
Frequently asked questions
Your questions answered
Web Hosting
How do I host multiple websites on my web hosting plan?

How do I create a website?
Set up your website in one click without having to fill out any tricky forms. All you need to do is focus on the content of your website, so you can get it online as soon as possible. Follow our guide here:
Setting up your website with 1-click modules

How do I publish my website on my web hosting plan?
How to get my website online
How do I log in to my web hosting plan using FTP?
Logging in to a web hosting plan via FTP

How do I change my FTP password?
Then go to the "FTP - SSH" tab, where the list of FTP users will be displayed. Click on the little cogwheel to the right of the SSH column, and then click "Change the password".
The password will change in a few minutes.

What should I do if I encounter a problem with FTP?
What do these errors mean?
404 |
This error occurs when you try to view a page that doesn't exist or no longer exists on the server.
The URL could also be typed incorrectly, which would direct you to a non-existent page. |
---|---|
403 |
This error is related to file permissions (CHMOD).
The user doesn't have sufficient rights to view the requested page. OVH may change these rights if the website is hacked or mishandled by a customer. |
500 |
The 500 error could be caused by:
|
Address not found |
First make sure that your internet connection is enabled. Remember to clear the browser cache, and make sure there are no firewalls interfering with your internet connection.
This error can be caused by an incorrect DNS configuration, or by using a domain name that doesn't exist. |
Error establishing a database connection |
This error is related to connection to the database.
This can happen if client files are configured incorrectly. These files therefore would not contain the correct information to connect to the database. It may also occur randomly when too many concurrent connections are made to the database. |
Website not installed |
If you get a "Website not installed" error, please see this guide: Resolving a “Website not installed” error ![]() |
I've published my website but the OVH "Congratulations" message is still being displayed
To correct this, you need to delete or rename the "index.html" file saved by OVH in your hosting space. You could simply rename it so you can reactivate it at any time and use it as a holding/under construction page.
NB : make sure you upload your website files to the "www" folder, so that they are visible.

I can't find my database login details
As a result, you will not get these details automatically by email.
You have to create your database first.
Log in to your customer account, and select the name of the web hosting plan in question. Go to "Databases", then "Create a database".
Select "MySQL" and the database size available with your solution. Enter the information required, then click "Next" to finish creating your database.
A few minutes later you will get your database details by email.
If your database has already been created, go to “Database", click on the small cogwheel to the right of your database, and then click "Change the password". Please note: in this instance you will also have to change your database password in your website's configuration file.

Domain
How do I change the domain name owner?
For .fr/.re/.tf/.pm/.yt/.wf/.eu/.be extensions, you have to follow the steps described here:
The following guide explains how to change the owner of a domain name with extensions such as .com/.net/.org/.info/.biz :
For more information on changing the domain name owner, you can view the technical details for domains, available here:
Select the domain extension from the list on the left, then click "Details" on the right.
How do I transfer a domain name to OVH?
How do I redirect my domain name?
This guide will help you: Redirecting a domain name managed by OVH.
How do I add an email account?
How do I create an email address when I am being prevented from doing so by a warning message?
- You have used up all the email accounts included in your hosting plan.
- You don't have a web hosting plan, therefore you don't have any associated email accounts.
- You can't create an email account via your billing account. Please make sure that you're logged in to your account as the administrator or technical user.
How do I send and view messages using Roundcube?
How do I configure my email address on my email client?
You can see our guides via this link:
What do these errors mean?
553 sorry, that domain isn't allowed to be relayed thru this MTA (#5.7.1) |
This error means that SMTP authentication is not enabled on your email client.
To correct this, enable authentication for the outgoing mail server. To log in, use your full email address as the login ID and the password you set for the email account. |
---|
Customer account
How do I change my contact details?
How do I change my customer account details?
Go to your NIC handle in the top right, click on "My account" and then "Change".
You can then change your customer account details.
How do I recover my customer account password?
Why do I get an error message when I try to change the country in my account details?
- Update your postal details.
- Then send an email to the support team with your proof of address, and written confirmation of your request.
You will, however, continue to receive support from the support team based in the country where your account and contracts were first validated.
Other
Can I order an email solution or hosting plan if my domain name is not registered with OVH?
Email solutions :
Select one of the following email configurations:
- mx0.ovh.net: no protection.
- mx1.ovh.net and mx2.ovh.net: basic anti-spam, with different priorities;
- mx3.ovh.net and mx4.ovh.net: anti-spam + antivirus, with different priorities;
- redirect.ovh.net: used to redirect your emails to another address (you cannot use this to manage a domain's POP accounts. OVH DNS servers must be used in this configuration).
Web hosting plans :
- Recover your web hosting plan's IP address.
View the "Retrieving my hosting system IP address" and "IP and clusters summary table" sections.
General FAQ
What is web hosting?
A web hosting plan (also sometimes referred to as "shared hosting") is based on a common architecture which is managed by the hosting service provider. This means that everything is taken care of for the customer.
What is a domain name?
There are generic domains, (such as .com .net .org), which are not attached to any zone, and geographical extensions, (such as .fr .eu .asia). Nb - around 700 new extensions will soon be released: .web, .uk, .shop, .london, .sex, etc.
What's the difference between a web hosting plan, a dedicated server and a cloud service?
With dedicated servers, the customer also manages the machine, which is theirs, offering more freedom in terms of resource usage and configuration. However, this means that they will need to manage more settings, and anticipate the possible impact on their website.
The cloud is based on the principle of a virtualised platform and/or resources allocated to your website. It provides increased flexibility in terms of your configuration, which generally is customised to suit your requirements when virtualised. The management and customisation features are mainly derived from dedicated servers, and are thus more sophisticated.
Why should I choose an OVH web hosting plan?
We develop web solutions that give you many configuration options; for example, modules that allow you to set up an online store or a blog. It's also really easy to manage your services via the OVH Control Panel.
Our high-security global fibre optic network provides a faultless internet hosting service. As a result, over 700,000 customers have already put their trust in us, in France and in our 16 subsidiaries.
Who are web hosting services designed for?
These hosting plans suit a wide range of needs, and are able to support a large number of projects. Because of this, they are suitable for a wide range of user profiles, from individuals to large companies.
How do I create a website?
You can also create your website directly on the hosting plan, either using programming tools, or one of the many modules (CMS) provided: WordPress, PrestaShop, Joomla! and Drupal
Can I host adult content on a web hosting package?
Customers will also be advised of their responsibilities and duties regarding content on placing their order, when they accept the terms and conditions.
Are web hosting plans limited in terms of the number of websites or domain names that can be associated with them?
As for websites, you can create and host as many as you like (within the limits of the contractual conditions and the features of your solution). The "recommended maximum number of websites" that we provide is a simple recommendation, related to the resources of each plan.
Technical FAQ
What do the allocated resources for each solution correspond to?
On shared hosting solutions, all these resources were shared indiscriminately without priority. On the other hand, with web hosting plans, Personal and Professional plans are prioritised differently, whereas the Performance range has resources guaranteed and adaptable.
How can I view the resource usage for my account?
Can I share the email accounts included in my plan on multiple domain names?
Later, this distinction will disappear, and all domain names linked to your web hosting plan will come with email accounts.
Is the DNSSEC service included on the domain name?
How do I update my website to support Apache 2.4?
Apache 2.4 integrates new features, some of which are incompatible with old versions. These will require that you update your website, more specifically your .htaccess file.
The following is a list of recommended changes to make your website compatible:
FilterProvider (mod_filter):
Example of Apache 2.2 syntax:
FilterProvider COMPRESS DEFLATE resp=Content-Type $text/html FilterProvider COMPRESS DEFLATE resp=Content-Type $text/css
Example for Apache 2.4:
FilterProvider COMPRESS DEFLATE "%{Content_Type} = 'text/html'" FilterProvider COMPRESS DEFLATE "%{Content_Type} = 'text/css'"
We would recommend that you make your .htaccess file compatible with the two versions, as follows:
<IfModule mod_version.c> <IfModule mod_filter.c> <IfVersion >= 2.4> FilterProvider COMPRESS DEFLATE "%{Content_Type} = 'text/html'" FilterProvider COMPRESS DEFLATE "%{Content_Type} = 'text/css'" </IfVersion> <IfVersion < 2.4> FilterProvider COMPRESS DEFLATE resp=Content-Type $text/html FilterProvider COMPRESS DEFLATE resp=Content-Type $text/css </IfVersion> </IfModule> </IfModule>
Order/Billing FAQ
Can I order/manage a web hosting plan without a domain name?
This domain name will be used if it exists, otherwise it will simply be a reference linked to the hosting plan. Even if your domain name and web hosting plan expire, you will be able to renew one or the other independently.
Is migration automatic and/or compulsory?
Can I upgrade my plan for a few days, and go back to the old one?
How do I renew my web hosting plan?
You can also carry out this operation directly via our website, by entering the names of the products you wish to renew.
You will also find a list of services near expiry in your OVH Control Panel under Administration > My services > Auto-renewal, with a button to activate the renewal.
What will happen to the domain name included with my web hosting plan after the first year?
If your domain name is not renewed, you will not be able to use it any more (for your website nor the associated email accounts) and it will be deleted. However, you can renew your hosting plan separately, which will remain active (accessible via another domain you have linked it to, for example).
How do you renew your services?
From the OVH website:
On the website's homepage, there is a box that says "Enter your domain name here".
You will need to enter the name (e.g. ovh.com), and click "RENEW".
You can enter several product names in succession, in order to renew them at the same time.
Via your Control Panel:
At the top of the page, click on "Billing", then "My services" on the left-hand menu.
You will then see all of your products, which you can can sort through and select by ticking them in order to renew them.
Via automatic renewal:
In your Control Panel, click on "Billing" at the top of the page, then "My payment methods" in the left-hand menu.
You can then add your preferred payment method: PayPal, bank account or bank card.
Then, in "My services", you will see the list of products that you can choose to renew automatically.
Need an estimate?
You can get an estimate directly, by simulating an order on the OVH website, but not proceeding with payment at the end of the process.
An order simulation does not represent any kind of financial commitment, so you can do this as many times as you like.
Alternatively, you can contact us by telephone, on +65 6962 8979, or by email on this page.