This article answers commonly asked questions about Pair Networks account features.
Can I use Adobe Pagemill, Dreamweaver, or other HTML authoring tools?
Yes, you can.
Can I run a chat server, an IRC client or bot, a public counter or statistics system, or a banner exchange with a Pair Networks account?
No. These are all against our policies. These policies are carefully designed to protect and enhance the performance and reliability of our service. Please read the policies if you are uncertain about a proposed project.
Can I upload and download files using my Web browser?
Yes, you can, although we recommend you obtain an SFTP/SCP client program instead, for improved security and functionality. To access your account through a Web browser,
use a URL like
"ftp://USERNAME@USERNAME.pairserver.com/usr/www/users/USERNAME/". "USERNAME" is replaced with your pair Networks username.
use a URL like
"ftp://USERNAME@USERNAME.pairserver.com/usr/www/users/USERNAME/". "USERNAME" is replaced with your pair Networks username.
Can I host multimedia streams?
Yes.
Some media types can be "byte-streamed" from any account with the proper MIME types configured. Many MIME Types are already correctly configured on our servers. You may easily configure any additional MIME types you need.
Some media types can be "byte-streamed" from any account with the proper MIME types configured. Many MIME Types are already correctly configured on our servers. You may easily configure any additional MIME types you need.
Can I host XML and WAP pages?
Yes.
Hosting XML or WAP pages is simply a matter of creating the proper custom MIME types; no other special support is required on the server. WAP and XML MIME types are
configured on our servers, and can be used with any account.
Hosting XML or WAP pages is simply a matter of creating the proper custom MIME types; no other special support is required on the server. WAP and XML MIME types are
configured on our servers, and can be used with any account.
Do you support ColdFusion, Active Server Pages, or FrontPage extensions? Do you provide Microsoft Windows hosting? Do you support Microsoft Access?
No. Pair Networks provides services using the FreeBSD UNIX and Ubuntu Linux operating systems. We do not provide any services using any version of Microsoft Windows, and cannot host software that requires the use of Microsoft Windows. We do not plan to offer any services using those operating systems in the future.
What databases are supported for use on my website?
The SQL implementation we support is the powerful MySQL, which runs on a dedicated pool of specially configured database servers. These can be accessed via Perl, PHP, or Python for Web integration. We do not support Microsoft Access or Microsoft SQL Server, as those are Windows-specific programs.
Is commercial use of accounts permitted?
Yes. This question was frequent in 1996, but we have never made any distinction between personal and commercial usage.
Can I host an online store?
Yes. We have e-commerce services available, such as WordPress.
Can I upgrade or downgrade my account at a later date?
Yes. The charge for upgrading is the difference in setup fees between the old account type and the new account type. You are issued a prorated refund for the unused time under the old account type and billed for a new period at the new rate. There is no fee for downgrading. Account upgrades or downgrades can be performed in the Account Control Center.
Can I host an adult-oriented site at Pair Networks?
Pair Networks reserves the right to refuse or discontinue service for any project that it considers unsuitable, undesirable, or otherwise unacceptable, pursuant to our service contract and policies. At the present time, this includes most adult-content sites. If you need a recommendation for this type of hosting, contact our friendly Sales Team at sales@pair.com, and they'll point you towards websites that recommend companies that specialize in adult hosting.
Can you explain how disk and bandwidth over-usage works?
Each account includes an allowance for disk space and outbound data transfer. For example, the Basic Account allows 5GB of disk space and 50GB/month transfer. At the end of each calendar month, the average use for that month is calculated for disk space. The day of highest usage for both disk space and transfer is omitted from the calculation. The over-usage charges, if any, are based on the results.
If your account used a daily average of 6GB disk space and 52GB/month transfer, your over-usage charges for that month would be:
1GB (1,000MB) of space (6 - 5) * $0.10/MB = $100.00
2GB of transfer (52 - 50) * $1.99/GB = $3.98
The total over-usage charge, in this case, would be $103.98.
If your account used a daily average of 6GB disk space and 52GB/month transfer, your over-usage charges for that month would be:
1GB (1,000MB) of space (6 - 5) * $0.10/MB = $100.00
2GB of transfer (52 - 50) * $1.99/GB = $3.98
The total over-usage charge, in this case, would be $103.98.
Why don't you offer "unlimited bandwidth"?
The simple answer is "because there's no such thing." Any provider who claims to offer "unlimited bandwidth" either has no concern for the performance of their network and servers or is lying to their customers about how much transfer they'll really allow a site to use.
At Pair Networks, our transfer allowances are much higher than most hosts, but the reason they exist at all is simply to protect the availability and quality of our service for all customers. We also provide cost-effective options to meet the needs of busier sites, which means you always have a smooth upgrade path available. Hosts who advertise "unlimited bandwidth" are trapped by their own mistake, and cannot provide any options when faced with a popular site; they are more likely to simply shut it down.
At Pair Networks, our transfer allowances are much higher than most hosts, but the reason they exist at all is simply to protect the availability and quality of our service for all customers. We also provide cost-effective options to meet the needs of busier sites, which means you always have a smooth upgrade path available. Hosts who advertise "unlimited bandwidth" are trapped by their own mistake, and cannot provide any options when faced with a popular site; they are more likely to simply shut it down.
Can I prepurchase a larger disk or transfer allowance?
There is no need to prepurchase such allowances. We bill customers for over-usage on a monthly basis. During each calendar month, an estimate is mailed out so there won't be any surprises.
How much mail can I store on the system?
You can store as much email on the system as your Web hosting account allows. Please note that the amount of email you have stored counts toward your hosting plan's disk space allotment. We recommend that you download, delete, or archive old email frequently to improve performance and reduce the possibility of disk over-usage charges.
What is included in the development environment?
"What isn't?" might be an easier question to answer. We provide a rich development environment, including all standard UNIX system tools, a wide variety of website and graphic manipulation tools, full access to our supported programming and extension languages (C, C++, Perl, Python, PHP, tcl). You'll also have use of our dedicated database server pool for MySQL.