Multiple Forum / Hosting Account Links

[Bryon]

x10Hosting also requires all hosting accounts to exist along side of a forum account. Everyone signing up for a hosting account must have a forum account, or they're prompted to create one. Hosting accounts are attached to forum accounts by something we call a "link."

As many of you are aware, our hosting account inactivity policy is the following: Hosting accounts are marked as inactive if their corresponding forum account has not been accessed within 14 days.

Recently, we've begun suspending user hosting accounts whose linked forum accounts are inactive. This has brought about a pretty large issue with the way we store these "links."

For reasons that cannot necessarily be determined, many users have multiple forum accounts linked to single hosting accounts. Many of these links could be the result of the change over to our current backend system, or even a mistake in the past with a staff member artificially creating the link. One thing is certain with it all though, it's a problem.

When multiple forum accounts are linked to a single hosting account, the activity on each of those forum accounts affects that of the single hosting account. Our system is created in such a way that it doesn't expect there to be multiple links to each hosting account, and it shouldn't have to. x10Hosting's users do not have a need for multiple forum accounts - One is enough.

Here's a general scenario we've encountered numerous times in the last week:

User Bob has a hosting account with x10Hosting. Bob uses his hosting account often, he signs into the forums regularly and abides by our Terms of Service fully. Suddenly, Bob's hosting account begins to be suspended every night for inactivity. "I log into the forums daily," Bob tells us, and we confirm it. He is still suspended for inactivity nightly.

Sound familiar to what is happening to you? You'll be affected by what I'm about to say if the answer is yes.

The suspension of Bob's account is the result of him having multiple forum accounts pointing to a single hosting account. Yes, he keeps "his forum account" active - But he really has another forum account linked to his hosting account, and this second forum account is marked as inactive.

Right now, we're in the process of removing account links where users have multiple pointing to single hosting accounts. We are removing all links except for the most recently accessed forum account's.

The result of removing these links is simple - the forum accounts with removed links can no longer be used to access the hosting account on x10hosting.com. However, the most recently accessed forum account's link is left intact.

This may catch some users off guard, suddenly they'll be unable to access the account panel on x10hosting.com, they'll receive an error saying their account is not being properly linked. The reason for this is described above. Their most recently accessed forum account will need to be used on x10hosting.com to login.

Most of x10Hosting's users will not be affected at all by what we're doing with account links. What I've described above affects about 5% of accounts with us.

If you have any issues with your account, please open a support ticket at http://support.x10hosting.com.

Any questions about this? Ask below. This is not a place for account support.

[leafypiggy]

Let's just blame Brandon for all these problems. It's fun to blame him. ;)

Random Question: did you create the link to vbulletin? (not you nessascarily, but x10 as a whole). I know someone came out with a WHMCS/vB link, was x10's based on that?

[zen-r]

...What I've described above affects about 5% of accounts with us.....

5% may be a small percentage, but given the number of accounts x10 has, it sounds like quite a large number of accounts will be affected by this change.

In case those affected aren't bright enough to find this thread, & instead decide to inundate staff with support requests asking you to sort out their mysterious account linking problems.......

.......Perhaps it would be a good idea to automatically PM each forum account you un-link with an explanation, or at least with a link to this thread. Not for the sake of the account holder, but for the sake of the poor staff here who have enough work already! ;)

Please click my Reputation button (at the corner of this post) & make me -it costs you nothing!

If I've traded services/credits with you, please remember to leave iTrader Feedback. Thanks.

[Alejandro]

Let's just blame Brandon for all these problems. It's fun to blame him. ;)

Random Question: did you create the link to vbulletin? (not you nessascarily, but x10 as a whole). I know someone came out with a WHMCS/vB link, was x10's based on that?

WHMCS is used only for paid accounts and other paid services. This is a custom link made between our system and vBulletin.

[leafypiggy]

Cool. Thanks Alejandro!

[dickey]

regarding this issue I want to ask is it necessary for me to have 4 forum accounts for 4 hosting accounts? is there a way for me to use one forum account for 4 hosting accounts? It really eats up my time trying to be active in all 4 accounts and sometimes I get confused as to what forum account is tied to which hosting account.

Anyway I am not complaining just want to know if there is an easy way for me.

[Chris Z]

Hmm, if you read the terms of service, it clearly states, "Each individual is allowed ONE account only." I suggest you consolidate to one account, or we will terminate all of your accounts. Please back up all your data on your local computer and consolidate it all on to one account and request that we terminate the other three accounts.

Thank you,

[soilvm]

OK.I see. Thanks!

[dquigley]

REMOVED.
We don't want to quote a spammers post .

-fedlerner

wtf?

[Livewire]

wtf?

It's a spambot, either ignore it or report it and move on

(Although that one's got a funkton of posts, so whoever has to do cleanup on all of its posts is gunna be wishing it was blocked somehow.)