Hostile Host

[Guest]

I have a client who has been paying excessively for web hosting. When he
approached the host about moving the page, the hostility from the host was
palpable.

My question is, how does my client get his web page back safely? I think
that the host is just the sort of person to not cooperate. My client owns the
page.

Also, can the page be simply downloaded from the site? I know it must be
possible, but what is involved? (forgive my naivete).

Thanks for any related advice

 

[Trevor L.]

I am an amateur but I think I have enough knowldege to comment on this
question.

If the page (or pages) was/were uploaded with FP, then they can be
downloaded.
Just reverse the soucre and destination, i.e. publish *from* the server *to*
the local disk

The web host cannot prevent this. All they could do, and this would be a
nasty act, is unilaterally decide to delete the page(s).

And, in any case, doesn't the client have a backup on his local disk anyway
?

 

[Clark]

An issue for you in moving the client is who has what authority to move the name
of the site.

If his site has a name like www.yourclientsitename.com that is important to your
client and you want to move it to another web hoster, you (or your client) need
to have the administrative or technical authority to do that. Who is listed as
the "Administrative Contact" or the "Technical Contact" for the site?

If both those people are people that work at the current hosting place, the only
way to get the domain name transferred to a new host is to get them to do it.
Some places (Register.com comes to mind) charge a (too-large fee) for that
service.

Now, if the name is not important, you can get a new name, and assuming the site
files are available to you as in the preious reply, you can then publish the
website to the new location and just forget about the current hoster.

 

[Guest]

The client doesn't have backup copies. He realizes at this juncture that this
is a serious error. He does own the domain name and can freely move it to
another host at will.

Unfortunately, he would like just to get the web page from this untoward
host and is not getting much cooperation.

Thanks for all of the advice.

 

[Guest]

When the client first contacted the host, he gave him discs with the site (no
longer available) which were then "fixed" by the host and then placed on the
web via host servers.

My client wants to ask for the site back, but feels this host is an
opportunist that will take advantage of his naivete. He wants to ask the host
for his site in a difinitive way. If he isn't difinitive, I can guarantee
that the host will play games.

The client wants me to tell him how to word his request so that the host
understands he knows that he is entitled to the site?

I don't know enough to guide him on this. My specialty is hardware with a
mixture of networking and electronics. Can anyone offer some idea of how to
word his request? (I feel odd just asking this - I hope I'm making sense.)
thanks

 

[Murray]

Just use a site sucker to grab the site (QuadSucker, WebCopier, BlackWidow
spring to mind). Or if you have the login information, grab it with FP.
Then you will be FREE! FREE! Free of this tyrant host....

 

[Brian Mailman]

If you haven't really read Trevor L.'s advice, then do so and follow the
excellent instructions he gave you. Also Clark's and Murray's. If
English is not your first language, find someone who can translate for you.

B/

 

[Steve Easton]

Unless they won't relinquish the domain name.

--
Steve Easton
Microsoft MVP FrontPage
95isalive
This site is best viewed..................
...............................with a computer

 

[Murray]

Well, they should not be the domain name registrant to begin with. And if
it is a company name you can get around that with proof that you are the
company (like a phone bill or a tax return or something).

 

[Craig Schiller]

If the host has the FP extensions involved, just tell your friend to do as was
described previously: Open the website "live" in FP, then publish it to a folder on
his/her hard drive. Once that's done, your friend should confirm ownership of the
domain name. Then it's just a matter of canceling the nasty host and getting a new
one. Although you'd probably want to get the new one first, then cancel the old one.

HTH,
Craig