Advice on buying domain names - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: bigdawg
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 13, 2015, 01:02:16 pm
content: In past few months, my small side business seems to have grown enough for me to consider setting up a dedicated website for it. I had used zoho for a personal website many years ago but I have no experience with buying a domain name and setting up a professional looking website.I want to buy 4-5 domain names (variations on my business name), and redirect them to a landing page created using one of those drag and drop webpage builders like zoho or godaddy. Zoho allows me to buy domain names for ~$10-40/yr; should I go ahead with them or look at buying domain names somewhere else where the per year cost is cheaper? where do most folks here with a website buy their domain names at?

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 13, 2015, 02:25:20 pm
content: I can't comment too much on US prices but I purchase mine throughhttp://www.netregistry.com.au/

author: Ian.M
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 13, 2015, 03:05:22 pm
content: The trouble with buying a domain name through your hosting provider is some providers don't fill you in as the Admin contact, and some even hold the domain on your behalf. If you are in full control and hold it yourself, in the case of a dispute with your hosting provider, you can set up a mirror else where from your in-house backups (assuming you have resisted the temptation to use their 'free' proprietary sitebuilder) and point your domains at it.The down side? You are responsible for your own domain renewals, and your hosting provider isn't going to remind you, so print out the expiration date(s) laminate them and stick them securely to the wall next to the office calender! Also it is important that you retain access to and control of the Admin contact email address you provided, and don't loose or disclose your login details for the domain registry.

author: fivefish
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 13, 2015, 03:10:32 pm
content: What Ian said.DO NOT BUY IT through your hosting company. I've heard countless stories of some bad hosting companies legally owning your domain name, using it as leverage (hostage) and locking you in to use their service, etc...Go to Godaddy, Network Solutions, etc... and buy your own domain name. Then just change the DNS records to what your web hosting company requires.

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 13, 2015, 05:50:42 pm
content: I use namecheap.com. It is a bare-bones registrar, plain and simple.

author: liquibyte
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 13, 2015, 05:55:40 pm
content: Always keep your hosting and domain registration separate. Always! Try to also go to the top level and avoid the resellers. My domain registrations are through Enom but my hosting moves around as I find better deals.

author: mariush
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 13, 2015, 05:59:11 pm
content: I buy my domains throughhttp://www.namecheap.com, name may sound cheesy but it's a solid reputable company ...I stay away from Godaddy due to their various policies that aren't so customer friendly , like disabling your domains or taking them back in case of DMCA complaints or even some general complaints from other companies.. here's an example :https://www.plagiarismtoday.com/2012/05/29/godaddy-dmca-overreactor-extraordinaire/Same for Network Solutions, they had lots of bad press in the past (like buying domain names immediately after a user searches to see if they're available, and then charging more than normal to buy it from them :http://techcrunch.com/2008/01/10/network-solutions-using-questionable-tactic-to-sell-more-domain-names/) )For a European domain registrar, most people recommend Gandi :http://www.gandi.net/Domains are a bit more expensive, but they have a good reputation for respecting customers.I agree with the others, don't buy domain names from the company giving you hosting unless you're absolutely sure the domain will be yours completely - some companies give you a discount on the domain name on the condition that you stay with the hosting company for 1-2 years and may only transfer the domain to you at the end of that term. That can become a real problem.

author: steve30
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 13, 2015, 10:01:00 pm
content: I'm surprised that many people are recommending keeping the domain and hosting separate. I personally do this, but I didn't really have a reason for it when I first set it up. I think I ended up with it like that because I registered the name long before I ever got around to making a website, and so I didn't need hosting at the time of registration.My domain has been registered with LCN.com since about 2007 and I've been hosting with ASmallOrange since about 2008/2009. I haven't had any issues with either.I use one of those proprietary 'site builders' on another website that I work on (not my own). It works quite well, and has the advantage that other people with less knowledge will be able to use it, but I certainly wouldn't rely on it. They can be a bit limiting, and you may have to start again if you move providers.

author: SLJ
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 13, 2015, 10:38:33 pm
content: Person I know let his hosting provider get his domain name for his business. A couple years later it expired as he didn't get a notice and his hosting provider just forgot to renew it. Cost him several thousand to buy it back from a Korean company that scooped it up. Buy your own domain names first.

author: helius
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 13, 2015, 11:26:33 pm
content: One thing that causes problems when choosing domain names is that the names are searched on the internet, which is not confidential.So you open your Whois program and try mybusiness.com or electricsheep.org to see if it's taken, and find out that it's available. When you go back the next day (busy day at work) to register it, someone has already taken it! Either because Network Solutions is at it again, or simply someone who administers a router has scooped up whois requests with null responses. You should make a list of acceptable names, and try to register them in order so that you get the first available one.

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 13, 2015, 11:31:41 pm
content: Quote from: helius on November 13, 2015, 11:26:33 pmThat's only true for some (minority) online whois services and domain checking on actual registrars. Actual command line whois tool is perfectly safe.But yes, if you have a name in mind, start from pinging it and see if there is a server there already. If not, do whois and see if it is registered. And only use registrar tools when you are ready to buy the domain.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2015, 12:03:56 am
content: Quote from: fivefish on November 13, 2015, 03:10:32 pmI also second this: make sure the domain is in your name so you can always transfer it.

author: Deathwish
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 14, 2015, 12:12:36 am
content: I buy mine for .com domains from LCN.com and for .co.uk domains from Godaddy. for some reason a .com domain is cheaper to buy from LCN than godaddy and vice versa , go figure that one out !.

author: bigdawg
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2015, 01:47:57 am
content: Thanks for all the ideas; I'll keep my hosting and domain separate. I am glad couple of folks here have used namecheck.com since I had come across them earlier but wasnt sure if it was legit or not.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 14, 2015, 02:16:12 am
content: Quote from: bigdawg on November 13, 2015, 01:02:16 pmJust go with the cheapest place. That sounds expensive.Don't be tricked into buying .biz .org .whatever, only .com matters for a business.

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2015, 02:17:19 am
content: Quote from: bigdawg on November 14, 2015, 01:47:57 amnamecheap.com.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 14, 2015, 02:17:29 am
content: Quote from: bigdawg on November 14, 2015, 01:47:57 amYes, this is important. It means if your site gets taken down by the host (DMCA request etc), then you can always point your domain to a new host.

author: bigdawg
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2015, 02:48:27 am
content: Quote from: ataradov on November 14, 2015, 02:17:19 amsorry about the typo; I was too tired to think straight today. Thankfully, I used the correct website (namecheap) to register 5 domain names.

author: bigdawg
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2015, 02:50:08 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on November 14, 2015, 02:17:29 amI didnt even think of that. I am glad I started this thread before going ahead with zoho for both domain names and hosting.

author: helius
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2015, 03:02:50 am
content: You still can have the domain taken away if someone thinks they should have it. Read the UDRP agreement. By the same token, DMCA notices shouldn't affect domain ownership at all, but if you choose your registrar you can verify what their policy is.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2015, 12:15:09 pm
content: Actually it doesn't matter if you buy the domain hosting and web hosting from the same company. The most important thing is that the domain is in your name. If the domain is in your name you can move it to a different domain hosting company. Usually you can edit the DNS records yourself so even if your web hosting gets taken down then you can point the www sub domain to a different server if you want.

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2015, 09:03:38 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on November 14, 2015, 12:15:09 pmIt actually matters, because even if domain is in your name, your control panel to release the domain lock will be in the hands of your hosting provider. And some of them do lock you out, so there is no way to move your stuff.It is possible that there is some process to over come that, but why create more problems that you need? Just register with a real big registrar. Locking you out is still possible, but it is a bigger hit on their reputation, so they just don't do it.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2015, 09:43:56 pm
content: Quote from: ataradov on November 14, 2015, 09:03:38 pmWrong! If the domain is in your name you can have another hosting provider move it to them.

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2015, 09:46:19 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on November 14, 2015, 09:43:56 pmNot until domain lock release is authorized by the first one. There is a way where providers can talk to each other, but this is a very manual process, they prefer if you unlock the domain first.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 15, 2015, 12:13:54 am
content: Quote from: ataradov on November 14, 2015, 09:46:19 pmOK. It seems a lot has changed since I was in the website business...

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 15, 2015, 12:17:05 am
content: Quote from: nctnico on November 15, 2015, 12:13:54 amOk, so it looks like not all TLDs support domain locking -https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Registrar-Lock.I've only worked with .com and .net and they can definitely be locked and registrars do lock them be default.

author: Lord of nothing
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 15, 2015, 12:49:06 pm
content: https://www.telematica.at/hosting/domainoffer an .com domain for 12,50€ or an AT Domain for 2,50€ for the first and 14,50€ after.