Help please Domain name etc etc.

chris73

Most ISP based email requires you to be using their service in order to access the SMTP service to send mail from their servers. This also cuts down on servers being 'hijacked' in order to send spam, very few, if any ISP's will allow you to relay mail from their service when using another ISP. Of course, this doesn't mean that you wouldn't be able to access the POP3 to recieve mail. But either way, although you won't lose any email from your old address, you still won't be able to send from it, unless you use their dial up service.

Debt_Free_Chick

chris73 wrote:

Most ISP based email requires you to be using their service in order to access the SMTP service to send mail from their servers. This also cuts down on servers being 'hijacked' in order to send spam, very few, if any ISP's will allow you to relay mail from their service when using another ISP. Of course, this doesn't mean that you wouldn't be able to access the POP3 to recieve mail. But either way, although you won't lose any email from your old address, you still won't be able to send from it, unless you use their dial up service.

But it doesn't matter. I send my email from my Blueyonder address and used to re-route it via the Freeserve SMTP server, when Freeserve was my ISP.

Now on BT Yahoo broadband, and I now route it via that server.

In both cases, the recipient sees a message from thatoldbird@blueyonder.co.uk. They click "reply" and I get the reply.

Seriously, I've been doing this with my blueyonder address for five years now and it makes no difference to the way I compose, send and recieve email. You just need to configure your email correctly (I'm using Outlook).

researcher

Having spoken to NTL, they say I have to have an active account to be able to keep my email addresses - so I have the option of signing up for a pay-as-you-go dial-up and using this every few weeks to keep it active. If true this would solve the problem as I just want to keep the addresses until everyone has updated to my new ones - however long that takes. I've no intention of using NTL as my ISP any longer than I am forced to - they've made my life hell over the last couple of months!

durain

i guessed the best is to register a domain name, and then use the domain with an email address (eg, yourname@yourdomain.co.uk). therefore whenever you move ISP, you address can remain the same.

you will need to keep renewing the domain to keep the same email address. also you can forward emails from your domain to your (or another) email address.

researcher

durain wrote:

i guessed the best is to register a domain name, and then use the domain with an email address (eg, yourname@yourdomain.co.uk). therefore whenever you move ISP, you address can remain the same.

you will need to keep renewing the domain to keep the same email address. also you can forward emails from your domain to your (or another) email address.

that's exactly what I had been planning, and why I had asked who was best etc etc - I've a domain name in mind which is available in all forms - I just have no experience of any of this, and like a good 'reseracher' wanted to pick the brains of all the MSE's who know better.
Thanks to all have helped

badgerino

researcher - it is possible to set up an easy straighforward website which has some pages, pictures and links

But if you want to do something more complicated which has for example an online product catalogue, log-ins, forms to request information etc, that is obviously more tricky.

It will also impact on your choice of ISP.

"Webspace" doesn't necesarliy mean you can use it for whatever you want. A lot of the time it is just literally a hard drive area on a server that is accessable via the internet.

You MAY very well need more than this, for example some ISPs offer PHP script hosting (allows you to do more complicated websites) and mySQL databses (so you can store customer details, and make a product catalogue). Using these functions is relatively straightforward if you are , as you say, computer literate, and there are many good books on how to D-I-Y. However there may be a bit of programming and design involved!

To avoid this i head that frontpage can do a lot of the work for you, if you have access to a copy of this then use it to see how far you can go in creating your own website.

Before you plunge, I suggest you do a bit of research youself, and think about what your technical requirements are with respect to the site you are intending to host.

In my opinion PLUSNET is a good provider that offers these options in a very basic form all packaged up with their boradband packages.

They have very good customer service too, with some real experts on the other en of the phone.

I rate their staff - I used to work in IT and networking is not always a straightforward thing, but they know their stuff.

They also provide frontpage support which you may very well decide to use.

NB - these bells and whistles aren't on all of their products so read the fine print and check out the details. If in doubt - phone them!

researcher

thanks badgerino - I've got a copy of Front page, and have done some study of design. Also, I'd only need a fairly simple website, containing information rather than products or cataloges - so I think I'd be able to copy with that side of things. To be honest it's more to do with who to go to to register a domain name, and then continue using the name over the coming years without it costing me a fortune. Who to choose to host the site - who to use for broadband and how to network all the computers in the house so as they can all take advantage of the broadband access. Working from home has advantages - but the disadvantage is that there isn't anyone else to tell you the things you don't know!

durain

for domain name, have a look at https://www.123-reg.co.uk or https://www.1and1.co.uk. they dont cost an arm and an leg. with the domain, you get emails as well. if you get free webspace from your ISP, you can point the domain to use the webspace.

to connect up all the PCs for broadband, get a wireless router. they are very easy to configure. as for support? post your problems in MSE Techie Stuff forum and i am sure someone will answer

lellie

researcher wrote:

thanks badgerino - I've got a copy of Front page, and have done some study of design. Also, I'd only need a fairly simple website, containing information rather than products or cataloges - so I think I'd be able to copy with that side of things. To be honest it's more to do with who to go to to register a domain name, and then continue using the name over the coming years without it costing me a fortune. Who to choose to host the site - who to use for broadband and how to network all the computers in the house so as they can all take advantage of the broadband access. Working from home has advantages - but the disadvantage is that there isn't anyone else to tell you the things you don't know!

avoid frontpage if you can..

NVG is better and free - although I recommend learning html and doing a lot of it by hand. You'll make a better site.

SeoGuy_2

If your looking for webspace, with a private control panel and an easy to use interface drop me a PM and i may be able to help you out

Good luck!