Portal Home > Knowledgebase > Articles Database > do I need to become a reseller?
do I need to become a reseller?
| Posted by sdesigner, 07-25-2004, 08:13 PM |
| Hi, I've been reading around these forums but I am still not sure if becoming a resller is what I need to do to achieve what I want. Can I ask your advice
Okay, here goes. I currently own a website that has more than 10,000 members. At the moment the membership is free. What I want to do is create a premium membership where people can choose to pay in order to receive extra 'premium member' benefits. Now, one of those benefits I want to be is some webspace.
So, I need to find the best way of managing this. I am in the UK and would prefer to use a UK based company so that I can use the telephone support, although I will consider a company in another country if it was a good reputation and cost. I would like to offer each of my website 'premium members' at least 500 MB webspace, and a nice amount of bandwidth. Do I have to become a reseller to do this?
I have seen two different ways that companies handle this reselling business.
1) They charge me a fee per month and then allow me to host unlimited domains on my Reseller account with no additional fees to pay, within my own reseller space.
For example, FebFusion (webfusion.co.uk/reseller.shtml) would charge me £50 per month (plus VAT). They claim my reseller space will be unlimited, which means I can sell an unlimited number of "500MB storage / 10GB Bandwidth" accounts for my £50 per month with no extra prices to me. Is this correct?
I have even seen some that are cheaper than this and offer unlimted space and bandwidth, surely this can't be correct - because otherwise I could offer 500GB webspace accounts to all of my members and only pay a small monthly fee?!?! (see heartinternet.co.uk for this unlimted webspace)
2) They charge me a monthly fee plus I pay a set price for each customer each month. The price I pay them per customer is reduced the more customers I get. For example, liquidweb.com/dedicated/offerings.htm do this.
Which is the best way to go for me in my circumstances. All I want to do is offer my paying members some webspace.
Any advice is appreciated.
cheers
sds
|
| Posted by sdesigner, 07-25-2004, 08:17 PM |
| oh, another question I had was.....is it possible for me to resell space without them having to register a domain name.
For example, I could allow people to use sub-domains (e.g. theirname.myname.com) that I give them for free instead? This is because my site is a community site and most people I imagine will not mind a sub-domain name if it is for free. Is this possible within a reseller situation?
|
| Posted by phpcoder, 07-25-2004, 08:35 PM |
| Hi,
You don't need to become a "reseller", but I would suggest one of the following which will most likely suit your needs
1) Purchase a VPS/Dedicated Server which will give you bigger disk space and bandwidth resources to allocate to your premium members. A reseller account will fill up quickly if you offer 500MB space per member.
2) Start with a reseller account and work your way up to a VPS/Dedicated server.
When you have a new premium member, you will then login to the server's control panel and then setup the new account.
Doing it this way, you can charge the premium member as much or as little as you want. You will then need to pay a set monthly fee to the web hosting company.
Have you ever seen an unlimited hard drive? There is your answer
This is easy to do using a control panel such as cPanel/WHM
If you opt to not go with a reseller plan (because 500MB of space per account is quite a bit and will outgrow most reseller plans quickly) then I would suggest getting a managed VPS/Dedicated if you don't know much when it comes to security, software upgrades, etc
Let me know if you have any other questions!
|
| Posted by TheRose, 07-25-2004, 08:40 PM |
| There are a number of low cost, easy to manage Reseller options for those just starting out.
cPanel/WHM Controls is what you're looking for. You can learn the basics of operation really quick...and if you've got the right provider, upgrade whenever you need.
Don't fall for the Unlimited schemes
You should also check into providers who have great uptime and a Free Trial would be nice to take look-see so you know what you're getting into.
|
| Posted by sdesigner, 07-25-2004, 08:57 PM |
| I don't really understand reselling too much. All I want to do is be able to offer my paying website members webspace and I don't really know how to go about it. I don't want my own server. Is reselling what I need?
If so, can anyone recommend a good UK hosting company (not another reseller) that offers reselling packages. I would like the uptime to be rock solid and a nice amount of web space and bandwidth for each of my paying members (although I'd rather have lesser webspace but more uptime).
|
| Posted by phpcoder, 07-25-2004, 09:04 PM |
| sdesigner,
I need to run out now, but take a look at the following demo of a control panel (cPanel). This is what a lot of resellers use to setup and manage hosted accounts. You are allocated so much space/bandwidth and then can allocate as much or as little as you want to each account you setup.
http://demo.adthosting.com/whmindex.html
|
| Posted by sdesigner, 07-25-2004, 09:07 PM |
| Is it not possible for me to just buy an amount of webspace/bandwidth per month from a reputable company, and then allocate this out to my members using the cpanel, giving then each FTP accounts and email addresses. I don't really want loads of fancy stuff like sql dbases and giving them control panels etc. All they want is an FTP account, a domain name and email account - then they're happy. Anything more than this will be too complicated. I just need an easy way to give them a bit of webspace to upload their songs (they are musicians).
I don't even want to appear as a hosting company with sign-ups and packages etc. All I want is to charge my members a yearly fee using paypal (which is easy) and be able to offer them a bit of webspace, a sub-domain, an ftp account and an email account.
|
| Posted by TheRose, 07-25-2004, 09:12 PM |
| You can easily create them.your.com in cPanel giving them their own space within yours with their own controls...etc.
I don't know any UK resellers, but you don't have to limit your search geographically. There are a number of providers all over the world in some very respectable Data Centers.
The best bet, as I stated before, was to check to make sure their uptime is undeniable and you arrange enough space to make what you've got work as well as upgrading easy.
The space you resell is dependant on the resources you have in your Package.
Take a look at what most will give you.
Web Host Manager
http://69.93.240.134/whm/
Username : demo
Password : demoguest
And when you allocate space, the cPanel they get.
cPanel with RVSkin
http://69.93.240.134/cpanel/
Username : demotest
Password : demoguest
That will give you a basic idea
Good luck.
|
| Posted by sdesigner, 07-25-2004, 09:13 PM |
| ah, i see you have kind of answered this above :-/
|
| Posted by sdesigner, 07-25-2004, 09:15 PM |
| Hi Rose, so how do I check their uptime is undeniable?
|
| Posted by TheRose, 07-25-2004, 09:19 PM |
| Most reputable companies have a 3rd party monitor their sites and report. Just like Siteuptime or Alertra.
Ask for the link to the report
|
| Posted by IHSL, 07-25-2004, 09:20 PM |
| You can't.
It's a matter of trust. If you don't trust what the company is saying in the first place, then don't choose them. Find one you feel comfortable with.
People will tell you there's "this way" and "that way" but it's simply untrue. Alertra, and other services are fine, but are primarily targetted at the hosting company being alerted, not at the customer checking uptime availability.
Simon
|
| Posted by TheRose, 07-25-2004, 09:24 PM |
| Not to refute ya IHSL, yes, it's primarily host notification, but there is the simple online report which tells is the way it is.
Most want to say 99.99% which is always bull unless they never reboot the servers
In reality, anything near 99 is respectable as there are always undeniable problems in the real world.
Integrity is what's important.
|
| Posted by sdesigner, 07-25-2004, 09:25 PM |
| Rose, can I see the link to your report? ....I'd like to see one if thats okay
|
| Posted by TheRose, 07-25-2004, 09:26 PM |
| http://www.siteuptime.com/statistics.php?Id=8589
|
| Posted by IHSL, 07-25-2004, 09:27 PM |
| Yes, there is. Aside from the fact that at last check it didn't insert maintenance periods in that public online report.
It also doesn't count in switches to 'check times'. I know this because a customer of ours had a server hang on reboot - he knew it would take us 5-10 minutes to do a manual boot, so he went in and changed his alertra to "60 minute" checking, so it would show one hour of downtime.
Simon
|
| Posted by TheRose, 07-25-2004, 09:34 PM |
| Gotcha. Site uptime doesn't allow that change
They check every 30 and 60.
|
| Posted by IHSL, 07-25-2004, 09:36 PM |
| That's my point.
Checking every 30 minutes is no use to man nor beast. Heck you can toast a drive, replace it, and siteuptime wouldn't notice the difference
Far from undeniable.
Simon
|
| Posted by TheRose, 07-25-2004, 09:42 PM |
| I guess so.
Would you suggest checking then, every minute?
What if UU or C&W goes latent/off for a bit, which they do nearly every day, and part of the check goes through their networks?
Would the report would show downtime from a network that really wasn't downtime?
Hmm...
|
| Posted by Shaw Networks, 07-26-2004, 01:43 AM |
| I'd start with a reseller account and work your way up, until you can profitably switch to a dedicated server.
|
| Posted by IHSL, 07-26-2004, 01:50 AM |
| I would personally suggest anywhere between 1, and 5 minutes. You can only get honest results (and monitoring) this way.
In my opinion you have to look at the worst case scenario.. this would be such an instance as 'SiteUptime' checking your website (on 30 minute cycle), and then 1 minute later the server going down.
Just think - unless you have someone checking every server, on a constant - you will not find out about that downed server for 29 minutes (your customers are also robbed of 29 minutes in "uptime guarantee's).
Alertra provides many, many locations from which they check your server(s). The odds of every single location being down is pretty much zero (mutliple locations worldwide).
Simon
|
| Posted by sdesigner, 07-26-2004, 06:02 AM |
| Okay, thanks for all your advice. I guess reselling is the way to go then!
I have found a reputable company in the UK. The charge more than some fly-by-night companies and they don't make the 'unlimited' claims that these make. They are also owned by Pipex so I can't imagine they will dissappear overnight. The are webfusion.co.uk.
They charge £50 + VAT (so thats about £60 per month, over $100).
My reseller account would have 1 GB web space and 10 GB bandwidth each month). I can then offer tailored packages of between 5MB and 1GB to each shared account, with up to 10GB bandwidth per account each month. The number of accounts I can create is unlimited.
Does this sound like a good deal? I guess I will be paying more for a reputable company. They claim 99.9% uptime but I asked them if there is a way for me to check this and they said no. What do you guys think?
cheers
sds
|
| Posted by Wuushu, 08-01-2004, 06:24 AM |
| I have a dedicated server with tons of extra bandwidth and hdd space. I have been reading the posts here for about 2 days now about reselling and setting up extra accounts.
But a few things i do not just understand:
Do i need an extra IP for each account i add?
I am somewhat familiar with Cpanel/WHM that i use now, but what exactly are the steps in setting up lets say a user account on my server?
Do i need to buy an IP? Do i have to point some DNS? I am not sure how it works. ..
Are there any guides somewhere on the actual account creation, pointing, process? Or do all account share one IP? (same of server). Do i have to make some account records like point their account to some subfolder? Or is it all done automatically once i just created an account (This i know how to do with "create new account")..
Thanks for ANY insight gurus!
-- Chris
|
| Posted by TheRose, 08-01-2004, 06:37 AM |
| Do i need an extra IP for each account i add?
No, unless you want to give the site a static Ip just for it.
Any account you create will simply be setup on the main shared IP automatically and the DNS zome will be written for you at the time.
You can check www.cpanel.net WHM docs for more info.
|
| Posted by Wuushu, 08-01-2004, 06:40 AM |
| Wow, thanks for the instant reply TheRose. Really appreciate it. *thumbs up!*
Ah okay, i understand. I won't be needing extra IPs.. Different domain names (customers domain names) can all point to the same IP (server).
- What would the address be for their account? Web url that is. ip.com/~account ??
And how do i point their domain name to their account on their server?
Thank you again TheRose!
|
| Posted by TheRose, 08-01-2004, 06:44 AM |
| Yes, they can use the temp url maindomain.com/~account/ or ip/~account/
On your server, their account's DNS zone is auto written when you set it up, no need for you to do anything.
The domain owner of the new account would only have to point the domain name to the nameservers for your machine.
|
| Posted by Wuushu, 08-01-2004, 06:50 AM |
| Ah thank you again! I just tried what you said - i created an account in the WHM, and i did NOT check the "IP" box. So the new account uses the same ip as my server.
I also noted as you said it added a new DNS zone so i guess it's taken care of as well, as you said.
Now the last thing i guess i need to figure out:
On the test account i created. I named the account "reseller"
and the domain to go with it was reseller.com
I am using servepath.com's DNS servers. Do i have to tell them to point the domain (that do not exisit, but just for testing purposes, and theoretically) to my IP?
like in their DNS request form:
reseller.com (or whatever my customer has for domain name) POINT TO [my IP].
And the DNS zone will take care of to see that the domain name forwards to the correct/corresponding account on my server?
Do i have it all right now sort of? Much to learn..
If the user already has a domain registered from somewhere, i would ask them to point their domain to dns1.servepath.com (or whatever their DNS servers are named)?
And i also register their domain to point to my IP.
So two things that needs to be done?
Sorry for the "bible length text".. And again i really do appreciate your time.
Thanks!
--Christian
|
| Posted by TheRose, 08-01-2004, 07:09 AM |
| I am using servepath.com's DNS servers. Do i have to tell them to point the domain (that do not exisit, but just for testing purposes, and theoretically) to my IP?
Depends on how you have it setup.
Are you having servepath.com handle your DNS remotely?
Your nameservers zone should do the proper pointing as long as you have the new domain pointed to the correct nameservers for your machine.
|
| Posted by TheRose, 08-01-2004, 07:11 AM |
| P.S. No problem on the time I'm up working anyway...as always.
|
| Posted by Wuushu, 08-01-2004, 07:13 AM |
| Are you having servepath.com handle your DNS remotely?" - Yes, i am using their DNS servers. (NS1.SERVEPATH.COM 216.93.160.16 )
So in order to get a customers domain name to point to my server -
do i have to have the customer registrar point the name to servepath.com's nameservers, AND then i point the domainname on servepath.com's request form to my server IP?
Thank you.
|
| Posted by Wuushu, 08-01-2004, 07:15 AM |
| So in practice, i get a customer. I say like -
Please get your registrar to point your domain name to: NS1.SERVEPATH.COM 216.93.160.16
And then i surf to servepath.com's homepage, log-in, and enter in "Forward DNS Mappings:":
"reseller.com TO [MY IP HERE]"
(reseller.com being the customers chosen domain name, just an example here).
That would take care of it all?
Thanks!
Work work work.. 24x7x365
-- Christian
|
| Posted by Wuushu, 08-01-2004, 07:18 AM |
| Edited above post - added "Forward DNS Mappings:" to be the exact name of the servepath form..
|
| Posted by TheRose, 08-01-2004, 07:20 AM |
| You should check with Servepath as I wouldn't want to tell you the wrong thing
Usually, the way it's handled...
Your machine is setup, your machine's IP is set and nameservers for your machine are created. Then you only have to have domains point to ns1.yourmachine.com.
If you are using remote DNS service, you may have to have new domains adding there in order to know where to go.
You really should check into having your own nameserver setup for your machine as it will make it less confusing in the long run, and more brandable to you.
|
| Posted by Wuushu, 08-01-2004, 07:23 AM |
| Ah thank you,
I sort of see the benefits of running my own DNS server on the same machine now.
I wouldn't have to do anything after creating the account in WHM, except have them point it to my DNS..
Thank you so much again for the help TheRose!
|
| Posted by TheRose, 08-01-2004, 07:25 AM |
| Anytime
Back to work now
cya and good luck!
|
| Posted by Wuushu, 08-01-2004, 07:34 AM |
| Take care.
|
Add to Favourites 
Print this Article
Also Read
