Now more than ever we depend on the internet on our lifelihoods and with more ways to connect, the question is what keeps this secure. The answer is SSL or “Secure Sockets Layer”. SSL instantly encrypts passwords and credit card detail numbers into data that only the user and the website can decrypt. SSL also insures that the data remains unchanged and also authenticates websites too.

All modern browsers show warning signs when the connection is not entirely secure. To verify that SSL is protecting a page, look for a web address beginning with https:// and a closed padlock sign.

SSL works at keeping your data secure and private.

SSL is the standard security technology for establishing an encrypted link between a web server and a browser. This link ensures that all data passed between the web server and browsers remain private and integral. SSL is an industry standard and is used by millions of websites in the protection of their online transactions with their customers.

A bit more indept look at how it works and how you set it up

To be able to create an SSL connection a web server requires an SSL Certificate. When you choose to activate SSL on your web server you will be prompted to complete a number of questions about the identity of your website and your company. Your web server then creates two cryptographic keys – a Private Key and a Public Key. 

The Public Key does not need to be secret and is placed into a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) – a data file also containing your details. You should then submit the CSR. During the SSL Certificate application process, the Certification Authority will validate your details and issue an SSL Certificate containing your details and allowing you to use SSL. Your web server will match your issued SSL Certificate to your Private Key. Your web server will then be able to establish an encrypted link between the website and your customer’s web browser. 

The complexities of the SSL protocol remain invisible to your customers. Instead their browsers provide them with a key indicator to let them know they are currently protected by an SSL encrypted session – the lock icon in the lower right-hand corner, clicking on the lock icon displays your SSL Certificate and the details about it. All SSL Certificates are issued to either companies or legally accountable individuals. 

Typically an SSL Certificate will contain your domain name, your company name, your address, your city, your state and your country. It will also contain the expiration date of the Certificate and details of the Certification Authority responsible for the issuance of the Certificate. When a browser connects to a secure site it will retrieve the site’s SSL Certificate and check that it has not expired, it has been issued by a Certification Authority the browser trusts, and that it is being used by the website for which it has been issued. If it fails on any one of these checks the browser will display a warning to the end user letting them know that the site is not secured by SSL.

Discuss your needs with us

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However, there are situations that cause you stress in particular when people are saying “I can not access your website” or “Your website is down” etc.

How do you know for sure if your website is really down?

First of all, there are lots of reasons why the website is down, or could be down. A good way to make sure that this is not just a ONE USER experience is to test your website. Here are some services you could use to quickly check:

• www.websitedown.info
• www.isitdownrightnow.com

Reasons why your website could be temporarily down are and what you can do:

• The web servers come with an uptime guarantee of 99% that means that 9 hours in a year they possible could be down. Nothing you can do except wait, most of the time it is only a matter of one or two minutes.
• From a browser to the actual place where the files of your website are hold could be a long way and there are several components in the middle who could temporarily experience a problem, meaning your website is also affected even though there is nothing wrong with it. Again, just wait. 
• Your website is often cached meaning that the website is not always freshly loaded from your web host but from a cache along the way (ISP) or your server cache. You could try to reload the site directly from the Internet. This can be done by pressing CTRL + F5 keys at the same time. Sometimes a firewall or other security software is disabling you to visit a web page, and there is also a possibility that your ISP has some kind of network problems.

So, keep calm, check your website, most likely there is nothing wrong with it

• www.websitedown.info
• www.isitdownrightnow.com

and if necessary, you know I am always here for you.

The post Is my website really down? appeared first on World Wide Webstein - Web Design / Development Services.

In order to understand the different components of a website and to build a foundation for our communication about your website, I would like to draw a quick picture here for you.

The 3 necessary components of a website presence

Can I have the domain name, the web server and internet service provider through one company?

Yes, of course this is possible that such a combination can be had. Often though you would choose different services. Sometimes you will find that the web hosting provider can also provide you with the registration of your domain name.

Can you be of help choosing the right solution?

I certainly can be of help to you to choose the right solution. When we have established what kind of website you do require, we can look into this and I can suggest some services for you. I can of course also set it up, as a matter of fact, this comes included in the price of all of the website packages.

The post The website in a nutshell appeared first on World Wide Webstein - Web Design / Development Services.