i have used GoDaddy for the last year. i have registered a handful of names. but starting this year i used GoDaddy w/ their whois protection service. i then found this forum and started to research the difference between registrars. i probably will only register 3-5 names per year. but the negative stories about all of the registars is horrific. i guess i was naive. losing domains, poor cs, domains disappearing, etc.

so for a person like me, who will register few names and use whois protection, does it really matter which registrar i use? i realize that godaddy + whois protection is about $6 more than registerfly + whois protection. thanks for the help.

You should have no problems using godaddy, there are horror stories but for every one there's a thousand happy customers.

You'll be fine. I've had numerous domains with GD but after several years became a eNom convert myself. Each registrar has their positives and negatives.

I pulled out of GD several months ago. Too many headaches.

I left godaddy over a year ago and went to registerfly/enom. Issues with domains being lost and much more..

From my experience with GD + whois protection, I think GD is not too much bad just for domain registration.

But whenever I use their services including DNS, mail forwarding, mailbox and back order, there are problems and GD's support does not help at all. They always say, "I have escalated it to the engineering department/my supervisor," and after weeks, I only find the problem is left unresolved and the support ticket is closed silently.
@domainsbyproxy.com mails are not reliable to me, either. Some are delayed. Some disappear despite of my "forward all" option.

Is registerfly+protectfly responsible and reliable?

Originally posted by P2T
Is registerfly+protectfly responsible and reliable?

I have about 200 names using their service so far so good.

isn't it worriesome that registerfly is not a registered registrar. doesn't the fact that godaddy is registered offer some kind of benefit/insurance? thanks for the replies so far. i am learning quite a bit.

This has been discussed many times over. Domains registered through eNom, Tucows, or WWD are just as safe as if they are registered with an ICANN Accredited registrar.

Registerfly is my preferred registrar however I don't recommend them to people unless I know they have a broadband connection. Dialup users have been known to have problems logging in to their service.

RegisterFly is much bigger than most registrars who are accredited.

I like 000Domains.com. The only problem with them is that if anyone figures out your password, they can take your domains. But I guess this is true with all registrars.

RMF

you are right i have read it posted elsewhere on this forum, but for noobs like me it's difficult to digest. it's engrained in us to associate greater safety w/ being accredited. like going to an accredited univeristy, car dealer, bank and so on. so i guess it's hard to get over the fact that registerfly will offer the same level of comfort as godaddy eventhough it does. i hope i made sense.

I use
*******.com
They are cheaper than registerfly and their forwarding is much better. They also offer whois protection at no cost which is a big plus.

And *******.com is banned for a reason.

I am not aware of the reason, timechange?

Spamming:
http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showthread.php?threadid=196470&highlight=*******.com

Well, if someone was advertizing them here long time ago does not make them bad company. I like their service and they have been around for a long time.

The company you mentioned above was created just over 2 years ago. That's hardly " a long time ".

Laetitia, is that you?

I do not know Laetitia and I do not have any personal relationship with anyone from that company, I am just their customer. That company was created in 1999.

Originally posted by timechange.com
Laetitia, is that you?

I was thinking the same thing. See a pattern?

timechange, you need to read their
http://www.*******.com/about.htm
page

quick question, what would happen if a reseller goes bust. then how would i have access to my domains . also if i use the whois protection of the same company, what would happen then? thanks

If the reseller went bust you would just manage your names via the parent registrar. If you use whois protection and the service goes bust just go back to using your own info.

Originally posted by techiecool
quick question, what would happen if a reseller goes bust. then how would i have access to my domains . also if i use the whois protection of the same company, what would happen then? thanks

1. If the reseller goes bust then the ICANN registrar will transfer all of your domains to another active reseller.

2. If the ICANN registrar goes bust then the registry will transfer all of your domains to another ICANN registrar.

3. If the registry goes bust then your domain names will stop functioning.

Originally posted by acts837
This has been discussed many times over. Domains registered through eNom, Tucows, or WWD are just as safe as if they are registered with an ICANN Accredited registrar.

There is a big disadvantage to using a reseller rather than an accredited registrar. The reseller sets his own rules. He answers to no one, except the accredited registrar.

At least with an accredited registrar, you have the minimal protection given by ICANN and the complaint process you can enter through the Internic site. They won't even accept a complaint about a reseller even though their FAQ says:


I have seen advertisements for domain-name registration by companies not in the accredited registrar directory. Are these legitimate?

Only registrars accredited by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) are authorized to register .aero, .biz, .com, .coop, .info, .museum, .name, .net, .org, or .pro names. Some of these accredited registrars offer their services through resellers, which may provide assistance in completing the registration process. Your registration contract, however, will be with the accredited registrar and that registrar will maintain your contact information.


BUT, ICANN will not intervene on behalf of a consumer against a reseller. You do have some recourse against an accredited registrar, if they have broken one of the rules.

If you are going to use a reseller, at least pick one physically located in your state (in the US) or in your "legal jurisdiction" so you can sue them without traveling to another country.

There may be valid reasons to use a reseller, such as a prior business relationship, but for the $3 to $5 per domain name, it simply isn't worth the aggravation. Especially if you get a domain that grows substantially, and the reseller decides to up his renewal fees for the 4th year, say, to $500. There's nothing to stop them from doing that, and no one you can appeal to.

My advice? Avoid resellers. Go with one of the accredited registrars, even if you pay $14 a year instead of $9 a year.

fshagan, interesting. so far what everyone else has said seems to be at odds w/ what you say. back to square one, be safe and pay more w/ godaddy i guess.

techiecool. I disagree with him. Although there may be some truth to what was written...if you take what was stated above then that means that ICANN or UDRP has no authority over resellers. Mild sarcasm --> Sorry Micro$oft but Mike Rowe is using a WWD reseller we can't help you dispute that domain.

i don't want to sound ungrateful for your comment acts837, but as a reseller i would assume your stance would be such. but you could be spot on. so what kind of line are we talking about then. how fine is it.

Originally posted by acts837
techiecool. I disagree with him. Although there may be some truth to what was written...if you take what was stated above then that means that ICANN or UDRP has no authority over resellers. Mild sarcasm --> Sorry Micro$oft but Mike Rowe is using a WWD reseller we can't help you dispute that domain.

In the case of a name dispute, the accredited registrar will step in under the Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy administered by ICANN (http://www.icann.org/udrp/). Name disputes are within their purview, but customer service complaints are not. That's why ICANN refers you to the Internic site for filing complaints against accredited registrars at http://reports.internic.net/cgi/registrars/problem-report.cgi

There is no such avenue for complaints against resellers, except the accredited registrar they are selling for. Whois information will tell you who the accredited registrar is. My real world experience, and not just an opinion, has been that the accredited registrar will not intervene on behalf of the consumer with a reseller. Even one that changes their policy, charges for domain name transfer, or steals your domain name. You have to sue the reseller.

I'll admit I am biased because I'm a reseller; however, that doesn't negate the fact that if ICANN came knocking on my door I would have to comply. Yes, there are some resellers out there that plan stink...D*OA for example with their snail mail deception and others that lock domains so the owners can't transfer out. But if you look around we have Accredited Registrars that are practicing bad business also. Look at GD locking out countries with no warning whatsoever. I understand that fraud is bad and needs to be dealt with no warning to your customers. Bad business indeed. I’ll admit that about 1.5 years ago I was hung-up on the ICANN Accredited issue also. After I left about four of those companies I decided to look into the various reseller options and I have been very satisfied with my choice. Final comment, I and many others can’t afford to be devious. I must rely on sound business practices and customer satisfaction in order to succeed.

Thanks for the clarification fshagan. I know that I may be the minority here but I believe that domains should not be held hostage by registrars. Although I have had a few trying times with transfers I have yet to be held hostage or pay to transfer out. Maybe when that happens to me once I can show empathy for what you have gone through.

Domains registered through eNom, Tucows, or WWD are just as safe as if they are registered with an ICANN Accredited registrar.

err, i *think* you'll find that enom and tucows *ARE* ICANN accreditted registrars :D

hey, I meant to eNom, Tucows, or WWD "resellers"

Good catch though. People actually read these threads?

I agree with fshagan 110% - I think that going with an ICANN accredited registrar is the safest thing to do, techiecool....esp. if you who have few domains that you really care about and can't afford to lose (like me).

If you're not "attached" to any domains you own...then obviously a registrar having ICANN accreditation most probably wouldn't be at the top of your list....which is OK.

For me....it's important as:

1) there's too many places to register domain names out there anyway, so a registrar having ICANN reduces my choices to basically the list on the ICANN website....and picking from that list is a no-brainer after you do a little research.

2) knowing that you can go to ICANN if you have a hiccup with a registrar is also an added bonus as I'm sure they would know what strings to pull.

3) a registrar having ICANN accreditation is basically an assurance to you.....that they care enough to get that accreditation and to let you know they aren't a fly-by-night company. I'm not saying that all of them are A+ registrars...and I'm sure there are Resellers out there that are way better than some of the Registrars on the ICANN list, but! ICANN is saying..."hey, these guys have our seal of approval"....for whatever that's worth to you.

Anyway....that's my 2 cents :rolleyes:

What do you guys think of Namecheap in this regard? Do you feel they will/can excercise power to get your domain back in the event of theft or hacking? I currently have a few domains at 000domains, though security is top priority for me. 000domains doesnt offer whois hiding or registrar lock.

well, they are a reseller so according to woodie and fshagan, it would be wise to steer clear of them.

Here's an additional way to judge a Registrar/Company:

Checked on GoDaddy and they have been a Member of the Better Business Bureau (BBB) since April 2000 with a "satisfactory record with the Bureau"; no info on NameCheap.

From what I see on the BBB - Register.com doesn't even look to be a member of BBB and they have an "unsatisfactory record". Wow...I didn't know that!! Of course, they were "it" at one time and "then" I got most of my domains registered through them, but obviously the new kids on the block are cheaper + offer more and better services.

Anyway..they both have phone numbers and they can easily be found on their websites; surfed around NameCheap....and couldn't find any.

This and other forums are a wonderful place to get everyone's view on different topics, but in the end....we all have to take what everyone says with a grain of salt and try to make the best decision based on what other say.

Personally, I would think twice about using NameCheap, but my problem is: I always assume the worst case scenario.

the interesting dilemna is that if you reg and get whois protection, then you pay 37.5% more at godaddy. the percentage is staggering, but the dollar difference is only $6. if you were to buy a new car for $20k, then a 37.5% increase would make it $27,500.

but like woodie, i too always am thinking that the worst could happen.

Originally posted by woodie
Personally, I would think twice about using NameCheap, but my problem is: I always assume the worst case scenario.

It is comments like this that prevented me from becoming a reseller a year ago. I have no reservations about Namecheap and I am one of their competitors. Have I had some issues with their system? Yes, but they are still a good company. Man, I'd hate to see some of you people at the store trying to pick out toilet paper. :stickout:

well, for me it's just trying to educate myself about what's out there. i am a full-time dba/programmer, but know squat about the hosting and domain game. really interesting stuff.

btw, no thought required...angel soft...double roll.

I finally found someone worse than me!!
$6.00 as compared to $20k...?? earth calling techiecool... j/k

acts837 - you're right.....it's a pitiful sight ;)

i read a wall street journal article regarding this very issue. it was regarding how people are willing to save based on dollar amount and not percentage savings.

i actually really don't care about the $6. i just wanted to know if registerfly would be as safe and good as godaddy. and if i could save a couple of bucks, then great.

i overanalyze anyway. i'm a tech guy, what can i say :D

real question, i am going to have 3 domains (1 a shorter version of the others. i will host my main domain at a web host. i will set up my email on the main domain. now i want to set up similar emails w/ the other domains. is that a email forwarding issue or do i have to change my mx record. if it's email forwarding then any registrar should allow me to do that. if it's a mx record change, then certain registrars will let me do that?

What some people will go through to save a few pennies.

Originally posted by techiecool
real question, i am going to have 3 domains (1 a shorter version of the others. i will host my main domain at a web host. i will set up my email on the main domain. now i want to set up similar emails w/ the other domains. is that a email forwarding issue or do i have to change my mx record. if it's email forwarding then any registrar should allow me to do that. if it's a mx record change, then certain registrars will let me do that?

This would be a tech support question. Send an e-mail to whomever you are buying your domain through.

Although the post above is true I was just joking. Yes mail forwarding with aliases would be your best bet not mx records. But wait, with some registrars you don't get email or URL forwarding and others charge for thtis service. See what we have been talking about. Save a penny here...spend a quarter there.

Originally posted by techiecool
real question, i am going to have 3 domains (1 a shorter version of the others. i will host my main domain at a web host. i will set up my email on the main domain. now i want to set up similar emails w/ the other domains. is that a email forwarding issue or do i have to change my mx record. if it's email forwarding then any registrar should allow me to do that. if it's a mx record change, then certain registrars will let me do that?

You could go that way, but I don't like buying services from the registrar. If they do free email forwarding, its not a big issue. But if you are paying a few bucks a month for it, there might be a better solution.

I would look into an inexpensive reseller account for web hosting, or at least an account that lets you host multiple domain names. I'm with Dathorn, and like them. Their smallest account is $13.50 a month. That would allow you to host your multiple domains from the same place, and you could set up the two "spare" domains to be email only domains, and forward the email anywhere you want from within the control panel. Or, upgrade them later to full-fledged sites.

There are other reseller accounts out there from other companies that people like. You don't have to actually resell the space to benefit from the greater control you get!

godaddy really sucks they scam their international customers. they block their countries and continue to steal their money!

I have used 000domains.com for over 3 years and have never had any problems with them.

One of my friends had her domain bought by a "friend" that was starting a hosting company. She didn't know that she should have control over the domain and never asked the friend to transfer it to her. She paid in advance for the domain renewal this past year along with a year of hosting.

Then, the hosting company took a dive and the people that the hosting friend bought the domain from locked the domain. It couldn't be transferred, but they would happily take my friends money and renew it for her.

She finally got out of the mess by switching to a good, reliable host. ;) And bought a new domain through 000domains.com She has full domain control and loves it!

I don't mind paying extra to know that my domains are really mine and personally I go by the old saying you get what you pay for.

Just my opinion! :)

Originally posted by saluyot
godaddy really sucks they scam their international customers. they block their countries and continue to steal their money!

I agree. You need to be very careful with these guys.