Normally, a webpage contains images which are stored on the same hosting server which hosts the webpage too. Here, the images are referenced using relative URLs, i.e., /images/image1.gif.

However, images can be linked remotely also. In such cases, the images exist on a totally different  host than the one on which the webpage (in which the images are called) exists. The images are linked using absolute URLs, i.e., http://someotherdomainname.com/pictures/pic.2.jpg. This is known as hotlinking. Since the image is requested from a remote server/website, bandwidth allocated for the remote server/website is utilized. If one indulges in such a practice without the approval of the remote server/website owner, this sort of linking can also be termed as bandwidth theft.

To assist you in preventing such abuse, Whois.com Pte Ltd has provided a feature known as Bandwidth Theft Protection with its Linux Hosting Packages. Using this feature, you can prevent images linked to your website to be referenced remotely.

Using the Bandwidth Theft Protection feature

Follow the process mentioned below to enable Bandwidth Theft Protection for your website:

1. Login to your Control Panel. 1

2. Proceed to the Web Hosting Management interface. 2

3. In the Menu, point to Manage Website -> Additional Tools and then click Bandwidth Theft Protection.

4. Here, select Yes in the drop-down menu next to Enable Bandwidth Theft Protection.

5. The extensions - .gif, .bmp, .jpg and .png - are listed by default in the File Extensions to be protected textbox:

   • If you wish to remove an extension from the list, select the same in the textbox and press the Delete key on your computer's keyboard.

   • If you wish re-submit an extension disabled earlier, simply type in the extension in the textbox.

6. Click the Submit button to save your settings.

1. 1. Login instructions
2. 2. Instructions for locating the Web Hosting Management interface