How much do the services cost?
We offer a range of support plans that are designed to provide the level of service that meets our customers’ needs, from basic or à la carte options to fully managed IT services.
What if my site has a problem after hours?
We provide after hours and emergency phone support for our managed services customers. With our network monitoring support, we are automatically notified of network interruption of customer services. Our Service Level Agreement (SLA) details our response to these interruptions of service.
Will I still own my business’s data?
Yes. Our customers that utilize our data center for their virtual servers still own their files.
Are services such as DropBox, OneDrive, and Google Drive a backup solution for businesses?
These services are a good solution for collaboration and sharing of files over different devices with access by various people from devices such as Smartphones, tablets, and computers. Continuous data modification access is available from any location with an Internet connection. Generally, these syncing services are used for Word documents, spreadsheets, photos, music, etc.
A more solid backup solution is focused toward data and file recovery. Backup data is inactive and not visible to users until recovery is needed. People need the recovery of files, folders, application data (QuickBooks), personal settings, and the configuration of their computer or personal device. Backup and recovery provides a timely method to restore user information and reduces downtime.
Will ISOCNET provide technical support if I am not a current customer?
Yes. We understand that circumstances arise when there is an urgent or immediate need for tech support. Our primary support is for our customers that are maintained with an ongoing plan. We will review your needs and provide options for providing support. There is a minimum of 2 hours for support, an escalation fee may be incurred, and a credit card is required to secure payment. We schedule support based on availability.
We are interviewing companies for our technical support for our computers, servers, and employee needs. How does ISOCNET engage us?
We start with a phone call to become familiar with your company’s needs and determine how we might be of service. We then schedule a meeting at your office to gain a deeper understanding of your business needs and how you currently use technology. This meeting allows you to see if ISOCNET could partner with your company. If the fit is right, we discuss the next steps.
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How do I set up my email?
For help setting up your email client click here.
How do I change the default email client?
- Click on the Start menu, then click on the Settings menu item.
- Next, click the System icon, then click the Default apps menu item.
- On the Choose Default Apps screen, click on the current default email client.
- The Choose an App menu will open.
- Click on the email client you wish to make the default app.
- Close the Settings window.
How do I know which version of Outlook I am using?
Within Outlook, click on the Help menu and select About Microsoft Office Outlook. You will see the version at the top of the window there. You can also tell by clicking on the Tools menu.
How do I find my email headers?
Outlook 2016, 2013, 2010:
- Double-click any message to open it in its own window.
- On the File tab, click Properties.
- Header information will display in the Internet Headers field.
Thunderbird:
To read the email headers in the Mozilla Thunderbird email client, simply open the email. On the menu bar, go to View | Headers and select All. The headers are then displayed.
Mac Mail:
- After you open the Mail app, click the on the Mail drop-down menu and select Preferences.
- Click on the Viewing icon.
- Click on the arrow on the Show header detail and select All.
- You will now see the full headers of each message you view.
What is the difference between POP and IMAP?
When someone sends you an email, it is received by your email provider's server, where the email is held until your app or client logs in to access it. POP and IMAP refer to two methods your app can use to access the server and retrieve your email.
When your app connects to an email server using POP, it copies all emails stored on the server to your device, then instructs the server to discard its copy of the emails. Once the server discards its copy of an email, it can not be accessed again. POP is best suited for email accounts that you intend to use from the same device, or if you want to be able to easily keep a lot of email without having to delete it. While it is possible to use POP to access the same account from more than one device, this is not recommended.
When your app connects to an email server using IMAP, it makes a copy of all emails stored on the server, but it does not instruct the server to discard any emails until you delete them. IMAP is best suited for accessing the same email accounts from multiple devices because it allows any changes that you make to be kept in sync across those devices. For example, if you delete a message from your inbox on your desktop computer, it will be automatically removed from the inbox on your phone as well. Likewise, an email you send from your phone would be visible in the "sent" folder on your desktop.
Except for your Quarantine, emails that are stored on the server take up space toward your quota. If your stored email grows to exceed your quota, your account will not be able to receive any new messages, and people trying to send you email will get an error.
Since POP removes emails after they are downloaded, your account on the server is kept clean and ready to accept new messages.
Since IMAP removes messages from the server only when you delete them, you will need to manually delete email to keep your email from exceeding your quota.
I received an email that was addressed to another person. Why would I receive someone else's email?
This is a common spammer tactic. The FROM and TO fields in an email are really cosmetic only. In other words, they can be faked and it won't affect where the email actually goes. What determines who gets an email is the RCPT TO: command, which is given during the SMTP session (basically even though the TO field says one thing, the headers of the email are sending it elsewhere). So it's possible to create an email that says it's FROM [email protected] and TO [email protected] and make it actually go to anyone.
Why can I receive email but not send any?
The most common cause for this is a setting in your email client. To send email, our servers require outgoing authentication. Most Internet providers also block port 25 for everything except their own mail servers. However, we also allow mail to be sent out through our servers on port 587. Email clients will use port 25 by default so you will likely have to change that setting.
In Outlook, these settings are under More Settings. Click on the Outgoing Server tab. Make sure the box that says “My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication” is checked and that “Use same settings as my incoming mail server” is selected. Then click on the Advanced tab and change the Outgoing server (SMTP) to 587.
To see other email client settings click here.
We have set up an email as a trusted sender; emails still go to a junk e-mail folder. What gives?
Emails are often filtered on more than one level. Our email filters on our server before it makes it to your mailbox. Anything setup on the account as a Trusted Sender will be allowed through to the inbox. However, when you download email into Outlook or something similar, the email may be filtered again. Some versions have their own mail filters that send anything they detect as spam to a Junk E-mail folder and is not affected by our Trusted Senders list.
I'm getting a bunch of bounce backs for emails I never sent. What's going on and how can I stop it?
In most cases, this is caused by a spammer that has "spoofed" your email address. This means that in the FROM or Reply To fields they have put your email address in there. It's like sending a letter through the mail but putting someone else's address as the FROM address, so if it gets sent back it will get sent to that address.
Unfortunately, there isn't a lot that can be done about it. There's no way to stop someone faking a return address. You can create message rules in Outlook to delete some of these bounces but other than that, it will stop on its own eventually when they start using someone else's email address.
I received an email stating I need to send my username and password to keep my email account active. Why do I need to do this?
You don't need to. In fact, you definitely shouldn't do that. This is a common technique used by spammers to obtain your email account information. Once they have that information, they log into your mailbox and use it to send out spam or to gain sensitive information. ISOCNET will never ask for your email account information over email. If you aren't sure about an email you receive, forward it to [email protected]
What settings do I need to set up my email?
Hosted Email:
- Incoming Mail Server: mail.yourdomain.com
- Outgoing Mail Server: mail.yourdomain.com
- Username: your full email address
- Password: your email password
- Outgoing Authentication: enabled or use password
- Outgoing Port Number: 587
ISOC.NET Email:
- Incoming Mail Server: mail.isoc.net
- Outgoing Mail Server: mail.isoc.net
- Username: your username or full email address
- Password: your email password
- Outgoing Authentication: enabled or use password
- Outgoing Port Number: 587
For help setting up your email client click here.
Why do I keep getting messages saying that I am over quota?
The simple answer is, your mailbox is full. If you're deleting emails from Outlook or some other email client, that actually doesn't clear the emails off of the server (unless your email is setup to use IMAP instead of POP). To check what emails you have on the server, log into webmail by going to either http://mail.yourdomain.com or http://mail.isoc.net if you have an isoc.net mailbox, and type in your email address and password. You should check all of the folders for emails as all of them count toward your limit (with the exception of the Quarantine Folder in Advanced Mail).
If your email is set up in an email client such as Outlook and you're using POP and not IMAP, but messages are still in webmail, then your email client is set to keep a copy on the server. In Outlook you can find the setting in your account settings under More Settings and then on the Advanced tab. There will be a checkbox that says Leave a Copy of Messages on the Server. Unchecking this box will stop email from staying on the server when Outlook grabs them.
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What is Office 365?
Microsoft Office 365 for professionals and small businesses is a subscription service that combines Microsoft Office Web Apps with a set of web-enabled tools that are easy to learn and use. This all works with your existing hardware and comes backed by the robust security, reliability, and control you need to run your business.
Is Office 365 Office "in the Cloud?"
With some Office 365 plans, you have access to familiar Office applications that are installed locally on your PC but are downloaded and licensed from the cloud. Those Office 365 service plans expand this experience by combining those Office applications with the latest versions of our cloud productivity services: Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, and Skype. These familiar services combine to provide you with the most comprehensive productivity solution for your business.
Will Office 365 work with my copy of Office?
Office 365 works best with the latest version of Office, Office 2010, and Office 2011 for Mac. Office 365 works with slightly limited functionality with Office 2007. If you have an earlier edition of Office, you will need to update to a newer version in order to use Office 365; or you can subscribe to one of the many plans that include the latest version. In addition to getting the latest version of Office as part of your subscription, you will also get automatic updates, so your Office will always be up to date.
Is Internet access required for Office 365?
Internet access is required to install and activate all Office 365 plans and to manage your subscription account. Internet connectivity is also required to access Office 365 cloud productivity services, including email, conferencing, IT management, and other services.
Many plans, such as Office 365 Small Business Premium and Office 365 Enterprise E3 also include the desktop version of Office. One of the benefits of having the desktop version of Office applications is that you can work offline and have confidence that the next time you connect to the Internet all your work will automatically sync, so you never have to worry about your documents being up to date. Your desktop version of Office is also automatically kept current and upgraded when you connect to the Internet, so you always have the latest tools to help you work.
What is the cloud?
"The cloud" is a friendly way of describing web-based computing services that are hosted outside of your organization. When you use cloud-based services, your IT infrastructure resides off your property (off-premises) and is maintained by a third party (hosted), instead of residing on a server at your home or business (on-premises) that you maintain. With Office 365, for example, information storage, computation, and software are located and managed remotely on servers owned by Microsoft. Many services you use every day are a part of the cloud—everything from web-based email to mobile banking and online photo storage. Because this infrastructure is located online or "in the cloud," you can access it virtually anywhere, from a PC, tablet, smartphone, or other devices with an Internet connection.
What Office 365 plan fits my business?
Office 365 is highly scalable and can support everything from a one-person business to companies with tens of thousands of users:
- Office 365 Business plans are best for companies with up to 100 employees and can accommodate up to 300 users.
- Office 365 Pro Plus plans are suited for businesses that have on-premise email but need the Office Suite Applications.
- Office 365 Enterprise plans fit organizations ranging in size from a single employee to 50,000-plus users.
What do I need to install when I sign up?
You don't need to install anything in order to use Office 365.
To help you easily connect your desktop version of the latest version of Office, Office 2010, or Office 2007 to Office 365, Microsoft provides customers an installable piece of software—called "Office Desktop Setup"—at no charge.
Office Desktop Setup provides many benefits, including:
- Automatically detecting necessary updates.
- Installing updates and components upon approval or silently from a command line.
- Automatically configuring Outlook and Skype for use with Microsoft Office 365.
- Uninstalling itself from the client computer after running.
You can find and install Office Desktop Setup in your Office 365 administration center. If your plan includes a subscription to Office, you will also be able to install that directly from the Office 365 administration center.
What if I already own a domain name?
You can add the domain name you own to Office 365 to create both domain-based email addresses and a public-facing website. ISOCNET can help to manage your DNS services and records as part of your setup service.
Will my trial information be transferred to my Office 365 subscription?
Yes. If you purchase Office 365 licenses for the accounts you create during your free trial, the information and configuration for these users' accounts will remain intact. Once your free trial expires, you won't be able to continue using Office 365 for free. You will have an additional 30 days to purchase Office 365 before your account information is erased. Once your trial account information has been erased, it cannot be retrieved.
Can I switch to other Office 365 plans?
Yes, depending on the type of plan that you have. We have the ability to switch you from one family of plans to another without migrating data but that transition requires plan/user administration. A charge of $150.00 will be required for completing the plan family transition process.
What happens to my data if I cancel my subscription?
Your data is yours. If you decide to cancel your Office 365 subscription, you can download your data—for example, your email and documents on team sites—and save it to another location. You should save your data before you cancel. All the data associated with your Office 365 account is deleted 90 days after cancellation.
How do I change my password?
Go here to change your password.
What happens to my data if I cancel my subscription?
If you currently receive email from another service, moving to Office 365 for email will require an email migration. ISOCNET bases our migration charges on the total user count, the amount of data, and support time. We utilize an online tool and our team to complete migrations. The use of Skykick helps ISOCNET implement the Office 365 service but migrations can be completed manually when needed. Your quote will be an estimate of the migration project cost but the migration charges are subject to change based on challenges faced during migration that require additional support hours.
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What is an SSL?
SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer. It is the standard technology used for providing a secure encrypted link between a web server and a browser. Many websites use SSL for protecting the online transactions of their customers.
How does an SSL work?
To create an SSL connection, an SSL certificate must be installed on the web server that a website is hosted on. Encrypted keys are then used between the browser and the server to transfer data and personal information. A third party known as a Certificate Authority, such as Verisign or Thawte, is used to authenticate the website or company that is using the SSL. The Certificate Authority requires proof of the identity of the company before it issues an SSL certificate. The browser of the visitor will show a lock icon to indicate that the site they are currently at is secure. If a site does not contain a valid SSL certificate, the browser will show a warning message to let the user know the site is not properly secure.
When do I need an SSL?
An SSL is usually needed when private information needs to be passed from a browser to a website. This may be in the form of an e-commerce site that needs to transfer credit card information or could be a site that requires a secure, encrypted login for a particular area of the website. Not having an SSL for an online store that gathers credit card information is likely to lose customers.
What information does an SSL certificate contain?
Typically an SSL certificate will contain your domain name, your company name, and your address as well as the expiration date of the certificate and the details of the Certificate Authority that issued the certificate.
What is AES Encryption?
AES is short for Advanced Encryption Standard. TechTarget defines it as a symmetric block cipher chosen by the U.S. government to protect classified information. AES is implemented in software and hardware throughout the world to encrypt sensitive data.
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What is web hosting?
Web hosting is a service that allows you to publish a website onto the Internet. It requires a server setup with a constant connection to the Internet. A DNS record also has to be setup to point people to that server when they type your website address into their browser.
What are disk space and bandwidth/data transfer?
Your disk space is the amount of space allowed for your website. It specifies how large your website can be. The more disk space you have, the more you can have on it. This is just like the hard drive on your computer or the size of your flash drive.
The bandwidth or data transfer is how much data your website can send each month. Every time someone views your site, it has to transfer the information on the page being viewed to the computer of the person viewing it. This would include the page itself plus any images or video on the page. If someone has a video that is 5 megabytes in size, then each time someone views that video it sends 5 megabytes of information to that person. If 1,000 people view that video, then it adds up to roughly 5 gigabytes worth of data transfer or bandwidth.
What are PHP, ASP, HTML etc?
These are a few of the many programming languages used to make websites. Some are for Windows-based hosting environments, some are for Linux-based hosting environments, and some can be used on either. Each one has its own uses.
What are MySQL and MS SQL?
These are database systems. Databases are often used on websites to store information. It might be items for sale on an e-commerce website, or login credentials used to access certain parts of a website. MySQL is used with Linux-based hosting and MS SQL is used with Windows-based hosting.
What is the difference between Linux Hosting and Windows Hosting?
Linux Hosting and Windows Hosting do the same thing but they do it in different ways. Linux is optimal for websites that are using PHP code and Windows is required for using .NET code. Different software products that are used with hosting may have different requirements or work better on one platform or the other.
I have a fast Internet connection (DSL/cable). Can I just host my own site?
The answer to this is yes, but it is not a good idea for several reasons. One of the biggest reasons is that a DSL or cable connection are not guaranteed an uptime, and so any outages with your Internet provider or problems with your phone or cable lines will also take down your website. It also can put a strain on your Internet connection if you get a lot of traffic to your website. Even a connection of 10mbps will be slowed considerably if it gets a lot of traffic, not to mention the workload put on your computer's CPU and memory, which is unlikely to be the same power as a web host's server. You would also have to work to maintain the computer, keeping it secure, and fixing things yourself when something goes wrong.
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What is a domain name?
A domain name is basically your identity on the Internet. It's like your name and address all in one. Without domain names, the only way to get around the Internet would be by using IP addresses, and it's much more difficult to remember a set of numbers like 199.6.60.50 than mydomain.com. Computers work well with numbers; people work well with words. Domains are used for websites and also for email. Your website might be mydomain.com, and your email might be [email protected] In both examples, the "mydomain.com" is the domain name.
Aren't domain names supposed to have "www" in them?
An actual domain name does not have a "www" in it. The "www" part is often used with the website of a domain but isn't part of the actual domain itself. When you register a domain, you register it as "mydomain.com" only, but your website might be www.mydomain.com (or it may just be mydomain.com or both may in fact work).
How do I find who my domain is registered through?
The company that a domain is registered through is known as a domain registrar. A domain registrar can be found by performing a "whois" lookup (see next question) on the domain. There are many sites that provide a whois lookup. On these sites, you can type the domain name into either the "Domain Info" field or the "Whois Lookup (Domain)" field for results. For a .org site, you usually have to go to pir.org and enter in the .org domain there to get information on the registrar.
Here is an example of the registrar on a whois:
The "Registrar of Record" shows TUCOWS, INC. This is the registrar of the domain. However, Tucows doesn't register domains directly to end-users, so the domains are sold through a "Registration Service Provider," which for this domain is "WWW Internet Solutions, Inc" or ISOCNET. ISOCNET would be the first point of contact for the person or company registering the domain.
What is a whois listing?
A whois listing contains information about the owner of a domain and other information associated with the particular domain such as when it was first registered and when it expires. It's important that the information listed in the whois is up to date and valid. The administrative contact, in particular, needs to remain valid; it is used when information needs to be sent to someone at the domain or for other tasks such as transferring a domain to a different registrar.
What is the difference between a .com, a .net, a .org, etc?
There isn't that much difference between a .com, a .net or any other domain extension today. Originally they were used to differentiate between what the domain was being used for. Commercial businesses used .com; technology-based businesses used .net; and nonprofit organizations used .org. Now many companies and individuals will register a .com, a .net, and a .org domain all at once to protect their own interests.
Additionally, different countries have their own domain extensions that signify which country they're from. Canada has .ca, Mexico has .mx, Australia has .au and so on.
What is a subdomain?
A subdomain adds an extra level to a domain name. If you have a domain of "mydomain.com" then a subdomain of that might be "corporate.mydomain.com". Subdomains are commonly used to assign unique names to a particular part of a network or website. A company might have a public website that uses the main domain, and then a company-only section of the website that uses a subdomain.
What is an A record?
An A record will directly translate a domain name into an IP address.
Example: isoc.net has an A record of 67.96.0.250. When you type isoc.net into a browser, the browser knows to go to the IP address of 67.96.0.250. because of the DNS.
What is an MX record?
An MX record defines where to send any email sent to the domain. MX records don't use IP addresses, but rather a domain name.
Example: The MX record for isoc.net is mailin.isoc.net. So when someone sends an email to an email address at isoc.net, the MX records tells it to send it to the server mailin.isoc.net. However, as computers use numbers rather than words, just like any other domain, mailin.isoc.net also needs an A record so computers and servers know what IP address mailin.isoc.net is located at. So an additional A record is created for mailin.isoc.net that points to the IP address of 65.90.81.50.
What is an SPF record?
SPF (Sender Policy Framework) is an authentication protocol designed to help fight spam. It works by checking to see whether email really comes from who it says it comes from in the email header. SPF works by adding additional information in a domain's DNS (Domain Names Server) record specifying which machines may legitimately send email for that domain. When mail servers receive email, they can check which computers are authorized to send mail for the domain of the email address in the From: field, and see if this message actually came from one of those authorized computers. If it did, the message is assumed to be legitimate and allowed through. If it did not, or if it is questionable, the receiving mail server can accept the message, mark it and accept it, or refuse to receive it.
What is Reverse DNS?
A normal A record takes a hostname (domain name or URL) and translates it into an IP address. Reverse DNS does the opposite. It takes an IP address and translates it into a host name. A Reverse DNS entry is placed as a PTR record in the DNS of whoever owns the IP address.
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What is a Managed Service Provider?
In the IT industry, a Managed Service Provider (MSP) is a company such as ISOCNET that offers small- to medium-sized businesses the ability to outsource the management of their day-to-day technology and IT needs. In other words, an MSP is essentially your IT department. If something technology-related breaks, they help fix it. If you need an app devised or want to upgrade hardware and software, or take a look into virtualization, they can often help in these complex areas too. Many of these organizations act as your business partner to help increase the effectiveness of your business operations and achieve your overall goals.
What does RMM stand for?
Remote Monitoring and Management.
Are you required to have a contract for your MSP services? Why?
Yes. We staff engineers according to our contractual obligations, allowing us to meet or exceed those obligations. Tech services for non-contract customers are on a “best effort” basis.
How is your service priced?
Service pricing depends on which program customers subscribe to. Plans can be a flat monthly fee, a per user or a per device monthly cost. Options vary because we staff our team based on the contracted obligations we have. By positioning our company this way we can guarantee responsiveness to those customers that value IT.
Why should we choose ISOCNET for our Managed Services?
With 20 years of experience providing IT solutions and services in the Greater Cincinnati and Northern region, we must be doing something right!
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What is FTP?
FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol. It's the process by which you can transfer files from your computer to the server. To make the website you have created live on the Internet for everyone to see, you must copy all of the files used for the website to our server using FTP.
How do I upload my website?
In order to publish your website, you will need to use FTP to upload your files from your PC to our server.
Do I need extra software to use FTP?
To transfer files using FTP, you need an FTP client, which is a program that enables you to connect and login to an FTP server and transfer files from your computer to our server. Internet Explorer has the ability to work as an FTP client. Firefox requires an FTP plug-in. There are also many other programs that are made specifically for using FTP. Some examples are FileZilla, WS_FTP, and CuteFTP.
What are the settings I need to upload my website through FTP?
When using FTP you first need the Host Name. This will generally be your domain name (without the "www"). You will also need your FTP username and password. Some FTP clients may ask for a port number. The default port number is 21, which is what we use. You will upload your files to the HTTP docs folder.
Why doesn't my FTP client connect?
The most common reason an FTP client doesn't connect to your site is that the FTP client is in PASV (passive) mode rather than ACTIVE mode.
FileZilla can be changed under the Edit menu and Settings. Click on FTP on the left-hand side (right under Connection) and on the right-hand side select Active, then click OK.
Another common cause for an FTP client to not connect is a firewall. This could be a firewall set up in a router on a network or even the Windows firewall, which often blocks connections from an FTP client. If it's the Windows firewall or some other firewall program on the PC, try to disable it and see if it works. If the only firewall is on a network router, it is best to consult with your IT person or whoever set up the network.
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