Portal Home > Knowledgebase > Articles Database > Nightmare with WestNic.net
Nightmare with WestNic.net
| Posted by stevinghost, 12-04-2009, 11:35 AM |
| Hi all,
I'm hoping that someone out there can give me some advice urgently.
I'm having a terrible experience with WestNic.net and urgently need to get moved over to a new host. And don't even get me started on the amount of downtime on their servers.
After much abuse from their support department, they're now threatening to remove accounts (which I have no backup of).
"We're receiving downtime reports from alertra again. Same problem:
0-0 11753 1/2/2 K 0.00 1 235 0.0 0.03 0.03 83.146.15.125 pokershout.info GET /proxy.php?url=%3A%2F%2Fapi.search.yahoo.com%2FWebSearc
pokershout.info and cappedout.info must be removed within next 24 hours. Please let us know if you need backup files."
The stupid thing? proxy.php doesn't even exist! These are bog standard WordPress installs and proxy.php serves a 404. How can a 404 crash a server? And how is this my fault?
I'm currently paying them 50 USD a month for a reseller package, I'm using under 1GB space and around 5GB bandwidth per month. The real killer requirement is a dedicated IP for each site (preferably over a few different C-classes).
A quick review over support history with WestNic..
Request for IP addresses. You're really paying over the odds for their hosting because of the promise of IPs over different C-classes. However, all my sites were put on the same c-class. When I requested that they be put on different c-class blocks, I was advised "Unfortunately, we currently don't have C-Blocks on your server.". As simple as that, nice!
Okay so annoying enough, paying over the odds for a feature that isn't even available.
Next problem? They start suspending a few of my clients sites. Why? Because of a mass of hits going to theirdomain.com/proxy.php apparently crashing the server. But here's the thing (which was pointed out to them) - Each of the sites they mentioned were bog standard installs (latest edition) of Wordpress and proxy.php doesn't even exist! It's a 404 error. So even if the traffic is genuine, it can only be generating minimum server load because its a 404!
Okay next? They suspend another of my clients sites (by the way, each time they suspend the site, they refuse to un-suspend it and force you to move the site elsewhere). Why this time? Because apparently the sites too busy. Again, a bog standard WordPress install. Before it was suspended, the owner noticed about 200 unique visitors browsing the site. WestNic.net answer for suspending it?
"PID USER PR NI VIRT RES SHR S %CPU %MEM TIME+ COMMAND
673 dknigga 17 0 0 0 0 Z 16.3 0.0 0:00.49 php
677 dknigga 17 0 0 0 0 Z 16.0 0.0 0:00.48 php
669 dknigga 17 0 0 0 0 Z 15.6 0.0 0:00.47 php
678 dknigga 17 0 45008 30m 6500 R 15.3 0.5 0:00.46 php
over 50 similar entries.
It did crash server and overloaded CPU. Normal sites don't do this on shared servers."
So if you have a surge of traffic of 200 or more people, you better avoid WestNic because you're going to crash the server?
So, please, if you can offer a similar package and help me migrate my sites over, please let me know.
Last edited by stevinghost; 12-04-2009 at 11:40 AM.
|
| Posted by stevinghost, 12-04-2009, 12:38 PM |
| So another idiotic reply from WestNic.net
I emailed them pointing out that the file proxy.php doesn't even exist and that it only serves a 404 message. I asked them to check for themselves. I explained that it hardly seems reasonable to delete two of my clients sites for something that is completely out of their control (external users requesting a file that doesn't exist).
Their reply?
"I've generated two manual backups then moved them into folder /home/bluebox/public_html
Of course files don't exist, but DDoS attack does, 24/7. When you move accounts to different host, please check log files, especially "analog". You will be surprised how hard they hit. Log is over 250MB (just analog log for today, November 4)."
So even though the file does not exist and the server is simply serving a 404 error, they're continuing in their plan to remove the clients.
|
| Posted by cscarlet, 12-04-2009, 04:09 PM |
| Hmm thats sounds familiar, you must have had the same person who blamed one of my sites for crashing the server even though it was down for os patching.
He/She doesn't add their names to the tickets either where as all their other staff do.
|
| Posted by HOD-Jardin, 12-04-2009, 04:18 PM |
| Sorry to hear about your troubles with them. Are they still down or are you looking to move host?
|
| Posted by WestNIC, 12-04-2009, 07:59 PM |
| There aren't down but I hope he will move to different host. He always promise (for 1 year already) that he move out but for unknown reason stays with WestNIC. More of this, he opened second account few months ago!
Basically, he posted one side story cleared from insults and abuse. His *regular* answer (just one example):
"If you can't handle the bandwidth and level of service expected then refund my money. If you can then stop being idiots and run the business professionally. You guys are a piss poor joke. "
Customer is abusing our reseller servers.. created severe downtime multiple times. He doesn't want to cooperate or understand what happened. Other provider would terminate account because issue occur on daily basis. We were really patient, we're still being patient.
Personally, I would pay another $50 if someone accept his reseller account. Seriously. If he wants $50 refund (he opened account on 2008/09/14 and not eligible for refund), we can make an exception. We can even process refund at once, same day, I already spoke with our VP of Sales.
|
| Posted by HOD-Jardin, 12-04-2009, 08:28 PM |
| Very professional...
|
| Posted by WestNIC, 12-04-2009, 09:21 PM |
| And very unprofessional to ask me about $50 via PM. I am not selling anything. I work for support dept. Customer wants to change hosting providers. I'll be happy if he find *shared* server with free DDOS protection + staff members who can handle frequent direct insults.
|
| Posted by HOD-Jardin, 12-04-2009, 09:24 PM |
| You really think I was begin serious?
If your client is abusive to your staff then suspend/remove his service.
|
| Posted by yajur, 12-05-2009, 12:32 AM |
| what his bandwith usage normal proxy site will use more than 20-40GB
but OP told he useing only 5GB bandwith
|
| Posted by stevinghost, 12-05-2009, 01:37 AM |
| Thanks for the feedback so far. I am looking to move host yes. Ideally I need a provider who can offer the same kind of C-class IP spread and help in transferring my data over.
The idiotic thing here is that my bandwidth across all client sites is less than 5gb a month and the file they say is being 'DDoSed' doesn't even exist!
I'm finding it hard to believe that 'hundreds' of requests to a page serving a 404 is enough to cause the server to crash.
WestNics reply to this thread says it all. The quality of support, the quality of the basic English language.
I've already advised WestNic that I'll be opening a dispute with Paypal since they've failed to meet the task of hosting the sites since day one (constantly suspending and deleting sites). Suspending and deleting client sites with 24 hours notice is not reasonable and it's costing me money and reputation each time they do it. They came back with a cocky reply about how it would be there decision. Perhaps they haven't reviewed Paypals decisions in most cases involving non-tangible goods.
|
| Posted by cscarlet, 12-05-2009, 05:32 AM |
| Might be worth trying to upload a blank proxy.php file at least that way it should reduce the amount of processor it uses redirecting the page to you error pages.
|
| Posted by stevinghost, 12-05-2009, 08:59 AM |
| Well unfortunately it's too late now, they've already removed the websites.
I still don't agree with hosts that kick a customer off for being attacked. Especially when the attack is against a page that doesn't even exist. If you can call 200 hits an attack.
I didn't even have a customised 404 error page, it was just the standard apache error.
|
| Posted by 01globalnet, 12-05-2009, 10:03 AM |
| There is no need to have a file for a dos attack... they could attack your site with yoursite.com/dsadsadsa432rdfsf - yoursite.com/312312ewaesa - the purpose of the attacker is to overload apache with requests.
The problem is not the proxy.php file, but YOUR SITE IS A TARGET FOR DOS ATTACK. Why is it so hard to understand?
You should better find a host that specialises in dos protection. Depending on the volume of attacks, this may be expensive.
You can check here in WHT or google for reseller / vps with dos protection.
Good luck!
|
| Posted by ldcdc, 12-05-2009, 03:05 PM |
| It seems to me like that's the explanation of the host's reaction in this thread. They're at their wit's end.
It may come as a surprise, but 200 users browsing a dynamic site at the same time can, at a lot of hosts, lead to the account being suspended. Shared hosting is not the place to host websites with high peaks in traffic, unless the host explicitly advertises that their service is designed for that sort of usage (implies a high price per GB of data transfered out).
Say that you're paying $35 for a hosting account (shared or reseller). You can reasonably expect some 30 such accounts to be sharing the server with you, maybe more. In other words, you're each expected to be using well under 3% of CPU capacity with your sites (you certainly can't keep a server running at 90%). Even with today's powerful computers, 3% is not a lot, given that so many sites rely on scripts and databases.
|
| Posted by mellow-h, 12-05-2009, 03:12 PM |
| For cpu usage policy under quad core server, this would be 3 X 4 = 12%, if the hosting service is utilizing enough IO power, using SAS/SATAII (10K) RAID 0, that should be enough power according to my speculation. If the IO is SSD, then it is going to be a big amount I assume. One common reason servers can't maximize their powers these days because IO power isn't increasing on the way cpu power is increasing. If both doesn't act on the same way, eventually extra cpu power is going to halt other processes on the server and cause maximum cpu time.
|
| Posted by Hostagigs, 12-05-2009, 04:00 PM |
| Yes ther is no need for any file to crash apache...
just with a few external scripts apcahe can crash....
so they can.nt blame u for tht.....
|
| Posted by stevinghost, 12-05-2009, 09:46 PM |
| While I understand that there's no requirement for the file to exist for an attack to take place, as someone else pointed out - the host are implying that the fault lays with the client for hosting the file, although in the same breath they confirm that the file doesn't exist.
200 visitors hitting an apache 404 shouldn't cause a server to crash.
The most popular site hosted on my reseller package @ WestNic hits 800 unique visits a month. Most of them hit less than 100. These are not high profile sites, they're not highly dynamic (WordPress with caching)... Something doesn't add up with WestNic.
|
| Posted by JixHost, 12-05-2009, 11:13 PM |
| When you are on a shared server the priority will go to the general well being for all accounts. If that means removing one customer to preserve the integrity and uptime of the 50 others on the server then I think thats the proper decision.
|
| Posted by stevinghost, 12-05-2009, 11:52 PM |
| I can see where you're coming from. However, for 50 USD a month I'd appreciate some form of support. For them to try and find the real issue behind this or some alternative solution.
Kicking off client websites with only 24 hours notice (on numerous occasions) doesn't seem like they're really to solve any problems.
I don't believe their story in the first place. Most of these sites are relatively new and have less than 100 unique visitors a month.
What's more likely, that these low traffic sites really have been causing the issue with this mysterious file that they keep mentioning but at the same time confirm it doesn't exist or that they're managing their servers poorly and aren't really sure how to diagnose problems - "Servers down, what do we do? Umm see who's site has traffic right now and blame it on that guy"
An intel Dual core (2 x 2.66ghz) server with 8gb ram and a 1000 Mbps connection. How oversold is the server if 200 hits in 15 mins causes it to crash and is considered an attack?
Last edited by stevinghost; 12-05-2009 at 11:58 PM.
|
| Posted by WestNIC, 12-06-2009, 01:19 AM |
| If you tell another lie like this, we will post entire ticket history here. Problem began on November 8th 2009 at 09:46 PM. That's almost a month ago! We did everything possible to keep server alive, but DDoS (not DoS) attacks continued. So we suspended two websites for good on December 4th, nulled traffic and also gave you full backups for two websites in question (wow).
You didn't even download them. Basically, you don't care about those "junk", "empty wordpress" websites.
I don't understand you completely. You still host many websites across two reseller servers with westnic. No transfers, no cancellations, only bashing and insults.
When I offered refund here (see my message posted above in this thread) you said "I will go with Paypal dispute". Are you out of your mind?
|
| Posted by stevinghost, 12-06-2009, 08:03 AM |
| Wow, real professional. I guess you don't have any concern over your privacy policy. Does the refund offer still stand?
|
| Posted by WestNIC, 12-07-2009, 04:11 AM |
| You decided to post on *public forums*, not us. What did you expect? ..That everybody would swallow your lies? You still have two reseller accounts with westnic. You've been with us for 1 year and 3 months, no sign of cancellation.
Refund offer stands where it was originally posted.
|
| Posted by arkangel88, 12-09-2009, 08:02 AM |
| There are many known issues about them. Many of my colleagues got similar problems with them. I hope you will solve your issues.
|
| Posted by 24HourDomainer, 01-16-2010, 08:25 PM |
| i was going to use westnic now i wont after reading this
|
Add to Favourites 
Print this Article
Also Read
