I’ve been using 123-reg.co.uk for .co.uk domain registrations for years since they are cheap and Godaddy doesn’t handle .co.uk sites: at least you can’t transfer a .co.uk domain to them! So after a lot of dedicated server research and still not finding an unmanaged dedicated server I liked I looked at 123-reg managed dedicated servers.

I’d read some positive and negative feedback on their managed dedicated server support, but it couldn’t perform any worse than the Hivelocity server currently is (sites are down a lot now!!) so getting desperate for a new server.

123-reg Dedicated Server Review

123-reg Managed Dedicated Server Review
123-reg Managed Dedicated Server Review

For a little bit more than I paid Hivelocity for an unmanaged server I could have a managed dedicated server as long as I did not request full root access.

Sent in a support request for information about what you can/can’t do on the server (without root access) and though there were restrictions since I use a dedicated server for hosting sites and changes in the past to get all my sites working have been minimal (edit php.ini, edit httpd.conf and I’m good to go) I should be fine.

So paid for the first month and the setup fee for their best managed dedicated server.

Unfortunately after over a week of trying to get the access I need (chroot access) I’m stuck!

123-reg Customer Support Review

123-reg Customer Support Review
123-reg Customer Support Review

Biggest problem is their online support is so slow I’ve not had an accurate response to a simple question for 5 days!!

I was told I get chroot access, but documentation on their in house control panel (which is really bad, you get no bells and whistles at all, so basic CP!) is next to useless so had to go to support for instructions.

Five days ago I ask amongst other questions (at this time 05 Mar. 2008 03:42) how to get access to php.ini and similar configuration files. No answer so 27hrs later (06 Mar. 2008 06:30) post again (just a single question)-

“I can’t get my sites working correctly without mod_rewrite so need chroot access ASAP, how do I get it?”

The Apache module for mod_rewrite is turned off (or at least I hoped it was turned off and not completely left out), so needed it turning on (I know how to do this. very easy).

Still no response that day so 17hrs later (06 Mar. 2008 23:56) post demanding an answer or I’ll do a chargeback on my credit card. 10 hrs later (54 hrs after the first question) I get this response (on 07 Mar. 2008 09:18)-

You can request chroot access via the 123-reg control panel –> Login and go to manage servers –> Request Access

You can not access the php.ini file without chroot access at the very least, you could probably upload your own php.ini if needed.

Please confirm what you mean by the following:
You mentioned before chroot access. What settings do I use?

Little concerned over the last question, I was asking for the username/password etc… to gain access to the server.

First part sounds straight forward, however when you do this it does not go to an option to gain chroot access but root access for the server with a warning-

Request Root access to your 123-REG Dedicated Server.

If you require Root access to your server you may request this here. However, please read the extract from our Terms and Conditions below and tick the box to confirm that you agree to these conditions before submitting your request.

“The Client will have the option to request root access to this product. The Client acknowledges that if root access is given the Client will no longer be eligible for security patching, software upgrades, hardware maintenance or technical support. PIPEX will have no obligations to the Client other than to provision the service in line with the standard specification.”

– I have read and agree to these conditions

There are no links or anything to a chroot access option so I can’t gain chroot access that way. So I update the support ticket with this-

When I do what you suggest it says root access not chroot access and gives warning I loose managed support if I proceed.

So how do I get CHroot access not full root access?

I need to be able to:

edit httpd.ini
edit php.ini

enable/install mod_rewrite (other modules that might be missing that I use, hoping they are on the server and just need enabling in httpd.ini).

I made it clear I needed this at the start (see the very first question in this thread below before paying for the server) and was told I can have chroot access without voiding your managed server support. Please read the answer one of your support staff gave.

That was posted on-
07 Mar. 2008 15:17
and I waited and waited and no response so made a follow up on-
09 Mar. 2008 00:20
and I waited and waited and no response again so made a follow up on-
10 Mar. 2008 03:09

That last follow up is no longer asking for chroot access, it’s asking for a full refund as these delays are totally unacceptable! How can anyone work with support for a managed dedicated server that takes over 5 days to answer a simple question (never gave me the correct answer). Imagine if this was something important and it takes them days to respond!

I had problems with Server4you and Hivelocity support, but Reg-123 is by far the worst of the 3! At least the other two tended to respond in under 24 hrs: other than Hivelocity at the end who started to ignore my support tickets!

I can’t really tell you how the managed Reg-123 server performed since I only uploaded one test domain with a WordPress blog installation and I couldn’t get it to work correctly since the rewrite urls mod is disabled: what are they thinking disabling that module!

The server comes with 2 IP addresses, now I assumed I could add more (can with other dedicated servers so didn’t think to ask). I was wrong, you only get 2 IPs and what’s worse only one of those is used for your sites, the other is used for their control panel! So if you have a lot of sites they will all be on the one IP.

So still looking for another dedicated server.

123-reg Review Update

Web Hosting Support Disaster Management
Web Hosting Support Disaster Management

Not a big update since less than 24hrs has passed, but this is so irritating (while amusing) I had to post it here.

You will note at this time 10 Mar. 2008 03:09 I gave up on the server and asked for a full refund. 7hrs later I receive a response-

Dear David,

Thank you for contacting 123-reg on the 10th of March 2008.

I can confirm that if you log in to the control panel and request root access you will have the chroot password and access but not full root access.

If you require any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact us.

—————
Kind Regards,
Nina
123-REG Technical Support Advisor

OMG not only has she completely ignored the last post (which does not ask for chroot access asks for a full refund or I’ll do a chargeback) but dates my request for chroot access as the 10th March!! Lets completely look over the fact I asked for this on the 5th of March, took until the 7th to give the first answer (which any reasonable person would not apply for root access under those circumstances) and then takes until the 10th until I get a full** answer.

** What the hell are they thinking calling chroot access root access and warning you you’ll loose managed support on the managed dedicated server if you request chroot access (which to get you have to apply for root access)! Talk about badly setup managed dedicated server software, what a bunch of retards.

Another 123-Reg Update

Your going to like this one.

Made the following post in their support forum:

Customer (David Law) 11 Mar. 2008 04:32
Sometimes I even amaze myself with how good I am at SEO, number 1 over night-

## https://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&rlz=1T4HPEA_en-GBGB242GB242&q=reg-123+dedicated+server&gws_rd=ssl

## https://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&rlz=1T4HPEA_en-GBGB242GB242&q=reg-123+server&gws_rd=ssl

14th for-
## https://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&rlz=1T4HPEA_en-GBGB242GB242&q=reg-123&gws_rd=ssl

4th for-
## https://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&rlz=1T4HPEA_en-GBGB242GB242&q=reg-123+hosting&gws_rd=ssl

9th-
## https://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&rlz=1T4HPEA_en-GBGB242GB242&q=reg-123+domain+registration&gws_rd=ssl

Wasn’t even aiming for the last 2 above and they should improve over time since that’s how Google works.

A quick refund would be highly appreciated and a nice end to the article.

David Law

10hrs later I get this response:

Response (Farhan S) 11 Mar. 2008 14:19
Dear David,

Thank you for contacting 123-reg on: 10th of March 2008

After going through all the correspondence between 123-reg and you.
You have 3 options here.
1. If you need a refund please remove the postings on your fourms, cancel the server from your 123-reg control panel and confirm the last 4 digits of your card.
2. If you need CHROOT access then you can order this from 123-reg control panel. (we still support you with the changes you need to make, OS issues in the server including failing hardware).
3. If you need full root the confirm to me and i will give you full root password which will give you access to the partition. ( We still support you for hardware but no support for Software).
Choose the one you want and i will action that for you kindly.

If you require any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact us.

—
Kind Regards,

Farhan S

123-REG Technical Support Advisor

ROFLOL

So I have to take down one of my web pages to get a refund!

I don’t think so, but I can play the game, so temporarily removed the 123-reg dedicated server information from this page including moderating the 123-reg server comments I made until I could confirm a full refund.

Have cancelled the 123-reg server and asked for a refund which has been made.

I’m sorry 123-reg support, but I’m not going to remove this true information forever since others should know how slow your server support is. Just in case you wish to take this further (though I don’t see how) you said

“1. If you need a refund please remove the postings on your forums, cancel the server from your 123-reg control panel and confirm the last 4 digits of your card.”

All of which I did. It was not a requirement to remove the information permanently.

Just in case 123-reg is vindictive I’ve transferred my .co.uk domains from 123-reg domain registration to Fasthosts just in case they get lost or something :-) allowing me to reload this information with no worries about my domains being deleted by accident or anything. That’s a shame as didn’t have a problem with Reg-123 domain registration services.

Phew, really shouldn’t be this hard to find a good dedicated server company!

David Law

Dedicated Server Reviews

Used a number of companies for dedicated servers between 2005 and 2019, here they are in chronological order. The last link is the review of the company I’m using in 2019.

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David Law : Technical SEO Expert with 20+ years Online Business, SEO, Search Engine Marketing and Social Media Marketing experience... Creator of multiple WordPress SEO Themes and SEO Plugins. Interests: wildlife, walking, environmental issues, politics, economics, journalism, consumer rights.

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