Domain registrations, versus hosting, how to transfer

November 14, 2007 | Leave a Comment

I’ve had a couple of questions lately about domain registration versus hosting accounts, so I thought I’d answer them here. It doesn’t matter where you register a domain, you can host the actual Web site for that domain anywhere. It seems a lot of folks have registered with Network Solutions, but have yet to get a Web hosting account, and have then discovered that when they go to their domain name (enter their address in a browser’s URL address bar), there is a directory of other businesses like theirs. Network Solutions has parked their own paid directory on that spot, pending the domain being hosted. [See a previous post for more info on that practice, as well as my take on why not to use Network Solutions.]

When you register a domain, you own that name for the duration of the contract and have the right to renew it when the contract is due to expire (usually after a year, but some people buy 2-10 year registrations). When you actually purchase Web hosting, you let the domain registrar know where your Web site is by giving them DNS information. DNS, variously described as Domain Name Server or Services, Domain Name System, is server software that translates your domain name into an IP (Internet Protocol) address. When you get hosted, you’ll get an IP address for your site, but your hosting company will actually send you a domain name server name or two that resolves to that IP, usually something like NS1.HOSTINGCOMPANYSERVER.COM. For example: NS1.NETSOL.COM.

All you will need to do to have Web visitors find your Web site after that is to give your registrar (if it is different from your hosting company) that DNS information, i.e., the one or two NS1.HOSTINGCOMPANYSERVER.COM names you are given by a Web hosting service when you host with them. This is something that you have to do by logging into the account where you registered the domain and entering the new server names. It takes the Web a day or two to recognize the new address, and then your site will be “live” on the Web.

You can also transfer your domain name. So if you don’t want to host where you registered, and you want everything to be handled by one vendor, you can initiate a domain name transfer with the hosting company that you choose. They’ll need something called an authentication key or authorization key to prove that you are indeed the owner of the domain. (Imagine what would happen if people could transfer domains they did not own.) You should have been sent an email with that key when you registered the domain.

Garlic D’Zign Web hosting offers an option to purchase a DNS-only service. That allows you to essentially park your domain name on their servers until you are ready to host (anywhere), and it’s just $10 a year. That eliminates the problem of having big vendors like Network Solutions put their stuff on your yet-to-be-hosted domain name. Their hosting prices are very competitive, and they offer domain registration as well as domain transfers. I’ve just sent a new client their way, even though I am a hosting reseller myself. I have to maintain a balance between Web design and the time it takes to manage hosting services, and I like what I see in their product and service offerings. Your Webmaster can manage your server regardless of where it is hosted, so I can still serve my clients Web needs without selling them server space.

If you are looking to register a domain name, you can check its availability in a variety of places, but you might just as well look it up where you intend to buy it. Here are some examples:

Garlic D’Zign’s lookup is at: http://www.garlicdzign.com/check.php
Blue Host’s is at: http://www.bluehost.com/sign_up_now.html
Lunar Pages is at: http://www.lunarpages.com/index.php

If you plan to manage your own server (set up email accounts, set up your own directories for your Web files, upload/download files, do backups, create databases, check visitor statistics, add free tools to your site (e.g. blogs, calendars, surveys, guestbooks, forums, etc.), choose a hosting and registration company that offers an easy-to-use server administration interface. I like CPanel for server administration with Fantastico for those added tools. AcornHost.com is a good hosting service with CPanel and Fantastico, but you have to register your domain elsewhere (they refer you to NameCheap.com for that). I have a few clients with AcornHost and they’ve never had a moment of trouble. They are especially good for non-profits.

Whatever you do, save the information (usually sent to you in email) about your accounts with registrars or hosting companies. Put usernames, passwords, and the domain authentication key in a safe place. Note expiration dates on your calendar for next year. Even with auto-renewal or email notifications, you’ll want to be sure your registration and/or hosting service doesn’t expire. Even if you have someone else manage your server, you should always have this important information on file. If you have to switch Webmasters, transfer domain names, or re-host somewhere else, you’ll save yourself and/or your new Webmaster a lot of trouble later on.

Posted by Lynn | Filed Under Web Tips | Leave a Comment

Yet another reason to avoid NetworkSolutions.com

October 16, 2007 | 1 Comment

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.

————
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

Posted by Lynn | Filed Under Web Tips | 1 Comment

Blog deal from Garlic D’zign for like-minded bloggers

September 27, 2007 | 2 Comments

It’s nice to have my plate full enough to be able to share another Web services company’s offer. Besides, Deborah Kunzie of Garlic D’zign is looking for folks who are trying to create blog works like her own Sunday Morning Blogger, so we are more complementary than competitive. The special blog offer from Garlic D’zign is for a “selected few (at my discretion)” to get “a hosted blog using the Wordpress Platform” at an unbelieveably low price. She’ll want to know a bit about you and what your blog is or will be about, and she will “under NO circumstances allow any Adult themed sites or anything that could be harmful to children, pets or other individuals.”

Posted by Lynn | Filed Under Web Tips | 2 Comments

IP blocking

September 27, 2007 | 1 Comment

If you or your Webmaster has access to an IP Deny Manager in your server administration tool (mine is CPanel), or know how to work with an .htaccess file, you can block IP addresses from visiting your site. Because I noticed today that I had a new spam commenter who struck every time I wrote a new post, I looked at the IP address –69.41.230.8, the same for all of today’s spams– and blocked that in my server admin control panel. Since this is a new post, I’ll be able to tell quite soon if his spam is stopped via server-level IP blocking, or if he switches IPs. [Later: It worked. For now.]

Be aware that this approach has risks, and limited utility. On the first count, some services use proxy servers for a bunch of users, and both innocent ones and spamming ones will be coming from the same IP address or range of addresses, so you might inadvertently block someone you do not intend to. You can look up an IP address to see where the spammer is coming from, and whether or not it is a service or another kind of site. When WordPress sends a notification email about a comment, it also includes a link to the IP lookup tool WhoIs with the IP address of the comment already loaded so you can check right away to see what IP the comment is coming from. As for limited utility, spammers will just launch their spam from a different IP address later.

When I employ IP blocking, I do it just long enough to get the spammer off my back for a day or so, and (I hope) to drop me from their list of domains to attack. In truth, these vilest of creatures can change IPs faster than you can say “IP blocking,” so this solution is not a lasting one. The above-named offender IP address is from a service, but I am going to block them for a day or so anyway. Sometimes I just need to feel that I am doing something, as long as it only takes a few minutes of my precious time, to slow down these odious creatures. Spammers are the lowest of the low.

Posted by Lynn | Filed Under Web Tips | 1 Comment