How to Buy a Domain Name with Network Solutions
Monday October 2, 2006
I admit it, I'm a domain name junky. I go and look up possible domain names all the time. I own more than one domain (more than Mark wants me to own in fact), and I am often considering buying more. My big problem is finding domains that I like that aren't already being used. So, to feed my addiction, I created a photo how to explaining how to buy a domain name through Network Solutions.
What do you look for in a Domain Host? Let us know.
Comments
Daddy, why did God create goyim? Because, son, somebody has to pay retail.
You must be independently wealthy to spend $34.99 for Domain Names (or even $24.99 for three years). Personally, I use GoDaddy (remember their infamous “Wardrobe Malfunction” Super Bowl ads?), which has all the same benefits you describe from NSI, except with .com domain pricing of $8.95/year or less.
You’re right – if you’re buying a vanity domain simply to show off or send email – then $35 a year might seem like a lot. But how much do you spend on your internet connection?
I believe that NS is a good solution for large and small businesses because it offers more than just the domain name. GoDaddy is probably great for a vanity domain or cheap DNS service.
Cost shouldn’t be the only thing you think about when you buy your domain name. Sure, it’s important, but when you go with a cheap provider, you may not be getting everything you think you’re getting. But, don’t just believe me, read this article from Domains Magazine “Think You Control Your Domain Name? Think Again!“.
I use iPower. The package is around $7.95 and it is all inclusive for small, medium or large businesses.
I also have used GoDaddy in recent years. They are low cost, which is a plus. I have been won over by their customer service though. They are HANDS DOWN better than anyone else I have ever dealt with. I started with one domain and hosting plan and have switched almost everything over in the last year.
I use GoDaddy for domains and hosting. They offer a very good control panel at a great price. My domains are registered in my name. I have DNS control and more.
Cost should be a factor whether your a small, medium or large business. Why pay more than you have to?
How about an article on how to chose a domain registrar. What to look for, etc.
I used to register domains with Network Solutions since they were the “800 pound gorilla”. Now I always register with GoDaddy, their prices are great and their customer service is excellent. As for hosting, I use a smaller local firm and GoDaddy. For those of us who know just enough to be dangerous, a little customer service and handholding goes a long way.
I love directnic.com because they give you all the extras for only $15 a name and you negotiate for discounts on multiple names
I moved my site from the HELL of Angelfire.com over to DotEasy.com as my host. It only cost me $25.00 for the domain name per year. I know, I know there are some services that sell domain names cheaper, but DotEasy has a domain name transfer fee of $35.00 that can be waived if you refer two freinds to their service(s).
DotEasy offers banner-free free web hosting for starters then you can upgrade as time goes by.
I use ez-freehosting.com. I switched from my paid hosting domain to a free one that has a ton of features.
I started with Network Solutions many years ago but have had problems with their service.
I get my domains through Yahoo. I don’t know about now but when I’ve signed up for hosting through them the domain registration is free. Good Price.
I could never understand who the uninformed people were that were paying $35 to get a domain with Network Solutions. For what? Maybe this has changed- but they offered no web interface and making even simple updates required documents signed in blood and faxed in triplicate. I used DirectNIC for a while, but I have since switched to GoDaddy. The price per domain is great and the account interface provides the sort of control I need to manage a variety of domains.
I use dollardomainname.com for my dotcom clients – at $9.95CDN/year it’s a pretty good deal. For my own dotCA domain I use “dollar’s” Canadian sister, canreg.com. At $29.95CDN, it’s more than I want to pay but less than I was paying (and much better service) than my former DNS.
Jennifer, can you explain to me why Godaddy offers “cheap DNS” and Network Solutions does not? I have been trying to figure out the price difference for years. I have used both NS and Godaddy (plus moniker and others reselling tucows). They seem to have an interface that is as good, if not better, than NS and the price is right. How is their product inferior to NS?
The article you stipulated above does not address this question at all. Godaddy lets you change all 4 components immediately upon registration.
I use Omnis Network. The cost is $6.95 for the domain name or $6.95/mo for their basic hosting plan which includes the domain name. That’s 15Gb of disc space, 250Gb transfer, and 2500 email accounts for $83.40 a year. They have all the usual free site builder, PHP, ASP, MySQL, etc. support and great customer service.
I use GoDaddy as well. They are fine as a registrar though I would recommend using someone else for hosting. It’s always a good idea to keep your registrar and your host separate in case you need to switch hosts.
I love godaddy.com for both domains and hosting. Most of the time, their prices and features can’t be beat.
I use Namecheap.com. I like them much better than GoDaddy and it’s really easy to change the nameservers and manage my domains. Price is $8.88.
Hi Tony, Well, I don’t consider myself uninformed, and I’ve been registering domains for 11 years.
NS does have a Web interface, and it’s very good. No blood or triplicates at all.
To be honest, when I started registering domains NS was the only option. When others arrived, I tried others (like register.com, etc.), but NS was always more secure and gave me more peace of mind. When my friends were getting their domains held hostage because their registrar went out of business I was still up and running.
And as for the cost, I’ve never paid the $35 per year price for my domains at NS – I get multi-year discounts always. And I don’t have to re-register every year.
I’ve never had to use their customer service, so I can’t say whether it’s any good or not. But frankly, I think that’s a plus. I’d rather never have to call them than talk to the friendliest service rep.
As someone who originally registered domains back when NSI was the only company you could register from, I continue to do so because I’ve never had any issues with them and long term renewals are not that much more than what most people are paying for services from other NICs.
As for NSI’s infelxibility, that has never been the case. They do have the web interfaces now and even had them before GoDaddy went live. Even before the web interface, it was possible to setup an electronic signature and ID so that you could do DNS and contact changes via email that were faster than their fax and customer service centers.
I’ve been using RegisterFly for the past 4 years or so with fairly good success. Their rates are pretty much par for the course (usually 9-10 buck a year), and they have an easy to use interface.
They aren’t perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but they do fix problems as they arise.
Denise: I don’t know what the price difference is caused by – NS probably charges more because they have name recognition – you would pay more for a Maytag washer than a brand you’d never heard of. Plus, NS has been around forever – and other cheap registrars have gone out of business leaving their registries up for grabs in many instances. I’m not saying that GoDaddy is unreliable – I have never used them – and many people here swear by them. But personally, I am willing to spend a little more money for my own peace of mind. Besides, “GoDaddy” is just a cheesy name in my opinion – I want a DNS that takes my business URL seriously – I don’t want to ‘go to my daddy’
I’ve used both NS and GoDaddy.
Unless you’re feeling quite generous, there’s no need to waste more money on NS, IMHO. GoDaddy does the job well, and no, I haven’t had to contact their support either. I’ve moved all my sites to GoDaddy now.
I host the sites elsewhere though.
I use Domain Direct and just forward it, but I suppose I’d probably use GoDaddy if I did one I wanted to do with more advanced options. They have some very nice sales.
I remember when domain registration was free. /geezer.
I got y’all beat!
I use 1&1 for hosting AND registrar. Most TL domains are only $5.99, and they have current deal where you can use them to host a single domain (which includes pop/imap/webmain, DB, 5GB, and quite a bit more) for only $2.25/mo! They’re larger packages are also really great! They only downside is that they’ve been doing upgrades lately and you may lose domain connectivity for a few minutes.
Check ‘em out – http://www.1and1.com/?k_id=6775947
I am very satisfied with 1&1, and I recommend them to everyone. They are very affordable, offer 24/7 live help, and have unbelievable offers.
I used to be with a different company, MediaCatch I think it was. There wasn’t anything necessarily wrong with them
except the limited amount of space they offered on their servers. It was like, $5 dollars a month and I got 500 mb of space. Now that I’m with 1&1, I have 50 Gigs, yes, you read correctly, fifty gigs of space for about $6 a month.
The ONLY drawback to 1&1 as far as I can see is that they do not host PHP. Other then that I highly recommend their services.
I use Go Daddy, Nethost and Freewebs (may be securepaynet I’m not sure) – point is I use 3 different ones. I like Go Daddy best and may move more of my egs into that basket but more than 1 is good (if paranoid) idea. A little paranoia is a good thing, you have to be right once to make it all worthwhile. And I’ve been burned more than once.
I think that NS and Register.com are still struggling to keep their stranglehold that they once enjoyed on Domain Name Registration. There is not reason why we should continue to pay $35 for a domain name. That’s what a free market economy is about, competition. There are plenty of suitable solutions available which run at least $10 a year less than the Big 2. Godaddy is my registrar of choice but there are plenty other great solutions, be it a reseller or not. It’s time for the Big 2 to realize that they cannot continue to screw the Internet Populace with their inflated prices.
Patrick – could not have said it better! I use GoDaddy for hundreds of domains for my customers. BTW: I also find that when we need to transfer a domain from NetSol, it is like the torture chamber of excuses scaring the customer into all the “bad” things that can happen to them if they quit or change hosts. Yeah. Right. Is true that once you leave NetSol they WILL NO LONGER BE ABLE TO blah blah blah… Try GoDaddy – they’re awesome. – Charlie
I am really disappointed with your last response, Jennifer. The web is full of funky names for companies that offer great products. I got the impression that you where informed enough about the various registry solutions that you were backing NS because you really did feel it was the best. However, it is now apparent that your recommendations are not even based on any research, market comparisons, etc. You are just stating your opinion and we all know what they say about opinions…I was a long time reader now I will have to take a second look at the advice you are dealing. :
Seems like maybe Jennifer should call and ask for Mike J in Executive Accounts at Go Daddy – 480 505 8885. I’m sure he can help her figure out why she is paying $35 a year for domains, and why that is way too much.
I started registering domain names when NS was the only game in town. I tried goDaddy shortly after it came out and, while I agree, “goDaddy” is a cheesy sounding business name, so are many of the biggest and best in the web world. Speaking of biggest and best, I understand that goDaddy has been been the biggest and rated among the best for service for a few years. I’ve had no complaints about the quality of goDaddy’s service for the many years and many names that I’ve registered with them, however, I do believe in the benefis of separating my domain registration and hosting service.
In my experience and that of my friends, all were happy to get away from from NS’s over powering attitude, poor service responses, and heavy handed rules. It felt somethinglike when Unix came along after years of IBM and their supercilious attitudes of superiority.
It was a JOKE. Thus the
after it.
I actually do think NS is the best out there. Yes, they cost more – but they offer me the peace of mind that I’m going to have a registrar 5, 10, or 50 years from now.
Sure, I could pay less. There’s always a lower cost solution – and in fact many people on this post have mentioned solutions that are cheaper than GoDaddy.
I don’t choose my registrar by their name. I don’t really choose anything by just their name. But as I’ve mentioned several times before, I also don’t choose things just on price. Very few of the comments criticising NS (and people who use NS) have had anything to say about it other than that it costs more than GoDaddy and other registrars.
Money is meant to be used, and I’m still not convinced that saving $10 a year is worth it to switch, and lose the peace of mind I get from knowing that I’m using one of the biggest domain registrars in the world.
Mike: Perhaps Mike J should post to this thread instead and let all of us know why GoDaddy is better. I am not the only one who has stated I use NS – and I’m ready to be convinced.
Yes, yes, yes…I knew it was a joke. I’m not stupid. Anyhow, no one knows what will happen tomorrow let alone in 5, 10 or 50 years from now. GoDaddy’s been around a long time now. They have excellent satisfactory ratings for service and support. I would take the advice of post #29 and call up the Account Exec over at GoDaddy or any other reputable registrar with high satisfaction ratings for that matter. Do some research then drop a knowledge bomb on us about why the cost difference. I have seen posts here asking why there is such a difference. My dearest Jennifer, you have opened this can of worms and now we are all looking to you to give us your expertise on the matter. AFTER ALL, that is why we come to you, isn’t it, my fellow Netizens?
Still Disappointed: Can’t post your post with your real name, which I find disappointing, but anyway… Why are you ashamed of what you’re saying that you’re not willing to admit to to who you are?
Frankly, I didn’t start this discussion so that I could get bashed on for choosing NS – and even though that’s what has been happening. I would say that I’m responding without a lot of bashing on my own – even though some of the comments have been really mean.
I do think that there are valid reasons for using other registrars than NS. I am not planning on switching right now because I have paid for service that will last between four and nine years. Ask me again in four years if I’ve switched. Re-registering with GoDaddy or any other DNS would just equal more money out of my pocket – which is what I’m being berated for in the first place.
I started this discussion because I wanted to find out what registrars were popular so that I could write an article on it. But if you expect that article to come out today or tomorrow, you’re mistaken. In fact, that would just encourage the attackers in this thread that I don’t do research or any evaluation before I post my opinions.
If anyone had bothered to read the article that this post was about, you would find that it’s about how to use Network Solutions. Nowhere in the article do I state that it’s the best, or the cheapest, or that you should use it. It’s just a how to article. I have to say, I’m not really looking forward to the day when I do publish my researched thoughts on the best registrar.
Right now I use NS – I like them, and a lot of the comments listed here are incorrect. I have admitted they cost more, but I’m not convinced yet that the cost outweighs the benefits. Once I do more research I’ll post an article comparing some of the registrars mentioned here – and then you can flame me again.
Here’s another open question – Why, other than price, did you choose your domain I’ve opened another post to talk about that specifically.
One of my domains is with Network Solutions for two reasons 1. They where the only game in town at the time of the orginal registeration. 2. It is very difficult to ever leave them. you would be hard pressed to convince me to ever use them for a new domain name.
This is Disappointed.
Thank you, Jennifer. By no means was what I had to say meant to be demeaning or bashing. Please forgive my tone, I can be a bit sarcastic. I don’t mean to be combative.
Anyhow, my only point was that there were several questions asked about the difference in price and why that was. I personally use GoDaddy and have had the experience of NS, Register.com, Afternic and several others.
The reason I use GoDaddy is price and value. Their control panel is extremely intuitive, takes seconds to make changes (where as NS and Register were a bit more of a hassle, especially when you were trying to transfer domain registrations to another registrar) and has a wealth of options.
You admitted that you have only used NS and seem to be using that as your basis for any argument you are making while several of us have used a few various registrar services and can use that as a basis for our own case(s).
So then, take my challenge to heart for your article, whenever it may come out. Look into the pricing structures and try to bring us a solid reason as to why it is that the Ancients such as NS still insist on charging $35 a year (aside from multi-year discounts) while the new kids on the block and the ones who have grown up on the block can get away with charging less and still remain a competent force in the registrar biz. I would be extremely interested in reading that article.
You know, you guys are going to get me in trouble with Mark…
As now I’m going to have to go out and register a new domain with GoDaddy – just to test it out. (At least it’ll be cheaper. 
). That’s okay, I already know the domain I want to buy… 
Just to clarify, however. I haven’t only used NS – they’re just the one I’m with right now. I haven’t ever used GoDaddy.
Normally I don’t post to threads like this, but since I was invited by name and Charlie, my long time customer pointee it out to me, I thought I would check it out. Why is Godaddy better? Hmm, let me see. Privately held company that provides the same domain name
registration as NS, or Register for that matter, at a fraction of the cost. We offer most of all of the major TLD extensions, and a bulk purchase plan that drops the price even lower. For all of you large domain customers out there (200 +), we have a department that specializes
in that and will build a 1 on 1 relationship with you, to help manage your account. For those of us who transfer in or out, we have a department that does nothing but handle transfers. We also offer DNS managment, off site dns management, free phone and email support. Everything we offer
is comparable to what the other registrars are offereing, but at a fraction of the cost.
I think what most people here are saying is that due to Godaddy’s price we are better. I think my view on who is better is a little slanted. Perhaps 7 years ago, I may not have chosen Godaddy except that I was told about them by a good friend of mine, and as I had owned over 500
domains at the time, needed to save a few dollars. I have seen Godaddy grow into one of the best domain name registrars in the world, and seen their systems and support come a long way. I starting working here when I found out that they were located
just across the valley from me. Just me personal thoughts on the company I work for. I love the work that I do here, and I love the company,
and I love the fact that we can provide this service to every person out there who wants to get a domain for what is considerably one of the
best prices on the Net. There are other companies that offer domains for a bit Lower (1 & 1 for example) and I get to listen to large customers
talk about the issues that they have with transfers away from other registrars, and I look at our compnaies policies on stuff like that. I just
released 5000 domains going to Register because that is where they prefer to do business.
In the end, all of this is a personal choice. Personally, I choose Godaddy, as both an Employee and as a Consumer, because I like getting the most bang for my buck period.
Thanks for this few seconds to share my feelings
I have used GoDaddy for years. I left NS because of their price. Never a problem with GoDaddy, and their control panel is a breeze to use.
I always shop around for the least expensive service, research it, and use it if it is comparable a more expensive one.
If NS was only a little bit more I would have stayed with them. They are a lot more expensive than GoDaddy for the same, exact, service.
I use GoDaddy. It’s a local phone call for me since they are located in Arizona and I do appreciate being able to pick up a phone and get quick help from a real “live” and friendly person.
Bobbie Peachey
Hi Mike J: Thanks a lot for joining the fray. This is really interesting for everyone who reads the site, and it helps to get feedback from you directly. After all you’re going to have more of a straight scoop than anyone else.
Thanks again for taking the time to post here, I really appreciate it.
I personally use GoDaddy for registrar, and they do everything a registrar needs to do. They also allow payments via PayPal which is a plus when it comes to not having to pull the plastic out. At least in my opinion, they are not the best in hosting. As for the funny name – it may not sound as professional as Network Solutions, but let’s remember – one of the most popular sodas in the world sound like the street name for one of the most banned illegal drugs in the world. And they are in the accepted market of their industry.
For that, I would use DreamHost. They offer many features that I found to be unique. If you have a number of domains, and on a tight budget, than you want your dollar to go further. For a few dollars more, one would get a lot more. With them, I get unlimited many things including domains and sub domains. I take advantage of that as well. And while they had some problems, that was when there was the major blackout in LA which is where one of their larger datacenters.
As for the “NS Bashing”, I personally wouldn’t choose them, but they must be doing something right since they are around, and not because they are your only option as in back in the early/mid 90’s. Back then – $50/year was your only choice. However, I am not wealthy, and my domains are a hobby for the most part. I own about 10 which $100 is much better than $350. Let’s face it, the cost of a of a gTLD domain name is $0.25 (25 cents). In reality, everyone over pays.
To me, if a registrar is stable, and provides the needed details for DNS positioning, that is all that should matter. Other than that, you are looking to hosting. To me, I would not use the same registrar for host. Problems with one is problems with both. One example would be those budget hosts that are $20 – $50 per year. Want to devote a topic about rip off – let’s try there. Mediocre customer service, severe limits, and you would think their service was gold plated for what hey would charge for extras, and that’s even if they offer it. Want SQL, in many cases on the budget hosts – you are SOL. And these are the companies you have to worry about your domain name being taken hostage. A client is still waiting for his domain name to be relinquish – and that was almost a year ago. The domain name is due later this year, and until than it is a link farm.
Oh for those interested in knowing. I been a customer of both DreamHost, and Godaddy since 2001, and had not problems with either that couldn’t be resolved. I could go on and on about features, but that is why I provided one link to what I show that DreamHost offers. In the end it’s all about what you are willing to pay, and what you would get. If you feel you are paying too much, or not getting enough – you either settle or look elsewhere.
Network Solutions has the best customer service and is well worth the cost of a domain name especially if your clients have multiple domain names. Network Solutions offer excellent customer service and you will waste more time on the phone trying to get service from other companies than you ever will by paying a slightly higher fee up front.
I only use network solutions and will never switch.
GoDaddy.com for domains and IXwebhosting.com for Hosting. Both are fairly priced, easy to use and have adequate/good support.
-Mike
I use the registrar provided by the hosting company that I am using. I find that they can usually offer me the best price per domain name.
Hello, thought I’d give my 2 cents. I’ve used DirectNic for 6 years now for both domain registration and hosting. They give excellent customer service and I’ve never experienced any downtime.
One BIG problem, their hosting does not support PHP/ASP, so we could not even have our messageboard run off their server, and we had to get hosting elsewhere for the time being. So I am looking for an alternative register/hosting company simply to pay one person instead of 2.
Thankyou all for recommending Go-Daddy… I think I’m going to try them come renewal time.
I have actually leased a domain and website reseler account from Wild West Domains http://wildwestdomains.com which is a subsiduary of GoDaddy. When I found out about their reliability and customer service I didn’t hesistate to switch from NS which is higher than anyone else to GoDaddy and now, naturally,
Thanks for allowing the comments.
Simply put I’m a GoDaddy customer. Also new to the web market so I selected a registrar/host that had a decent price and still gave ME complete control. I don’t know what I’m doing, but I have been able to control every itsy-bitsy detail, including scrambling my DNS records for a few hours. Bit of a control freak, and a total tweeker. Haven’t researched NS, financially unreachable for me. Haven’t used GoDaddy’s cust. srvc. either, but have been working with a friend who has, and their cust. srvc. has been helping him argue with Google – and winning – so they can’t be too bad at what they do there either.
“..I’ve gotten a couple comments that NS is too expensive for an ordinary person to use..”
A couple of comments?
Ms. Kyrnin you have to be kidding!
There are millions of us, who have had to suffer extortionist charges by NS right from the beginning when we were paying over $100 per year for a TLD.
This went on for years, until the domain name monopoly was finally broken by a number of hosts and the NS prices grudgingly started coming down.
They are still more expensive than almost any other option.
I am surprised at the fact, that as a “domain name junky”, you are not aware of this though!!
I neglected to mention in my earlier (slightly excited) comment, that I still have 20 or so domain names with NS, for old time sake:)
However I have more than 1500 domains with Bulk Register.
I have used Bulk Register since 1999 and have had great prices and service from them during this time.
Having said that, Bulk Register have recently been taken over by another company and so I will have to see how that works out.
KC
I have used godaddy for years and have 10 domains registered there. The customer service was a major consideration for me. I had a lot of trouble with NS, primarily when they were the only game in town.
Since switching to godaddy I have had no problems at all.
Thanks to everyone for your comments on this topic. It’s been really interesting. I clearly understand that price seems to be the major driving factor for most of you when choosing a registrar.
But that brings me to my second question. Several people have listed cheaper solutions than either GoDaddy or Network Solutions. For those of you who do pay more than $2.99 or $1 a year for domains – why did you choose your registrar? And yes, “I didn’t know about that cheaper site” or “I just like ________” are valid responses.
KC: thanks for the update – slightly excited is perfectly fine.
I do have to ask however… (and I’m smiling while I ask this) 1500 domains?!?!?!? Why on earth do you have that many domains – I hereby renounce my “domain junky” title – I don’t actually buy the domains I think about, I just think about them.
Do you want to write an article for my site on what people can do with multiple domains?
I have a godaddy question. While they offer good service and low rates – what do they expect of a user of their service.
1.- Must you advertise for them on your web site?
2.- Does the “contract” commit you to a minimum term with them?
3.- If you “leave,” do you surrender anything (or things you cannot use)?
4.- Is their a link on the internet that shows a comparison between Godaddy and other registrars/isp providers?
Stephan,
To answer your questions:
1. No, they don’t even suggest that you advertise their site.
2. The “Domain Name Registration Agreement” is straightforward and reasonable. It is much easier to understand than NSI’s Sections 1-30 plus Schedules A through Z and aa. You can cancel or change your domain registrations at any time with their simple domain control center.
3. No, your domains are totally under your control, including all of the Registrant, Billing, Technical and Administrative Contact information.
4. As a matter of fact, there are many. Google “registrar comparison” and you will find several registrar comparisons and many hosting comparisons.
All of the following free with every GoDaddy domain purchase: blog, basic hosting with web site builder; email; change of registrant; parked or “For Sale” page; domain locking; status alerts; domain forwarding; domain masking; total DNS control; and 100 email forwards. GoDaddy even allows you to use its domain control center to manage domains you have with other registrars, including NSI. I am not associated with GoDaddy, exept as a very satisfied customer.
Personally, I am only on the web as a hobby. I dealt with NSI for many years managing domains for companies I worked for, but their prices were more than I could justify for my personal use. Until ICANN broke NSI’s monopoly and authorized other registrars, I had to make do using the domain of my ISP’s free web account. And the process require to move from NSI to another registrar, at the time I did it, was about like buying a house, what with all the forms and signatures required. Today I can afford to own a handful of my own domains.
A couple of years ago when my son wanted to build a site for his car club, it was a no-brainer at $8.95 to get a couple of custom domain names (to cover different spellings). Within a couple of years, he lost interest and we let the domains expire. But spending $17.90 instead of $70.00 was a big difference for a teenager, and for many of the rest of us, too. At NSI’s prices, we could not have done the sites at all.
Regards,
Patrick
Okay im a little late on this but personally I use registerfly.com because they offered a free website with my domain which cost 9.99 a year. I don’t use my site for anything fancy or nothing, just something to play with in my spare time.
These are just some of the reasons why I picked them.
Free Services Inluded with each NEW Domain:
1 GB Hosting (no ads!)
Website Builder
Web Blogger
Domain Privacy Protection
Dynamic DNS
Domain Forwarding & Masking
Email Forwarding
Domain Locking
Change of ownership
Security Tools
Auto-renewals
Multiple payment options
Domain Delete option
and there’s more.
I too, am disappointed a little in your reasoning, Jennifer.
I’ve been using GoDaddy for 10 years, STRAIGHT. Since they started. They’ve been reliable, I’ve never run into issues with domains (they’ve always been 100% in my name and under my control at all times) OR hosting for that matter, and they’re extremely affordable.
I encourage all my clients to use them, and have actually had more issues when trying to switch sites from the overpriced NS to the affordable yet equally long lasting and reliable GoDaddy.
Let’s not forget, the internet (as we know it today) and hosting and all that isn’t even 13 or 14 years old. GoDaddy’s been around for 11 of those years.
It’s more than “name recognition” in terms of NS – they’ve been saturating the radio waves with bogus (by that I mean using the fears and concerns of potential customers to make their high prices sound reasonable) offers and advertising for MANY years. (They also claim to offer services they don’t (or used to and no longer offer because they suck at them), and promise things they don’t live up to, but that’s via personal knowledge.)
GoDaddy’s prices are what they are because up until all the SuperBowl stuff, they relied on word-of-mouth for the most part and saved on advertising costs. Instead they invested in making themselves the best domain registrar out there… and I tend to have to agree that they are.
To each his/her own, of course, and if you’ve got the money to waste, then the poor decision is yours to make. But to make statements like those you’ve made without doing the research behind them is pretty disappointing to say the least.
My domains are all registered with 000domains.com
I don’t know where they are on the scale of stability; but they’ve changed quite a bit just in a few years
I originally started with them because it was the only domain site that explained it all to me
I actually understood what I was doing when I got my first domain
Now, they even offer hosting and other services
I use them only as a registrar because I don’t want to be in the habit of associating my registration with my webhost since they are completely different to me
FREE Hosting (godaddy) with domain name is Ad-supported Hosting
the way around it is getting a webhost or pointing domain at the space your isp might be providing you (comcast)
I suggest trying the .tk route
The kids love it, they have no money and they point it at a freewebs page
I haven’t settled on a webhost most likely. I am currently using 247-host.com for hosting. My host is $9.99 a month and 000domains gets $13.50 a year for domain.
Jennifer,
Ah, the power of inertia. I also started with NS, before the other registries were available. When I first offered to manage the domain updates for a client, I found they were tied into the Earthlink/Register.com quagmire. Comments on good results on a webmaster/hosting forum got me to looking at GoDaddy.com. And I liked the idea that customers were happy, and the prices fell between the ‘free’ domain packages and NS prices. Since I was already running into trouble getting my own (after a move) and my client’s information updated, I tried GoDaddy.com.
One place that I found customer service vital, is in tracking a request to transfer a domain between registries. I have found GoDaddy.com at *least* as secure as NS or register.com. But the only operations I have concluded in a single pass were transferring domains from them to GoDaddy.com. I had immense trouble getting NS to accept updates to my domain contact information — mechanical problems with rejecting the update, not about being ’secure’, just really bad interface.
I find it interesting, that cheesy as ‘GoDaddy’ sounds, they play genuine, old time Dixie land jazz while you are on hold. And no NS plays something similar while you wait.
I do not recommend GoDaddy.com for the intermediate user. For the inexperienced, they offer a complete line of hosting, domain, and site construction and promotion packages, all for reasonable prices. For the experienced, the services break out for a very cost effective way to maintain multiple domain registrations. On the other hand, you have to wade through pages of advertising and ‘opportunities’ to add on other stuff in order to pay for anything. It can be irritating, but still much more straightforward than I find NS. And one tip I got — us iwhois.com for domain lookups, rather than either NS or GoDaddy, which use the opportunity to promote their own services, and the pages at iwhois.com load a *lot* faster.
Like others, I prefer the service, especially online, at GoDaddy.com, and like the price.
For all the reasons that folks here have been promoting GoDaddy, I’ve been using Hostway. Low cost, simple admin access, never a transfer problem.
There’s really only so much that a registration service can offer, right? It’s just a registration. IMHO, as long as you own it and control it and it’s secure, price is all that’s left!
I use namecheap.com. Excellent service and easy to manage domains. $8.88 per year. I have registered about 10 domains with them, some for my customers. I use hostony.com for web hosting. I highly recommend namecheap.com
Actually, I was looking at an article recently, and GoDaddy is one of the big boys now. I’ve had friendly customer service, a ‘welcome call’ when registering a new domain to ask if I had any questions, and a trouble free experience with GoDaddy. I’ve moved domains away from them easily, as well as moved domain names to them. (That is the true test of your registrar–do they make it difficult to transfer away? I didn’t register a lot with GoDaddy until I tested how they performed with a transfer away…no problem!)
In contrast, my first couple of domain name registrations were with Network Solutions, and they gave me a different story every time I called them. They would offer a new service, such as domain name forwarding, but they wouldn’t add it to existing customer’s accounts. You had to pay another $40 to get that service. They would tell me that my account was authorized to transfer, then hold it hostage until the domain name was close to expiration, then refuse to transfer it ‘due to being within the no transfer time period.’ They had the worst customer service that I’ve ever experienced, each and every time that I had to call them. So I moved all my accounts over to a couple of other registrars, including GoDaddy and LunarPages, where I’ve had no problems.
I use Network Solutions and have been with them for years. I love their service and their website design feature. Their customer service is great and available 24/7. I say you get what you pay for. I got a free domain with one of my websites when I signed up with them and brought another over from another provider. I maintain two websites through Network Solutions and I have had no problems as of yet.
My first web site was through the cheapest providers I could find. Customer service was non existent and when I did call I was talking to someone in another county who couldn’t understand what I was saying! Then I would always see my “case” listed as resolved! I got so tired of the useless responses that I decided to try a different registar. So, I let the domain name expire thinking I could easily transfer it then. Not so, they locked it! I had to actually renew with them, so I could transfer to another. It was a nightmare! Customer service is EVERYTHING! So, it costs more, it’s worth it! (I now use register.com, but I know Network Solutions is excellent also.)
I want to add an endorsement for Network Solutions. I chose this company after reading this and other sites discussing the quality of Web service companies. My old company went out of business, and I had a tough time transferring domain names from a company that no longer existed. I chose Network Solutions because of their track record and because I thought they would continue that performance well into the future, and that security was well worth a few more dollars a year, especially given the mess I had to clean up after my previous company went under. And, I was completely floored when Network Solutions’s customer service CALLED ME to see if I was having any problems and to offer any assistance I needed (I was having a little difficulty with security settings and transferring the pages with FTP, and they cleared up the problem with that phone call — everything has been working great since then). That experience with their customer service dept. reassured me that I had made the right decision.
Hi. I used NSI the first time about 7 years ago to register some names for some clients, which was fine because NSI was pretty much the only game in town (…or on the web…). Since then, there have been MANY registrars, some have come & gone, but GoDaddy is NOT going anywhere anytime soon. They ARE one of the big boys now. They have extensive affiliate sites that can provide even LOWER savings for domains and products. In the event that an affiliate site goes out of business, there is no worry, as your services are transferred effortlessly to godaddy. You have the benefits of low-cost/excellent value AND the 800-pound gorilla!! I’ve found these guys are one of the best prices options out there: EZ CheesyOR, you can go directly to their affiliate sites:EasyNamesNow for domain registrationandNetDomainNow for an excellent Reseller program where YOU can become the regitrar!
Paul
Stay as far away from Network Solutions as you can. I’m trying to transfer my domain away from them and am getting a complete run around from their customer service department. Long story short: After contacting their support department, being very clear about my intention and desires, and following (dubious) instructions to the letter, they’ve now put a 60-day transfer lock on the account.
What little useful functionality they have on their website is BURIED amid dozens of annoying promotions for useless features, their service is overpriced, and their customer support department is either completely incompetent or downright deceptive. I’m not sure which.
Broofa: While I can’t speak to your experience with the actual domain registry of Network Solutions, I can tell you that transferring a domain is difficult no matter who you do it with.
I’ve had to transfer domains from several different DNS providers, including both Network Solutions and GoDaddy. And every time I have had trouble and it’s taken months to get done. None of them want you to transfer away from their service, and unfortunately they haven’t learned that Customer Service includes allowing people to leave.
The annoying promotions and useless features (usually for more $$) are also a feature of most of the DNS providers. They seem to think that that is a “best practice”. I suspect the idea is that if they overwhelm you with offers you’ll accept one of them eventually just to get them to shut up.