Hello,
I'm thinking to register a domain name and looking for registrar.
After doing searching and reading many posts here, I narrow the option to 3:
1. DomainDiscover
2. DirectNIC
3. GoDaddy

Any opinion about those 3 registrars? Pros and Cons?

Thank you in advance.

dont have any experience with domaindiscover, directnic seems a bit expensive (15$ for a .com is a lot), godaddy... well, i use godaddy with some domains too but you will find some postings here in WHT that domains where taken by godaddy cause someone sent complaints about a domain... never happened to me but some people are complaining

I'd rather recommend www.domainsite.com (http://www.domainsite.com), they are very cheap and everything worked fine for me with them so far...

I have used GoDaddy and DirectNIC so I'll share my experiences with them.

DirectNic
I moved 40-50 of my domains to DirectNIC about 6 months ago.

PROS - I can't really think of any. They are "famous" for keeping the business going in a New Orleans highrise during Katrina and keeping a blog about it.

CONS - More expensive than GoDaddy, interface is horrible for more than 20 domains, support via online tickets only. You can't see if your domains are locked without clicking into each one individually. There are icons you click on for options and it isn't clear what they are for until you mouse over them and wait for a pop-up from your browser. When I tried to change my IPs on my nameserver records (ns.mydomain.com and ns2.mydomain.com), the interface was messed up and I couldn't input any new data. They do not have phone support so I notified support through a ticket system. It took me 3 replies (and 12+ hours) to convince the guy that the interface wasn't working and finally someone fixed it for me. Not good when I'm trying to set up a new nameserver and get the rest of the world using it.

GoDaddy
I had 40-50 domains with GoDaddy for about 3 years.

PROS - cheap, easy-to-use interface, 24/7 phone support, biggest in their field

CONS - Domain suspensions. This can happen for many reasons and they seem to take the approach of act first, ask questions later. For example, I had an outdated phone number on my domain record, someone anonymously reported me, GoDaddy charged me $10 for looking into it, and then suspended my domain after sending me a notice that looked like spam. (It looked so spammy/fraudulent I even reported it to their abuse address. :homer: - DOH! ) My fault, but I felt like they should have a better notification procedure before they kill your business by shutting down your domain. Thankfully they got it up and running within a day after I called and straightened things out.

BOTTOM LINE: After tasting a few other registrars, I think I'll be going back to GoDaddy because they seem to be the best. I've also used namecheap, moniker, and network solutions back when they were the only choice.

double post

GoDaddy.com is required to follow up and act on inaccurate WHOIS reports. It's in their registrar accreditation agreement. Good for them. Now, if only other registrars like OnlineNIC.com and Rebel.com would comply too... we'd be doing great. :)

Haven't had any issues with GoDaddy.com. Their support is fast but often they're unable to help you. Lots of good services though and cheap.

I've used directNIC and, while they are expensive, they're pretty decent. The domain squatting business through their NOLDC, Inc. subsidiary (or sister company) concerns me, but then again, GoDaddy.com operates a similar CashParking network. So, it's a wash.

One of the best registrars I used goes back to DomainMonger.com around 1999 when they were a Tucows reseller. They're now a registrar and the company name is (I believe) Central Registrar Inc. Any Tucows reseller is great because they have a back-end system that allows customers to access their domains in the event a reseller acts unscrupulously - something eNom should've had.

One I absolutely will not recommend is eNom for the simple hassle and grief I had trying to get my domains out of RegisterFly and over to GoDaddy.com. They were absolutely no help - just because I didn't have photo ID. Their business development manager Elida kept sending me template replies and they made no effort to resolve it. I eventually waited until RegisterFly was ordered by ICANN to dispense auth-codes and by some miracle was able to unlock my names, update my info from ProtectFly and transfer to GoDaddy.com.

I own 12 domains thru GoDaddy.com now and am pretty happy. :)

Cheers,
Doug

Any Tucows reseller is great because they have a back-end system that allows customers to access their domains in the event a reseller acts unscrupulously - something eNom should've had.

eNom has that. You can log into your domain at http://access.enom.com. You cannot unlock the domain or request the Auth code, but you can change the whois contact info back to yourself and then call eNom asking them to unlock and request the Auth code. I had a domain stolen from my account by the previous owner using this method.

GoDaddy are pretty good if you can accept their ToS heavyhanded-ness and 60day wait after changing any of the Rigistrant Contact Info. I'd choose them over the other 2, anytime.

Thanks a lot for all your replies.

Btw, no one using DomainDiscover?

Just another questions:

I heard about this domain squatting issue, but not really clear about it.
Is they take over active domain name or they take over expired domain names, then offer it to the owner with high price?

Also, based on webhosting dot info ( I'm sorry I can not give the exact URL because I do not have enough credit - 5 posts )
The total domain on Directnic is decreasing.
Is this mean everybody leaving DirectNIC?

Please light my candle. :)

Thanks.


I've used directNIC and, while they are expensive, they're pretty decent. The domain squatting business through their NOLDC, Inc. subsidiary (or sister company) concerns me, but then again, GoDaddy.com operates a similar CashParking network. So, it's a wash.

They probably should be leaving according to dmehus :(

No experience with DomainDiscover, but they have a nice web page and have been in business since 1999. Plus, they have an active whois server so they don't appear to be in violation of their registrar agreements, at least not that clause. So, they seem all right, like a GoDaddy.com or a Domain Direct (Tucows). My verdict? Neutral.

As far as directNIC goes, they offer similar services to GoDaddy.com but for much higher prices. The website is also really slow. I'd avoid them.

Cheers,
Doug

eNom has that. You can log into your domain at http://access.enom.com. You cannot unlock the domain or request the Auth code, but you can change the whois contact info back to yourself and then call eNom asking them to unlock and request the Auth code. I had a domain stolen from my account by the previous owner using this method.

GoDaddy are pretty good if you can accept their ToS heavyhanded-ness and 60day wait after changing any of the Rigistrant Contact Info. I'd choose them over the other 2, anytime.
That's good to hear, except that website requires the domain name and password. What would the password be? If you didn't know the password, how would you have found it out if the domain name in question used privacy protection with an e-mail address that wasn't forwarding any mail on to you?

Cheers,
Doug

You set the domain password in the regular control panel, so you shouldn't need any email to tell you what it is.

Yes, in the RegisterFly control panel, you set your username and password. However, that was entirely separated from Enom's system. Their system only interconnected with Enom for registrations, transfers, contact updates, locks, etc. The actual username and password Enom didn't have access to, so I fail to see how this would've helped me. Perhaps you could clarify and/or elaborate?

Much appreciated. :)

Thanks,
Doug

This is the first time Registerfly has been mentioned in this thread. It's not clear what you're asking. The domain password is entirely different to the username password in eNom.

I have used all of the registrars you mention and out of all of them I would recommend DomainDiscover. Their support is fast and friendly while keeping their prices fair. Their control panel is pretty darn good as well.

Then why didn't you list them in your list of registrars in the thread you started :)

Then why didn't you list them in your list of registrars in the thread you started :)

I forgot a few :-)

DO NOT GO WITH --LIBERTY DOMAINS, Flexmedia or DNI-DOMAINSALES...They are all a scam. They will bill you just before your domain expires and if your not the webmaster they prey on non computer literate individuals to renew the webpage that is being taken care of by the Tech supervisor of your page. They will cahrge you 100 plus dollars to renew your doamin and then register it in HTEIR name. So now you are in a stranglehold of your site and they will not let go of it. since they are in so much litigation they juggle your domain with other companies they start up to avoid being shut down. IF you read their domain information in many renewals or attempts to re-sell you back your domain it reads they are not putting it in your name.....and then give you the most inferior services available.
Call your credit card company FAST and many of their connected operations will try to renew your service, but they are just trying to HIJACK your domain. Read about it there are hundred XXXXX of complaints. Obviously not americans and it they are thier Bush republicans.