domain name registrations

[skymama 35]

It seems our company domain name registration expires in a few months and I need to renew it. Originally, I registered it with Network Solutions, and today I got a letter in the mail from "Domain registery of America (www.droa.com) wanting me to use them. Is there any difference between who I register with? Is one company out there better than the others?

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[PhillyKev 0]

It's all ultimately done by Network Solutions anyway. Other companies can resell that service though. The difference would be what they are giving you (they may give you webspace/email accounts, etc.) and what restrictions they place on you (they may require you to keep your name space on their servers. You really have to look at the fine print to make a comparison.

[Marz 0]

Don't take my word for it, cuz I haven't been in the field for about a year and a half, but I think all the .com, .net, .org are managed by a comitee called interNIC in the US. They originaly licenced Network Solutions to issue these domain names, and might have expanded to different companies. I think the difference lies in the services offered by the companies (server space if you want it, etc.)

I know that in Canada, I can register a .ca domain, as well as a .com, .net, & .org (pending american dollars) through a site called domains.ca.

This is just what I know..... anyone correct me if I'm wrong.

_________________________________________
Did I just kill another thread?

[cyberskydive 0]

Cost is the biggest differencec in some cases, but I think it best you stick with someone you know.

You can have your domain registered at one place, but the info for it can be at another, so....

if you just pay someone to renew it for you, you can leave the domain at network solutions, so you dont have to have downtime waiting for the dns to update.

As it is now tho you'll probably have to pay network solutions to renew it (too much money tho) and then move it. I personally use www.866getdomains.com for dns and everything, only $15 a year....

If you decide to move it I think you'll have to renew it with NS 1st, then move to the new one after the renewal has been completed, I think thats a 30 day rule tho

lol;)

it'd be easier just to pay renwal fee and forget about it..........move it somewhere cheaper before next year

-System.Windows.IUnknown.Crash.Reboot.Crash.Reboot.Freeze.Crash.Reboot.Break.Stuff.dot...

[brianthomas1966 0]

I use godaddy it's about $9.00 a year.
http://www.godaddy.com/gdshop/default.asp?e=com

Brian

[skymama 35]

The small print on the back of the letter is too small for me to read! But, I really just need to register the name. We won't be using them as our server. This letter states $85 for 5 years (the best value). Would there be a downside to renewing with one company for so many years? It's $25 for 1 year.

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[narcimund 0]

Think about the numbers here. The domain registration cost is the LEAST of your worries. I mean come on! At WORST (i.e., Nitwit Solutions/Verisign) it's a penny per day. At best it's a little less than 1/3 of a penny per day. Any business that invests a single hour of an employee's time solely to save that kind of money hasn't long to live.

On the other hand, there is a REAL difference in service and I don't mean the little extras like email forwarding or search engine placement and that junk. The ease of using their website, the respect they show for their customers on the phone, whether or not they even answer the phone or force you to hold for an hour before disconnecting you. These things matter a LOT.

Nitwit Solutions is absolutely evil that way. We've had many occasions where we've spent four hours in a single day trying to accomplish some minor task with them. They use all sorts of quasi-legal fraud to steal business from other registrars.

My business, WebHostWorks.net, uses BulkRegister which is fine. We've moved over 200 domains away from the Nitwits and it was worth the effort! We have a few left to go then we're done with them forever!

My advice is always to buy the maximum length registration possible. Currently that's 10 years. It'll cost one or two hundred dollars then you don't have to think about it for a LONG, LONG time.

First Class Citizen Twice Over

[skymama 35]

The issue really isn't the money with us. We'll pay for quality, no problem. I guess I am just a little confused as to what I should be looking at, and why should I switch. You know the old saying, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[indyz 1]

The point is that you can switch over to any registrar that you want. There are tons of them, all offering varying levels of service and price. The price difference, especially for a business, typically isn't a big deal. I would read reviews of the various registrars and pick one that offers good, consistent service to a costumer.

I would personally stay away from a company that sends me spam asking to switch. It has sleaze written all over it. I would also stay away from NetSol, but they seem to do a good enough job for lots of people.