In addition to the other reasons to shun NetworkSolutions.com, here’s a fresh one. If you register a domain name with your hosting company and don’t use it, don’t provide an index page of your own, or don’t point it to another domain, the hosting service posts a default Web page. These usually have the host logo and a notice that the site is under construction. If you have a similar situation with Network Solutions (i.e., have not yet “assigned [the domain] to your hosting account” to use their typically incorrect parallel universe of terminology), they display a page that contains a big promo for Network Solutions’ products/services at the bottom, and a looks-like-a-real-Web-page but is actually a paid directory of businesses similar to yours at the top. Unless visitors to the page have pop-ups blocked, they will also see a pop-up window with more directory listings for businesses like yours. In other words, you have paid for domain registration, you are their hosting customer, and Network Solutions uses your unused Web space to put up a page that looks like a legitimate Web site, advertises your competitors and themselves, and includes an annoying popup. And they are making money from it.

I can’t emphasize strongly enough that Network Solutions cares more about selling themselves than serving you. If you are stuck with them for the duration of a contract, consider these options: see if you can terminate the hosting account and get your money back, or get into their arcane Hosting Control Panel and either do it yourself or have your Webmaster make sure that an unused domain name is “assigned to your hosting account,” and either point the domain to the top level directory of your active site or to a custom home page. If you don’t occupy your own Web real estate with Network Solutions, they will squat on it and rent it out.

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More info:
“Registrars also use domain monetization for “parking” customer domains. Godaddy is an example. Registrants at Godaddy are given a parked page. It’s quite obvious that this side of the business is likely much more profitable than the miniscule margins that domains registrations receive. Seemingly a major conflict of interest, virtually all the major registrars monetize names on some level and many have utilized the loopholes to acquire more traffic through retaining expiring names for themselves.”
[Network Solutions is doing just that.]

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/internet/network_solutions.htm
(old, but still true, comments from NS customers)

http://consumeraffairs.com/news03/ftc_nsi.html
Network Solutions Settles FTC (Federal Trade Commission) Charges