Changes to Unix Web Servers Default PHP version Server Side Includes (SSI) FrontPage Server Extensions Using Third-Party DNS Services Secure FTP connections

Changes to Email servers Change of Webmail client Support for IMAP Secure POP and SMTP

Default PHP version

The default version of PHP on all of our Unix servers is now 5.3. We do still provide support for version 5.2 for those customers that are not able to use the latest version.

If you have a script that requires the older version, you will need to create or modify an .htaccess file in the folder where the script resides to tell the server which version of PHP you wish to use.

In order to "downgrade" a folder to PHP 5.2, please place the follwing lines in the .htaccess file:

AddType cgi-script .php .php5
SetEnv PHP_DEFAULT_VERSION 5

If you need assistance in "downgrading" all or part of your site to version 5.2, please contact Technical Support.

Server Side Includes (SSI)

In order to maximize the performance of the new servers for all customers, the Server Side Includes (SSI) are no longer enabled by default and will need to be enabled where needed.
If you have a part of your site that uses SSI, you will need to create or modify an .htaccess file in the folder where these files reside.

To do this, please place the follwing line in the .htaccess file:

AddHandler server-parsed .shtm .shtml .htm .html

If you need assistance with enabling SSI for all or part of your site, please contact Technical Support.

Microsoft FrontPage Server Extensions

NOTE: We will continue to provide support for the Front Page Server Extensions for the foreseeable future. The response by the number of Front Page users still needing support for the older extensions has been enough that we will continue to support Front Page for all current customers.

Using Third-Party DNS Services

The IP address assigned to your account will change due to the fact that all accounts are being migrated to new servers. If you are using a 3rd party for DNS services, you will need to update the appropriate records to point to the new servers. Most accounts are assigned a shared IP address, so we recommend setting the DNS records to a CNAME with your temporary domain name for your account. If you need assistance in determining the correct setting for a specific DNS record, please contact Technical Support.

If you are using the "dns-solutions.net" name servers that we provide, then no changes need to be made as this is all done in the background for you.

Also, we're happy to announce that we have reduced the default TTL (time to live) on most DNS records to 3600 seconds (1 hour). This means that any changes to DNS records should propagate across the internet faster.

Secure FTP connections

While this feature has now been available for some time, we want to make you aware that secure FTP connections can be made by using an FTP client that supports FTP over TLS.

We are updating our FTP client tutorials to include instructions on setting your FTP client to make this type of connection.

We're also getting ready for more upgrades to our mail servers which will include 2 highly requested items. Look for these upgrades to be rolled out after the completion of the Unix web server upgrades.

Change of Webmail client

Due to the lack of specific features and some general problems with functions in the GossamerMail web-based mail client, we have decided to migrate to a much more robust, feature-rich webmail client called Roundcube.

We have taken great care to ensure that the migration from GossamerMail to Roundcube will be as smooth and painless as possible. As your accounts are migrated over to the new mail servers, any Gossamer account will automatically change to the new Roundcube client. All messages, folders, and address book entries will be transferred over so that there is minimal disruption.

Support for IMAP

We are happy to announce the support of IMAP on our new mail servers. IMAP is a method of connecting several different mail clients to a central server where all of your messages are stored.

Setting up IMAP mail clients allows you to maintain multiple computers or devices and be able to see the "same" message and folder structure regardless of which client you're connecting from.

This is also why we chose Roundcube as the new webmail client because it's IMAP functionality.

Secure POP and SMTP

Another feature which has been available for some time is setting up secure POP and SMTP connections to our servers within your mail clients.

We have enahaced this functionality by adding validated SSL certificates to these connections to avoid warnings within some email clients.

As your account is moved over to the new mail servers, you will then be assigned a specific POP and SMTP server which can be used for secure connections with the appropriate ports.

We hope you enjoy the new functionality and speed that our upgraded servers will provide for your website and email.

We are taking every precaution to ensure that these upgrades will cause no disruptions with your normal course of business. In some cases there may be unforseen issues with a particular account. If so, our Technical Support staff is ready to help you troubleshoot any issues that do arise.

Please contact us at any time if you have any questions or concerns about these upgrades.