Windows hosting is the Domain India hosting for websites built on Microsoft technology: ASP.NET, classic ASP and Microsoft SQL Server (MSSQL). You manage it through the Plesk control panel instead of cPanel. This guide covers the whole account in one place: who needs it, how to log in, passwords, files, email, SSL, backups and where to get help.
Choose Windows (Plesk) hosting only if your site needs ASP.NET, classic ASP or MSSQL; PHP and WordPress sites belong on Linux hosting. Log in with the Plesk button on your domain's row in Hosting › My hosting in the client area, or at https://yourdomain.com:8443. Reset the Plesk password yourself from Manage › Access › Reset password. There is no SSH or SFTP on Windows hosting, and port 587 is closed, so send mail on 465 with SSL/TLS and upload files over FTP on port 21 with explicit TLS.
1. What Windows (Plesk) hosting is
Every Domain India shared hosting plan runs on one of two kinds of server. Linux servers (cPanel, DirectAdmin and Webuzo) use the Apache web server and run PHP sites such as WordPress. The Windows server uses Microsoft's IIS web server and runs applications written for Windows.
On 19 September 2026 the Windows plan listings described this stack:
| Part | On Domain India Windows hosting |
|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows Server 2019 |
| Web server | IIS 10 |
| Control panel | Plesk Obsidian |
| Modern .NET | .NET 9, 8, 7 and 6 |
| .NET Framework | 4.7.2 |
| Database | SQL Server 2019 Express (MSSQL) |
Versions change over time. Inside Plesk, the hosting settings for your domain show the .NET and PHP versions actually available to you.
A few things work differently from Linux hosting, and they trip people up:
- Your website folder is
httpdocs, notpublic_html. Files you upload there appear at your domain. - URL rules go in
web.config, not.htaccess. IIS ignores.htaccessfiles. - Paths use backslashes, such as
C:\...\httpdocs\app_data, if your code builds file paths. - Each site runs in an IIS application pool. If your application hangs after a deployment, recycling the pool is the usual fix, where Plesk offers it for your subscription.
2. Who needs Windows hosting
Pick Windows hosting when your code needs Windows. Typical cases:
- ASP.NET Core and modern .NET web apps and APIs
- ASP.NET Web Forms and MVC on .NET Framework
- Classic ASP (.asp) sites
- Applications that need Microsoft SQL Server
- WordPress, Joomla, Laravel and other PHP sites
- Sites that need SSH, Git over SSH or a terminal
- Node.js or Python apps (cPanel hosting has app setup tools for both)
- Anyone who simply wants the most common, cheapest option
The Windows plans can run PHP too, but a PHP site gains nothing from Windows and is easier to run on Linux hosting. If you are not sure what your site is built on, ask your developer or open a ticket before you buy.
Shared Windows hosting is managed through Plesk only. You do not get Remote Desktop (RDP), an administrator login, or the ability to install software or restart IIS for the whole server. If your application needs any of these, ask support about server options before ordering.
3. Plans and prices
Domain India sells three Windows plans. The cards below show live prices, excluding 18% GST.
- 10 GB Storage
- 50 GB Monthly Bandwidth
- 1 Website
- 10 Email Accounts
- 30 GB Storage
- 150 GB Monthly Bandwidth
- 5 Websites
- 50 Email Accounts
- 100 GB Storage
- Unmetered Bandwidth
- 15 Websites
- 100 Email Accounts
In short: ASP Starter is for one site with one MSSQL database, ASP Business for up to 5 sites and 5 databases, and ASP Enterprise for up to 15 sites, 50 databases and a dedicated application pool. The full side-by-side table is in Windows Hosting Plans Comparison.
A plan change between Windows plans is done with support, not self-service: open a ticket before changing plan. Moving from Linux to Windows hosting, or the other way, means ordering the new service and migrating the site. New shared hosting purchases, Windows included, can be refunded in full within 30 days; renewals cannot. See the refund policy.
4. Getting started after you order
Most hosting accounts are created automatically within a couple of minutes of payment. A small number need a manual check by our team and take longer, and Windows orders are among those that sometimes do. When the account is ready, you receive the "Your Hosting Account is Ready" email with your Plesk address, username and password. What can slow a setup down is explained in How long does it take for my account to be set up.
Then:
- Point your domain at the hosting.Use the nameservers or A record shown for your hosting account. See How do I change my nameservers.
- Log in to Pleskfrom the client area (section 5).
- Upload your siteinto
httpdocsover FTP, or with Web Deploy (section 7). - Create your database and mailboxesin Plesk (sections 7 and 8).
- Turn on SSLfor the domain once it points at us (section 9).
The first-day checklist is in How to Activate Your New Windows Hosting.
5. Logging in to Plesk
One click from the client area
- Sign into the client area.
- Open your hosting list:Hosting › My hosting, or /client/services/hosting.
- Click the Plesk buttonon your domain's row. Plesk opens in a new tab, and in most cases you are already signed in, with no Plesk password needed. The button appears only while the account is Active.
If a Plesk login form appears instead of your dashboard, the one-click session could not be created. Set a new password (section 6) and sign in with it. If nothing opens at all, allow pop-ups for domainindia.com and click again.
Direct login on port 8443
Plesk also has its own login page at https://yourdomain.com:8443, once your domain points at us. Before that, use the panel URL from Manage › Access in the client area, which works whatever your DNS says. Sign in with the username on that card and your Plesk password.
If the page times out, your office or college network may block port 8443. Try the same address on mobile data. More detail: How to Login to Plesk Panel.
6. Resetting your Plesk password
Nobody can look up your current Plesk password, and support will not read one out. You set a new one yourself:
- Open the account.In Hosting › My hosting, click Manage on your domain.
- Open the Access tab.The Login details card shows your username, server IP and panel URL, with a Reset password button.
- Confirm it is you.Enter your client-area password, then the new Plesk password: at least 8 characters, with upper and lower case letters, a number and a special character, and not containing your username or domain name.
- Sign in with itat your panel address.
Your client-area password and your Plesk password are separate; changing one never changes the other. If Reset password shows an error, check that the account is Active, try once more after a few minutes, and then open a ticket with your domain name. The full guide for every panel is How to retrieve your control panel password.
7. Files, deployment and databases
Uploading over FTP
FTP is the main way to move files to Windows hosting. Use port 21 with "Require explicit FTP over TLS" in FileZilla or WinSCP, your domain or server IP as the host, and your FTP username and password. Plesk's own File Manager works in the browser for small changes.
Port 22 is closed on the Windows server, so there is no SSH, no SFTP and no SSH tunnel. Use FTP with explicit TLS, the Plesk File Manager or Web Deploy. Jailed SSH is available only on the Linux plans (cPanel, DirectAdmin and Webuzo).
Publishing from Visual Studio
The plan listings include Web Deploy. In Plesk, the domain's page usually offers a Web Deploy publishing settings file, which Visual Studio can import. If a Web Deploy publish cannot connect from your network, publish to a local folder instead and upload the output with FTP. That always works, and support can check the Web Deploy settings for you.
MSSQL and MySQL databases
Create databases in Plesk under Databases for your domain. Choose Microsoft SQL Server for MSSQL, create a database user, and put the server name, database name, user and password into your application's connection string. Plesk shows the exact server name to use; copy it rather than typing localhost. What to use for an MSSQL connection string has examples.
The Business and Enterprise plans list remote MSSQL access, for tools such as SQL Server Management Studio. Ask support for the connection details before you rely on it from your own computer.
8. Email on Windows hosting
Create mailboxes in Plesk under Mail, with your domain's address and a password for each one. Then set up your mail app:
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Incoming (IMAP) | Port 993, SSL/TLS |
| Incoming (POP3) | Port 995, SSL/TLS |
| Outgoing (SMTP) | Port 465, SSL/TLS, with authentication on |
| Username | Your full email address |
| Server name | mail.yourdomain.com, or the server name Plesk shows |
Many mail apps suggest port 587 with STARTTLS. On Domain India Windows hosting that port is not open, so the app cannot send. Use 465 with SSL/TLS instead. Port 25 is often blocked by internet providers too.
Webmail is opened from Plesk's Mail section. If you cannot find it, ask support for your webmail address. When mail will not send, work through I can receive mail but I cannot send it. Every port is listed in Domain India web hosting port numbers.
9. SSL certificates
Every Windows plan includes a free SSL certificate, and the Enterprise listing adds a wildcard certificate. In Plesk, open your domain in Websites & Domains and look for SSL/TLS Certificates, where you can issue a free certificate for the domain and its www version. The domain must already point at our server, or the certificate cannot be issued.
Once the certificate is installed, send all visitors to https:// with Plesk's redirect option for the domain, or a rewrite rule in web.config. If you cannot find these settings, ask support. The step-by-step guide is Install SSL in Plesk.
10. Backups
Plesk has a backup tool, usually found as Backup Manager in Websites & Domains, where you can create a backup of your subscription and download it. The options you see depend on how your subscription is set up. If the tool is missing, ask support.
Keep your own copies as well:
- Before every deployment, download the current
httpdocsfolder over FTP. - Back up MSSQL databases from Plesk's database tools, or export them from your application, and store the file off the server.
- Keep your source code in your own repository, so the server is never the only copy.
The JetBackup restore tool described in other Domain India guides is for the Linux plans only; Windows hosting does not use it. If you need something restored, open a ticket and say what and from which date.
11. Help and support
Most problems on Windows hosting come down to a few causes:
| Problem | Where to look first |
|---|---|
| HTTP 500 or a yellow ASP.NET error page | Plesk logs for the domain, and the .NET version in hosting settings |
| App stopped responding after an upload | Recycle the application pool, if Plesk shows that option |
| Mail app will not send | Port 465 with SSL/TLS, not 587 |
| Plesk page times out | Try port 8443 on mobile data; your network may block it |
| Database connection fails | Server name copied from Plesk, not localhost |
Domain India support is available by 24/7 live chat, and tickets get a first response within 15 minutes; how long a fix takes depends on the issue. There is no phone support. Open a ticket at /support/ticket, or from the client area at /client/support/new, with your domain, what you were doing and the exact error. Never include a password: support will never ask for one.
Frequently asked questions
What is Windows hosting and do I need it?
Windows hosting runs your website on Windows Server with the IIS web server and Microsoft SQL Server, managed through the Plesk control panel. You need it for ASP.NET, classic ASP and MSSQL applications. PHP sites such as WordPress are better on Domain India's Linux hosting (cPanel, DirectAdmin or Webuzo).
How do I log in to Plesk on Domain India?
Sign in to the client area, open Services, My Hosting, and click the Plesk button on your domain's row. In most cases Plesk opens already signed in. You can also go to https://yourdomain.com:8443 once your domain points at us, or use the panel URL from the Access tab.
How do I reset my Plesk password?
In the client area open Services, My Hosting, click Manage on your domain and open the Access tab. Click Reset password, confirm with your client-area password, and choose a new Plesk password of at least 8 characters with upper and lower case letters, a number and a special character.
Is SSH or SFTP available on Windows hosting?
No. Port 22 is closed on the Domain India Windows server, so there is no SSH or SFTP. Upload files with FTP on port 21 using explicit TLS, the Plesk File Manager or Web Deploy. Jailed SSH is available only on the Linux hosting plans.
Why can't my mail app send email on Windows hosting?
Port 587 is not open on Domain India Windows hosting. Set the outgoing server to port 465 with SSL/TLS and turn SMTP authentication on, using your full email address and mailbox password.
Where do I upload my website files on Plesk?
Upload them to the httpdocs folder of your domain, over FTP or with the Plesk File Manager. httpdocs is the Windows equivalent of public_html on Linux hosting.
Can I get Remote Desktop on Windows shared hosting?
No. Shared Windows hosting is managed through Plesk only, without Remote Desktop or administrator access. If your application needs them, ask support about server options before ordering.
Can I get a refund on Windows hosting?
A new Windows shared hosting purchase can be refunded in full within 30 days, requested by support ticket. Renewals are not refundable.
Ready to run your .NET site with us? Compare the plans on the Windows hosting page or the ASP.NET hosting page. Already a customer? Open My Hosting and click the Plesk button, or open a ticket if you are stuck.
Plesk, IIS and Microsoft SQL Server, managed from the same Domain India client area as your domains.
See Windows hosting plans