Suggestions for a better domain registrar?

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RmACK

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#191931 21-Feb-2016 13:47

I've had a some issues lately with Domains4Less.

http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumId=86&topicId=183894
The SSL certificate for their customer login has expired
The responses below to me trying to alert their support about the certificate having expired was disappointing.

I'm interested in considering better alternatives.

Who do you all use to register your personal domains?

Between my own many (misad?)ventures; community projects; and several family members' websites, I maintain and host over a dozen domains that are not owned by revenue generating businesses. Thus, price is fairly important as I personally have to pay for quite a few of them out of my pocket. About a 40:60 mix of .com and .co.nz. Currently paying around $21 for .com and $23 for .nz so looking for sub $30 options.

Somewhere with the scale to be cheap and have good automated systems for me to register, renew, update whois etc myself is ideal.

Domains4Less:

Welcome to Live Chat. How may I help you ?

Me:

Your SSL certificate for registry.domains4less.com expired yesterday. Not a good look.

Domains4Less:

Could you please eleborate your query

Me:

When I try to log in to the domains4less website I get a security error

Domains4Less:

Please try to login to different browser

Me:

You didn't understand the problem. Please try it at your end.

Domains4Less:

Provide me the login details

Me:

The url is https://registry.domains4less.com/

Domains4Less:

Please use below URL:

Domains4Less:

http://registry.domains4less.co.nz/

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Webhead
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#1496549 21-Feb-2016 14:00

I don't mind suggestions to other domain registrars, but Domains4less.co.nz's SSL certificate expired yesterday. Someone hasn't been doing their job, but its not like its something that has been lingering for a long time. Hopefully someone will be on the case about the certificate come next working day (tomorrow).

I am not surprised that the support person isn't skilled when it comes to SSL and the certificate, they are probably just trained to deal with queries about domain name registrations etc.

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mattwnz

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#1496573 21-Feb-2016 15:11

It can depend on what you pay. At the bottom end of the market, they are probably making a few dollars of profit each year per customers domain, so not much left over for support. I'm with a good one, but more pricey.

nigelj

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#1496575 21-Feb-2016 15:13

I use Metaname personally for my .nz, they seem to be on the ball, 2FA, DNSSEC, IPv6 Glue support, + bank deposit payment to avoid Paypal/etc fees. Their prices for .com last I saw seemed okay. But I use name.com with the 'privacyplease' coupon for WHOIS Privacy.

freitasm

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#1496583 21-Feb-2016 15:56

I use Metaname because it was the first registrar to support DNSSEC and their prices are good.

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RmACK

196 posts

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#1496608 21-Feb-2016 17:55

Thanks all for your comments so far.

I'd not heard of Metaname before, but took a look based on your recommendations. I like their mission statement, pricing is pretty good and they're a .nz registrar. Will do a little more due diligence but quite tempted so far.

Does anyone know if their price breaks apply per first level domain or based on total quantity of domains with them?. Ie would 8. nz and 8 .com domains qualify for the 16-127 pricing?

richms

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#1496616 21-Feb-2016 18:20

I use 1stdomains because they seem competent and don't promise to be cheap which always rings alarm bells for me.

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timmmay

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#1496618 21-Feb-2016 18:37

1st domains for NZ, NameCheap for others. NameCheap has great service.

richms

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#1496622 21-Feb-2016 18:46

I use 101domain for others, because they have the best selection of weird tld's that I found.

Richard rich.ms

danfaulknor

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#1496630 21-Feb-2016 19:43

RmACK: Thanks all for your comments so far.

I'd not heard of Metaname before, but took a look based on your recommendations. I like their mission statement, pricing is pretty good and they're a .nz registrar. Will do a little more due diligence but quite tempted so far.

Does anyone know if their price breaks apply per first level domain or based on total quantity of domains with them?. Ie would 8. nz and 8 .com domains qualify for the 16-127 pricing?

Another vote for Metaname. It seems to be based on total quantity from my experience.

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michaelmurfy

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#1496655 21-Feb-2016 20:17

I use Metaname too - good pricing, DNSSEC support and best of all they keep their SSL certificates updated!

Oh, and they also have a tool to alert when your SSL certificates are due to expire. It seems that domains4less need to use this:

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Dynamic

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#1496689 21-Feb-2016 20:39

namecheap are dodgy as in my book: http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?topicid=165962

I've had nothing but excellent experience with FreeParking over the last 10 years.

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MackinNZ

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#1496697 21-Feb-2016 20:45

+ 1 for Metaname.

I've moved all my own and my customers domains to Metaname because of their excellent service.

bonkas

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#1497114 22-Feb-2016 17:06

+1 for FreeParking

mattwnz

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#1497937 23-Feb-2016 16:27

bonkas:

+1 for FreeParking

Weren't they sold last year, and are now owned by the same company that runs Domains for less? There is a lot of consolidation in this market at the moment.

stevenz

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#1497960 23-Feb-2016 16:59

Ramsu

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