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petesmc
How do you setup a webhost and do all the stuff like accepting credit cards?
Thank You
Thank You
Martie
petesmc,
Are you looking for a reseller plan? Do you mean setup your own hosting business?
Are you looking for a reseller plan? Do you mean setup your own hosting business?
akashik
petermc,
There's the easy affordable way, or the more professional, expensive way *lol* Or a combination of both.
You can resell for another hosting company. Typically you sign up for a 'reseller' account and handle all billing and support issues, but have your parent company as a backup for when you have a problem yourself. Billing is usually done via a third party system like Revecom or Instabill. Account are set up manually and ordered from the parent company which are them placed under your master account.
The more expensive option also gives you a lot more control, though needs a lot more technical expertise. Leasing or purchasing a dedicated server means you control it all. Connecting that to an internet merchant account like Charge.com or Card Services International allows for finer control over billing such as manual entering of creditcard numbers and partial refunds.
Note, unless you *have* a full merchant account it's illegal to enter anyone's creditcard number into anything. It seems like an easy answer to billing but if you're caught expect jail time.
Dedicated servers usually fall into those that are leased from a major company such as Alabanza, Dailtone Internet, or VDI, or paid for outright. You can buy one and co-locate it at a major Network Operation Center too.
At the top of the pile is the setting up of your *own* NOC but I doubt you're looking that far ahead quite yet.
Hosting takes long hours. Many of us spend 16-18 hour days sitting in front of a computer all day. If you like the job though it can be very rewarding. I can't stress enough however, customer support is very important. People will be relying on you 24 hours a day to help them out and get it right.
Greg Moore
There's the easy affordable way, or the more professional, expensive way *lol* Or a combination of both.
You can resell for another hosting company. Typically you sign up for a 'reseller' account and handle all billing and support issues, but have your parent company as a backup for when you have a problem yourself. Billing is usually done via a third party system like Revecom or Instabill. Account are set up manually and ordered from the parent company which are them placed under your master account.
The more expensive option also gives you a lot more control, though needs a lot more technical expertise. Leasing or purchasing a dedicated server means you control it all. Connecting that to an internet merchant account like Charge.com or Card Services International allows for finer control over billing such as manual entering of creditcard numbers and partial refunds.
Note, unless you *have* a full merchant account it's illegal to enter anyone's creditcard number into anything. It seems like an easy answer to billing but if you're caught expect jail time.
Dedicated servers usually fall into those that are leased from a major company such as Alabanza, Dailtone Internet, or VDI, or paid for outright. You can buy one and co-locate it at a major Network Operation Center too.
At the top of the pile is the setting up of your *own* NOC but I doubt you're looking that far ahead quite yet.
Hosting takes long hours. Many of us spend 16-18 hour days sitting in front of a computer all day. If you like the job though it can be very rewarding. I can't stress enough however, customer support is very important. People will be relying on you 24 hours a day to help them out and get it right.
Greg Moore
petesmc
HI,
Thanx for the very detailed explanation.
What I'm basically doing is buynig a server and co-locating it at VDI.
There is one thing that I still don't nkow how to do. It is the credit card acceptance?
What companies, things do I have to do? And also, if anyones knows VDI uses CPANEL and Web Host Manager then I would also like to know how to automatically setup accounts once the credit card has been verified.
Do you know how to do this?
Thank you so much
Peter
Thanx for the very detailed explanation.
What I'm basically doing is buynig a server and co-locating it at VDI.
There is one thing that I still don't nkow how to do. It is the credit card acceptance?
What companies, things do I have to do? And also, if anyones knows VDI uses CPANEL and Web Host Manager then I would also like to know how to automatically setup accounts once the credit card has been verified.
Do you know how to do this?
Thank you so much
Peter
akashik
We don't use VDI ourselves so I could say for sure. Have you tried their site and support?
In general though I would say it's much the same as any other system.. The billing software is connected to a payment gateway and your merchant account. Credit card details are taken, and them p***ed through the system. If the card details are approved then the sale goes ahead.
Of course that's dependant on whether the CPanel has that option.. I'm not sure it does though I hear some people are at work on a solution to the problem. It may require manual setup of accounts. This isn't much trouble really unless you suddenly have hundred of signups a day (wouldn't *that* be nice), and since you'll have someone online most of the time anyway doing support and what not setting them as as they appear lowers the workload of having to do a lot of them at once.
Personally I prefer manual setup of accounts as it's a lot easier to check the progress of each one. Machine's do some odd things at times and to trust the server to get it right everytime is living on the edge
Greg Moore
In general though I would say it's much the same as any other system.. The billing software is connected to a payment gateway and your merchant account. Credit card details are taken, and them p***ed through the system. If the card details are approved then the sale goes ahead.
Of course that's dependant on whether the CPanel has that option.. I'm not sure it does though I hear some people are at work on a solution to the problem. It may require manual setup of accounts. This isn't much trouble really unless you suddenly have hundred of signups a day (wouldn't *that* be nice), and since you'll have someone online most of the time anyway doing support and what not setting them as as they appear lowers the workload of having to do a lot of them at once.
Personally I prefer manual setup of accounts as it's a lot easier to check the progress of each one. Machine's do some odd things at times and to trust the server to get it right everytime is living on the edge
Greg Moore
petesmc
Hi,
Cpanel does not have this, but since so many people use VDI - Cpanel and Web host manager, i was wondering if anyone knew the automation code.
"The billing software is connected to a payment gateway and your merchant account"
Can you explain the above a little more please.
Thank you
Peter
Cpanel does not have this, but since so many people use VDI - Cpanel and Web host manager, i was wondering if anyone knew the automation code.
"The billing software is connected to a payment gateway and your merchant account"
Can you explain the above a little more please.
Thank you
Peter
akashik
Whichever billing software you use for your business, it needs to be connected to a payment system of some sort which will process creditcards. Some people will do it 'in-house' but more often than not, they use a payment gateway service. I think this is the better option as it gives you access to better real time processing and fraud protection. Examples of fraud protection are IP checking, number verification, address checking - all done in real time. If the details submitted match up and nothing looks out of the ordinary the card p***es and is processed. If not, it's either rejected or flagged for manual verification.
Then after the card is accepted it usually goes through another stage of deeper checking, making sure the actual details of the card itself are correct (right number for the right name etc).
The advantage is two fold. First, you get less straight our fraud by people just typing in anything, and second it reduces chargebacks later on from people's actual cards being used by someone that shouldn't be using it. (ie. you lose it on the bus and someone goes on a spending spree later on).
Using a professional payment gateway, and to be seen using one, quite often deters people from 'having a go'. They'll usually try a soft target instead. No visible protection, no secure server etc... If they know you're serious about your billing system, they should know you're serious about hunting fraudsters down as well.
Then after the card is accepted it usually goes through another stage of deeper checking, making sure the actual details of the card itself are correct (right number for the right name etc).
The advantage is two fold. First, you get less straight our fraud by people just typing in anything, and second it reduces chargebacks later on from people's actual cards being used by someone that shouldn't be using it. (ie. you lose it on the bus and someone goes on a spending spree later on).
Using a professional payment gateway, and to be seen using one, quite often deters people from 'having a go'. They'll usually try a soft target instead. No visible protection, no secure server etc... If they know you're serious about your billing system, they should know you're serious about hunting fraudsters down as well.
RotoHost
Hi,
This is my first post here...surfed on in from WHT
The next version of CPanel(4.0) is rumored to have a billing system included. It may be similar to BillAdmin (which also integrates nicely with CPanel). I don't know whether it is an add-on or if it will be a standard feature.
Good Luck!
This is my first post here...surfed on in from WHT
The next version of CPanel(4.0) is rumored to have a billing system included. It may be similar to BillAdmin (which also integrates nicely with CPanel). I don't know whether it is an add-on or if it will be a standard feature.
Good Luck!
akashik
Jim,
Nice to see you way out here in the wilds away from WHT
Actually I'm looking forward to the development of C-Panel myself. Once they get that auto billing issue nailed it's going to be a serious contender for taking out Alabanza's automation. In all honesty Ala's panel isn't the greatest. It's very funtional and covers everything people need in a webhosting solution but quite often we suggest, and even install, alternatives. The mailing list software is a good example. Smart list is very good once you figure it out I hear, but I personally have never used it even though we offer it. Most of our clients who rely on mailing lists get pointed at E-Lists and List Merge instead. Easy to install and a button poker's wet dream
Greg Moore
Nice to see you way out here in the wilds away from WHT
Actually I'm looking forward to the development of C-Panel myself. Once they get that auto billing issue nailed it's going to be a serious contender for taking out Alabanza's automation. In all honesty Ala's panel isn't the greatest. It's very funtional and covers everything people need in a webhosting solution but quite often we suggest, and even install, alternatives. The mailing list software is a good example. Smart list is very good once you figure it out I hear, but I personally have never used it even though we offer it. Most of our clients who rely on mailing lists get pointed at E-Lists and List Merge instead. Easy to install and a button poker's wet dream
Greg Moore