FAQs

Below are some of the most frequently asked questions fielded by Cape.Com customer support. This page will be updated as needed to insure our customers have the most current and accurate information.

Be sure to bookmark this page for quick and easy answers!

• Cape.Com Account Help
• General Internet
• Website Development
• Networking Issues
• Cape.Com Services & Info.

Cape.Com Account Help

Why does my outgoing email sometimes get sent back?

Email may get bounced back due to incorrect spelling, server overload and many other reasons.
For more information see Bounced Email Messages or visit our Email Troubleshooting section.

How do I block email from a particular sender?

Using MailFilter, you can put their email address in your REJECT list.
For more information see Spam Filter Control Panel Help or visit our Spam Questions section.

What is all this junk e-mail? What can I do about it?

Unfortunately, Spam (unsolicited bulk email) is a problem on the Internet. Cape.Com has several free tools to help you reduce spam.
For more information see SpamNabber - Cape.Com's Free Spam Filtering Service or visit our Spam Questions section.

Can I change my account password?

Yes, and we recommend it! By using On-Line Accounting, you can do it from your own desktop whenever you want.
For more information see Changing Your Password or visit our Using On-Line Accounting section.

How can I respond to my email when I'm inaccessible?

You may want to post an autoresponder so those who are sending you email will know that you're incommunicado.
An autoresponder is a 'canned' message that is automatically sent back to the sender of any email that's destined for you. It typically informs the sender that you won't be getting back to them until you return.
Or, you can stay in touch using our WebMail service, a browser based interface to your mail residing at Cape.Com. All you need is access to a plain 'ole browser connected to the Internet.
For more information see Email Autoresponders or visit our Mail Hosting section.

What should I know before contacting tech support?

There are a variety of helpful things to have on hand before making a call to Cape.Com technical support.
For more information see Suggestions When Contacting Cape.Com Support or visit our Getting On-Line section.

Can I add extra email addresses or additional accounts?

Adding additional users and/or email addresses to your Cape.Com account can be done in real time using our On-Line Accounting System or by contacting Cape.Com technical support.
For more information see What Are Associate Users? or visit our Adding Additional Users section.

Can I have more than one person using my dialup account at the same time?

Yes! A simultaneous login occurs when more than one user is logged in at the same time. With a Cape.Com simul at a low monthly fee, two users on your account can be logged in at the same time without incuring any additional hourly charges.
For more information see Dialup Plans and Pricing or visit our Dial-Up section.

How do I set up an automatic disconnect in case I forget to log off?

Cape.Com allows users to customize idle timeouts and automatic disconnects, free of charge.
For more information see Automatic Timeout Service or visit our On-Line Support section.

Help! I've deleted an email by mistake. How do I get it back?

Don't worry! Cape.Com keeps a copy of your mail on our servers for 14 days. Simply use the Recover Backup mail feature.
For more information see Recovering Backup Email or visit our Using On-Line Accounting section.

How do I check my time spent online?

Using On-Line Accounting, you can view the number of connections and hours spent online whenever you want.
For more information see Checking Time Used Online.

How do I forward my Cape.Com email?

You can forward your mail to any working email address using On-Line Accounting.
For more information see Forwarding Your Cape.Com Mail or visit our Using On-Line Accounting section.

How do I upgrade my dial-up plan?

Using On-Line Accounting, you can change your dial-up plan from your desktop, without even contacting us!
For more information see Changing Your Dial-Up Plan or visit our Using On-Line Accounting section.

What is On-Line Accounting and what do I do with it?

Cape.Com's On-Line Accounting system allows our customers to create and manage associate accounts, pay their Cape.Com bill on-line, monitor their on-line usage, create and manage email aliases for their Internet domains, and add and remove various Cape.Com services from their account. In real time!
For more information see Online Accounting System.

Can I use my Cape.Com account to connect to AOL?

For AOL customers who wish to stay with AOL, but do not have a local access number to AOL in their area, it is possible to set up an account with Cape.Com, and use your Cape.Com connection to get to AOL. You will be charged the regular price for your Cape.Com account, and AOL will also charge you for their Bring Your Own Access plan.
For more information see AOL Customers or visit our Getting On-Line section.

General Internet

Why can't I access a website?

If you're having trouble accessing a website, the utility program Traceroute may provide a clue. This program displays specifics about network latency, reliability and congestion.
For more information see Trouble Getting To A Web Page? or visit our Surfing The Web section.

An attachment is clogging the flow of email - what can I do?

Use webmail to look at your email, identify and delete the troublesome attachment.
For more information see Downloading Attachments or visit our Attachments Troubleshooting section.

What are viruses and how can I avoid them?

Cape.Com has installed anti-virus software, free of charge, on all of its incoming and outgoing mail servers in an effort to curb the effect of nasty viruses. You can also take a number of steps to protect your own computer.
For more information see Avoiding Viruses or visit our Virus Questions section.

What is a cookie? What do they do?

Cookies are text-only strings that are entered into the memory of your browser when you visit certain websites. They are not executable programs, so they cannot harm your computer. They can be used as a tracking device. Sometimes this can be very useful to you (permitting personalized information without forcing you to constantly enter passwords).
For more information see Cookies: What Are They? or visit our Surfing The Web section.

How can I improve my connection speed?

Lots of ways, including trying another access number and checking your computer's settings. Also, make a note of the weather - that could be your culprit.
For more information see Connection Problems/Disconnects or visit our Modem Tuning section.

What is an email alias and what's it good for?

An email alias is another email address, longer than the standard 8 character limit. Email aliases don't have a physical email box to which messages are delivered. Instead, an alias is associated with another REAL email box. This box can reside here at Cape.Com or anywhere else on the Internet.
Using Cape.Com's On-Line Accounting these aliases can be created, edited, or deleted at any time.
For more information see What Are Email Aliases? or visit our Adding Additional Users section.

How do I download files from the Internet?

Depending on how the download is set-up on the particular website, there are a number of easy ways to get the file.
For more information see Downloading Files From Your Web Browser or visit our Downloading From The Web section.

Website Development

I'd like to change my website myself. Can Cape.com set that up for me?

Using Squirrel customized by Cape.Com for your site needs, you can update your site anytime, anywhere.
For more information see What can Squirrel do for me? or visit our Squirrel - Web Content Manager section.

How secure is my website at Cape.Com?

There are many aspects to making sure that your web site is secure. Cape.Com has a number of technologies available. We have also implemented policies to directly address well known security issues. In turn, you as the administrator of the site, should give careful consideration and implement an appropriate security policy. We will assist you as much as possible in keeping your site secure.
For more information see Security Issues related to your FTP and Web site or visit our Web Hosting section.

How do I know how many visitors are coming to my website?

Cape.Com provides Weblogs, a graphical logfile analysis tool accessible from your web browser.
Weblogs examines your logfiles and gives you statistics such as total visitors, pages viewed, visits by domain, and much more. An invaluable tool to effectively maintain and manage your site, Weblogs is easy to use and free to all subscribers.
For more information see WebLogs: Keeping Track Of Visits To Your Web Site or visit our Web Hosting section.

I need a good website and fast -- can Cape.Com help?

Cape.Com offers WebPresence professional level website design packages that cost just $895 and are ready in 7 business days!
For more information see our Web Development section.

How do I go about creating a website myself?

Get a good HTML book or use a tried and true website authoring software.
For more information see Help In Creating Your Web Page or Site or visit our Creating A Web Site section.

How do I choose a name for my new website, and then register it?

Follow these tips and make sure to register your site with a reputable clearing house like Network Solutions.
For more information see Domain Name Basics or visit our Web Hosting section.

Can Cape.Com help me to sell products on-line?

Yes, we can assist with designing the website, and getting the necessary CyberCash processing established.

Networking Issues

What do you mean by "dedicated connection"?

Cape.Com provides a number of different means of connecting to the Internet. There are several options which are available for a permanent or semi-permanent connection. The particular type of connection that you choose depends on how you plan on using the Net and, in particular, what your bandwidth requirements are.
For more information see Dedicated Connections Offered by Cape.Com or visit our Business Connectivity section.

How much Internet bandwidth does my company need?

Determining your Internet Bandwidth requirements can be challenging. If you choose too little, you get slow performance and unhappy users. If you choose too much, you are paying for unused capacity. Cape.Com can offer some general guidelines on how many full access workstations (Web/FTP/etc.) a given connection can support.
For more information see Dedicated Connections Offered by Cape.Com or visit our Business Connectivity section.

Can a modem really wear out?

Just like parts of a car, computer components do wear out. A modem can also wear out before the rest of the computer, especially if it is not a high-quality, well-known brand.
For more information see Questions About 56K Modems or visit our Modem Tuning section.

Cape.Com Services & Info.

What kind of web hosting services does Cape.Com offer?

Cape.Com provides a full range of web hosting services from very basic for simple or completed sites to highly specialized including website design and development, virtual storefronts, CyberCash real-time credit card processing, Secure Commerce Servers, and more.
For more information see Web Hosting Services and Pricing or visit our Web Hosting section.

What kind of network monitoring, backup and recovery policies does Cape.Com have?

Cape.Com takes reliability and security to a new level. We have a number of systems and policies in place to protect our users.
For more information see Network Monitoring, Back-Up and Contingency Plans or visit our Business Connectivity section.

How does Cape.Com make sure my T1 is running smoothly?

Every 10 minutes, a test is performed to make sure that the dedicated connection from your office into the Cape.Com network is operational and error free.
Cape.Com network administrators are available to work directly with the phone company to resolve any problems with external cabling or network configuration.
You, or your designated network administrator, have access to Cape.Com system operators, via the 'red phone', from 8am to 10pm, 7 days a week.
Cape.Com stocks spares of all Cape.Com supplied equipment (routers, CSU/DSU's) that reside at your site.
For more information see Dedicated Connection Monitoring and Problem resolution or visit our Business Connectivity section.

I'd like to develop and maintain my own Internet server. Can I house it at Cape.Com?

Cape.Com is pleased to provide Co-Location services within our Mashpee facilities. Interested in developing and maintaining your own server? Co-locating with Cape.Com may be right for you.
For more information see Co-Location Services or visit our Web Hosting section.

I'm not comfortable transferring web files - can Cape.Com do it for me?

Yes, we can transfer your website files for a low hourly fee.
For more information see File Transfer Service or visit our Web Hosting section.

Can I sign up for Cape.Com dialup service if I don't live in MA or NH?

Yes, our Nationwide Dial-Up plan allows anyone from the lower 48 continental states to use the full Cape.Com dial-up service. No need to switch ISPs when travelling or moving either!
For more information see National Dial-Up Access or visit our Dial-Up section.

Can I access my Cape.Com email while travelling?

Yes, you can use webmail, if you have internet access where you are, or one of our Nationwide Dial-up access numbers in the continental U.S. or iPass Global Roaming for worldwide access numbers.
For more information see Access Options While Travelling/Moving or visit our Dial-Up section.

What are the local access numbers for Massachusetts?

Cape.Com had access numbers all over the state of Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
For more information see Massachusetts Local Access Numbers or visit our Local Access Numbers section.

What does Cape.Com do to insure system quality?

A number of monitoring and disaster procedures are in place to minimize system downtime.
For more information see Network Monitoring, Back-Up and Contingency Plans or visit our Business Connectivity section.

What kinds of high-speed internet access does Cape.Com offer?

A number of high-speed dedicated connections are available, depending on your location and size of network.
For more information see Dedicated Connections Offered by Cape.Com or visit our Business Connectivity section.