Has anyone tried changing their authentication type for their domain name in Network Solutions from email to password? Was it easy getting it done, and does it really help security for your domain? Thanks for any feedback.

I keep meaning to do this. Is it more secure? Well... at least you won't be driven insane due to mailing forms up and back. That at least makes my noodle more secure. :)

the other day i changed some contact info with netsol.
went smoother than i thought it would.
so i decided to change auth method.
pain in the ass, still havent got it right yet.
but, i'll keep trying.

NetSol seems to be eating more cornflakes than usual, lately. I've got one domain there I've been trying to straighten out for a month. It shows up right everywhere from Latvia to Peru -- *except* in their (NetSol's) records.

This makes me more than a little wary of changing authority schemes at the moment... lol.

Changing the authorization type does improve security a bit, though there are far more important reasons to make the change. As I said in a different discussion here:

While I no longer have any registrations of my own remaining with them, some of my customers do. I don't leave a valid e-mail address with any registrar for the simple reason that spammers harvest names from domain registrations. It's one of their primary sources, along with Usenet postings.

With the password option, I've been able to make whatever changes I need to, for myself and customers (they just have to return the form I generate for them). The e-mail address that the forms are sent to is not checked against the one on record when the password verification system is used.

If I needed to make changes while away from home and my computer, I could do that too as the e-mail address I would be using at the moment would not be checked.

I would highly recommend to anyone using NetSol for any reason that they change their verification system from e-mail address to password or PGPkey.

etLux: the very reason you are having problems getting a problem at NetSol resolved is exactly the reason you should make the change. It frees you form being tied to the e-mail address they have on record. It took me 3 weeks to get a domain transferred for one of my customers earlier this year, even with a correct e-mail address. Preventing a problem is better than trying to solve one.

Chicken, it won't cut down on the mailing forms back and forth but it will eliminate a potential bottleneck and trouble spot.

An even better idea would probably be simply to transfer to a more capable registrar, like Register.com. Online administration is the only way to go, in my opinion.

I agree with you George. However, even having moved personal domains away from NetSol, there are still good reasons to change auth type, especially for hosts. It just makes things easier and prevents some problems.

As the technical contact for my customer's domains, I can make required changes without leaving a valid e-mail address exposed to spammers. I suggested to them that they change to 000domains.com, an OpenSRS reseller, and the one I use. I really like that online administration

DUSTER, your points on this are definitely well taken.

While NetSol's concerns over security are laudable, the Mail-From authority scheme can be an unholy nuisance.

Personally, I've never had a *serious* problem with it; but it is indeed slow, cumbersome, and very easy to screw up. This authority scheme is not only completely unforgiving of an improper reply address (it must be exact); it likewise tolerates almost no inaccuracy whatever in a form return.

Time to switch!

Post Scriptum:

It appears that troublesome domain nameserver change I mentioned previously has, at last, rectified itself on NetSol -- weeks later, and without intervention on my part.

Duster, is there a reason why you chose 000domains.com besides perhaps its price? I've been hearing quite a lot lately about people moving to 000domains.com...

Yes, and I have new additional reasons. I had attempted to register my new business name (Techcellence) since the old one was not available as a domain name. I used alldns.com, which a friend told me about. They charge $12.75. Their system is so poor that the domain name was not registered, nor did I receive any notice. Bad news. In today's market that kind of delay and ineptitude could cost you the domain names you seek.

I started asking about other choices and found 000domains.com. I registered one domain with them and found how fast and easy they are to deal with. Their online Domain Manager is far superior to Network Solution's forms that have to be mailed back and forth and can be confusing. Also, 000domains does not charge for things like NSI does. They have domain parking at no charge (in fact, their system initially registers domains with their technical information, and then you change it) and you can change even the registrant at not charge. NSI will charge you $35 for that, plus the time it takes and mailing those forms.

000domains is an Open SRS reseller and I believe they all use the Domain Manager system. Here's the clincher for me and what will keep me with them. Just last week, I transferred the last domain I had remaining at NSI. I had a question about the transfer since the e-mail address on record at NSI is not a valid one. They get harvested by spammers and I use the password verification method at NSI.

I sent a message to 000domains, explaining the situation and asking if it would cause any problems with the transfer. I got an answer back in less than half and hour. In fact, I think it was closer to 20 minutes. Moreover, it was a complete answer. I was told that there would be a problem becasue of the e-mail address and that the transfer would not go through. I was told why it was so and why they couldn't do anything about it. They told me what I could do, and that I should wait a week for the first attempt to clear the system, or it would kick out the second attempt.

That kind of service has made a customer for life of me, unless their service deteriorated on a long term basis. They charge $13.50, which is cheap enough for me. With the kind of service they offer, I won't be swayed by the $5.99 first year registration offers, or those who charge less, like $10.

The difference from NSI's $35 to $13.50 is a big one. The difference from $13.50 to $10 is a small one. I know for a fact that 000domains has fast and competent service when I need them. That's worth the $3.50 (or less) difference to me.

Gotcha Duster. Thanks for the thorough response...much appreciated! :)