Web host stalling on changing IPS tags

hicas · 7th September 2008, 04:25 PM

Hello

We have signed up to one of the UH web hosting packages and are waiting to transfer our domains over to them from another web host.

The issue I'm having is getting our (nearly ex!) web hosting company to change our IPS tags over to UNITEDHOSTING. I first requested this was done on Wednesday and thought it would be a fairly simple task. We were hoping to have the transfer complete within 24 hours. Unfortunately they do not appear to be able to help us with changing the IPS tags, our request had been passed from pillar to post, our e-mails are ignored, instant chat goes dead when we explain what the problem is, etc, etc.

Yesterday afternoon, I received an e-mail from them saying they had now requested the change but it appears that in reality nothing has been done.

We have an online shop and have now had to take it offline (ie, we're losing income!) because our SSL cert has today expired with the (nearly ex) hosting company. We have our shop all set up and ready to go under UH but can't do anything until our old web hosts change those darn IPS tags.

Anyway, please excuse the rant!

My query really was to do with going straight to Nominet and asking them to get involved? Do you think this would be an answer for us? Maybe I'm being impatient? We have a .com site too which I realise that Nominet can't help us with.

Any ideas anyone? We'd be so grateful for any advice. Oh, and UH support have been fabulous but obviously there's only so much they can do.........

Many thanks!!

Vger · 7th September 2008, 04:43 PM

Who did you register the .uk domain through? Was it the hosting company you used or somebody else? Is it their own IPS Tag or are they using someone else's?

For instance, we register lots of .uk domains on behalf of our customers, but we don't have our own IPS Tag, so register them through UK Reg, which uses the FASTHOSTS Ips Tag. If your "soon to be ex-hosting company" is small to medium sized then they may not have their own IPS Tag at all.

Vger

UH-Matt · 7th September 2008, 04:44 PM

You can go directly to nominet but they will charge you (around £15 I think). Its better to pester the current provider to get the change completed.

hicas · 7th September 2008, 05:04 PM

Vger - yes, they are a small hosting company and are using someone else's IPS tag. Thanks for explaining the process............I guess this makes things take a bit longer then..................

Simon - I'll keep pestering..........

Many thanks for your replies. I guess I'll just have to be more patient!

MrBen · 7th September 2008, 05:13 PM

You could always see if you can change the nameservers for your domain at the ex-hosting company now. If you can get the nameservers changed to the UH ones then your hosting here will start working (once the change has propagated).

Changing of the IPS tags to UH can then be handled as a seperate exercise and isn't so time critical.

Ben

TonyW · 7th September 2008, 06:06 PM

This could be an argument in favour of registering your domains with a registrar away from the hosting company. By doing that, no matter who you host with and how many times you change, the IPS tag will remain the same. All that needs to be changed are the nameservers.

This is likely why so many people register domains with services like 123-reg and UKreg.

Samizdata · 7th September 2008, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hicas

they do not appear to be able to help us with changing the IPS tags

This suggests to me that your old webhost/registrar is a basket case.

I wouldn't waste any time on them and would use Nominet immediately - last time I did it the service cost a tenner plus VAT - and I have always found Nominet staff very helpful on the phone (01865 332244 between 8 and 5.30).

As Mr Ben suggested it is always a good idea to change the nameservers before initiating a registrar transfer, and still worth investigating if you have access to the old host's control panel (which should have everything you need for transfers).

Any webhost/registrar that can't facilitate a simple transfer on request is not worth your time. There are a surprising number of them in my experience, and Nominet is a lifesaver for UK domains - if I were you I would phone them first thing Monday morning and start the process.

If your old host has a nasty "transfer out" fee you will still be obliged to pay it, but that will not stop Nominet transferring the domain for you immediately.

...

hicas · 7th September 2008, 11:01 PM

Thanks for all your replies....................

Mr Ben - Unfortunately we don't have the ability to change the nameservers from our old host's control panel. I can see the nameservers listed but the 'edit' button is locked/greyed out so, frustratingly, I can't actually edit anything. Thanks for the suggestion tho.

As TonyW mentioned this........... I did have two domains registered with 123-reg but not hosted with them which I have now transferred over to our new UH account. It was so simple in comparison. I updated the name servers myself which took all of two minutes and I was up and running in no time.

Samizdata - Think I'll be on to Nominet in the morning. Thanks for all the info. Your post made me smile. Think I'll be turning into a basket case if I don't get away from this host!!