credit/debit card? Use PayPal?
Yes and no.
Yes: We accept any card affiliated with VISA, Mastercard, or American Express. Your credit-card-enabled debit card applies if it shows some affiliation with one of those three companies; if you don't see their symbol on the front, please look at the black-and-white symbols on the back of the card, showing all affiliations. Sometimes the issuing company is more subtle than necessary. :)
No: We do not accept Discover cards at this time.
Yes and no: Your debit card must be affiliated with VISA, Mastercard, or American Express in order to be accepted. We do not accept PayPal. However, PayPal does issue a VISA-affiliated debit card, that draws from your PayPal account but behaves like a VISA card, and that card, we can and do accept.
...use Fantastico for domain pointers and parked domains?
No.
Fantastico's one-click installer only works on fully-hosted domains, with their own control panel under SiteAdmin. You're free to use any of those scripts for a pointed or parked domain; you simply cannot use Fantastico as an installer for those scripts.
...register my domain with you for an x number of years contract?
Yes and no.
Our time limit on any one domain registration's contract is up to eight years; however, the registration will, unless you wish otherwise, automatically renew at the end of those chosen amount of years, so we will handle that hassle for you, and your registration will remain continuous.
Your options for domain registration contracts are one year through eight years, all billed at the rate of 8.88 dollars per year.
...run a mailing list?
Yes.
We have Mailman pre-installed for every customer, and PHPList is available via Fantastico's one-click install.
Please review our TOS requirements regarding the opting-in of mailing list members, and the number of emails that may be sent per hour.
...advertise my design/coding/site's services?
Yes and no.
You are freely welcome to do so in our subforum created for exactly that purpose: 
Service Exchange.
Please refrain from doing so elsewhere in the forums, or in the wiki. Advertisements elsewhere will be considered spam, and will be deleted.
...have shell access? Can I have SSH access to my account?
Yes.
After your account has been activated by our Sales department, simply log into your SiteAdmin interface through Backstage and select Advanced then Get Shell Access. From this point, you can enable and disable bash shell for your account.
...can access to my sites' .htaccess files?
Yes.
For every directory under your account—they're yours to control.
...have my own IP address? Does my web hosting account come with a dedicated/static/unique IP address?
Only The Plan To End All Plans + Turbo Package includes an IP Address.
How do I...?
...fill out the order form, if I don't have a state or zip code in my address?
...cancel my new order, if I decide I don't want it after all?
- If the order has not yet been processed, simply email Sales with the following information:
1. The primary domain name on the order
2. The last four digits of the credit card number you entered on the order form
Note: If your order has not been processed, your credit card has not yet been charged.
- If the order has been processed, and your account is active, simply email Billing with the following information:
1. The primary domain name on your account
2. The last four digits of the credit card number on file with your account or the answers to your security questions on file with your account
3. Confirmation that you have backed up all important site and account files, since closing your account deletes them permanently
...get my money back when I cancel?
The billing department will issue a refund of your charges for the entire amount charged if you cancel within 60 days.
...complain about my current registrar, if they won't release my domain to your registration?
- Fill out a complaint form with the governing body Internic, and they will assist you.
Do I have to...?
...register my domain with Site5?
No.
We do and can register your domain, as long as it's using one of the following .tlds:
- .com
- .net
- .org
- .info
- .biz
However, registering your domains with us and/or transferring your domains to us is not a requirement of hosting with us. Choose your registrar freely!
Does putting my domain on the order form automatically register it with/transfer it to Site5?
No.
We use the main domain name on your account as a method of identifying your account; plus, we require each account to have at least one domain name, for security reasons. However, entering your domain name on our order form does not change its registrar at all.
Do you have...?
...dedicated servers?
We do offer Dedicated Servers.
...VPS?
No, not yet.
...PostGreSQL? SQLite?
No.
We only support and use MySQL.
...ASP? .NET? MSSQL? Access? Windows IIS hosting?
No.
All of our servers run Linux only.
...WebDAV?
No.
Will you...?
...transfer my domain for me?
No.
Site5 does not transfer your domain for you when you sign up for a new account. You must transfer the domain to Site5 manually. This is done by pointing the DNS entries for your domain to Site5's DNS servers. You can change the DNS settings for your domain at your domain registrar (the company through which you purchased your domain), changing them to ours: dns.site5.com and dns2.site5.com.
