FTP username problem

[jeth]

Although I managed to create one additional FTP account without any problem, I can't seem to create any additional ones. I keep getting a message that the username already exists, even though it doesn't dhow up in my list of additional FTP accounts.

Does this username have to be unique across the entire PowWeb systen, or just unique to my account?

BTW, I have even logged out of the control panel, waited for some time and then logged in again to see if there is some delay in updating the information in the additional FTP accounts section.

Thanks

[jeth]

I received a very prompt reply from PowWeb support that the FTP usernames do have to be unique across an entire server.

I found out that the FTP username has to be unique across an entire FTP server and not just within your own domain.

This used to be true with email names years ago, but the restriction was eliminated making it much more convenient for customers. Now they only have to be unique withing your own domain.

I think that since any access to your directories (FTP or HTTP) must first be directed to your domain, it makes more sense to be able to use any name as long as it is unique to your domain.

Right now you can't use logical names to describe different FTP users because there is a good chance that it is already in use.

What do others think?

[tpoynton]

I think it's fine. if a username is not available, I just use the 'mydesirednamemydomain@powweb.com', which is logical and meaningful to me but highly unlikely to be in use. since the ftp username is @powweb.com, it makes sense to me.

[YvetteKuhns]

I think that since any access to your directories (FTP or HTTP) must first be directed to your domain, it makes more sense to be able to use any name as long as it is unique to your domain.

When you log into your ftp server, you are using ftp.powweb.com which is shared with all customers on a shared server. That is why your username must be unique across an entire server and not just a domain name. It makes sense to me.

Right now you can't use logical names to describe different FTP users because there is a good chance that it is already in use.

My name is not as common as John Smith, so I could probably create a lot of variations of YvetteKuhns as a username. Sometimes I use initials of a client or business with a part of their street address or zip code. You could use part of a phone number or a pet's name. It is something someone could remember and is descriptive for them. I have several accounts to manage here, so I have a lot of usernames and passwords to manage for control panels, email accounts and web site admins as well as registrars. I see why logical names would be convenient.

A few people still have stronger usernames and/or passwords that are jumbled characters that can easily be typed incorrectly or forgotten. I have to keep a paper file of logins in case something happens to my hard drive. I don't keep the unencrypted list on my computer for security reasons.

How many logins do you need for one account? You can create user1, user2 where your user name is almost the same but it is followed by numbers. Or you can have userdomain1 where the user name is followed by part of the domain name. My default username was the first 12 characters of my domain name because that is what PowWeb created back in 2001. No one else had the exact first 12 characters match that, I guess.