How do I read my email from the shell ?

With mutt. html email is viewed directly, and word document attachments are also viewed directly from the shell. Within the visual limitations of terminals.

How to reset and change my user's password ?

From the shell, use the command: aa_password <login> <pass>
where <login> is your user's login, and <pass> is the new password to set.
to suggest a good password, use the command: genpass
to list the login of all your users: usu emails

What are virtual users ?

A virtual user is a software-based fiction that gives the appearance of a real email user. Almost all hosting ISPs nowadays use "virtual" users, even when sold as actual users. There are many complex techniques to achieve this. The main advantage is the cheaper cost for the ISP. The main drawbacks with "virtual" users is a decreased security and a lack of functionality. virtual users are ok for short terms only.

At Rootroute, we do not use any sort of virtual user at all. We use only real user accounts, even for each email you add. That means every user in your domains have their own secure account, such as your customers, your staff, and even groups. They can directly read their email, have their own private FTP, Secure FTP, web login, and full shell access.

Another example of advantage for you is that your staff, your customers, your partners can have direct secure access to their own email. You can give your customer FTP access on a per-customer basis, for example if you do graphic work so they upload big huge files, no problem. Also if you are into the legal profession, this is for you to use on a per customer basis. The security and privacy is maximum.

You are also free to resell each account on your own at an excellent value.

What access methods are available ?

Here is the full list of access methods, they are active on all accounts, including the main account and the user accounts you create on your own.

• SSH - Secure shell access, both version 1 and 2, including tunneling and X-forwarding. And all encryption methods (AES, blowfish, and others). SSH also replaces outdated and insecure protocols: telnet, rcp, and rlogin.
• SCP - secure remote copy.
• FTP - File transfer protocol.
• SFTP - Secure File Transfer Protocol. similar to FTP, it is newer. the number of programs supporting SFTP is increasing. Rootroute already supports it since its begining.
• POP3 - post office protocol, to list and get emails.
• IMAP - Internet Message Access Protocol, to get emails, with remote mailbox and folders synchronisation.
• RSYNC, for fine-tuned remote synchronisation of files and directories. can be used in combination with SSH.
• HTTP and HTTPS (SSL) for over the web file transfer.
• POP3-SSL and IMAP-SSL are also available.
• There is a number of seldom used protocols, made available as well.

What is shell access ?

Shell access is a secure method of controling a user account, and after login with ssh, you can:

• directly create/edit/delete files and directories.
• directly transfer files from/to other servers, even if they are from hosting companies unrelated to rootroute.
• compress files and directories.
• make and recover backups
• read and send email.
• run programs at regular interval, like every hour, or every day etc.
• make changes directly on your web sites.
• and many other precise command control over your account.

How can I use shell access ?

You need an ssh program. Windows users are recommended to use the Putty program available at: http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/. Ask us if you need help configuring Putty. For Mac users and other unixens, check out links on http://www.openssh.com/. BSD and Linux users can directly use the ssh command. All those programs are completely free of charge. they also take very little space on the hard drive, less than 1MB.

Do you support [XYZ] terminal from the shell ?

Very likely so, the openbsd termcap and terminfo is one of the largest available. Including some pretty ancient terminals, some videotext terminal used directly on the phone line in europe such as minitel in France, and of course all new terminal emulator such as Eterm, kterm, cygwin, putty and so on. Supports color highlighting as well.