Crazy domains buy up and butchering of NZ registrars

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mobiusnz

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#324101 27-Feb-2026 13:47

I just had a client with a domain with "free parking" which is of course Crazy Domains NZ now.

I logged in to add a txt record to authorise the domain for Microsoft 365 and waited and waited and an hour 15 and its still not live.
I spoke to them on Chat and was given the "blah blah blah propagation" response and I explained I know about propagation, I know about Caching and TTLs but that doesn't explain why unlike a normal registrar adding a TXT record isn't live on their DNS servers moments later.

I noticed they still have ns1 and ns2.freeparking.co.nz rather than the Crazy Domains DNS servers.

Does this mean someone at CD has to see the change made and go and do it manually or something or is this slow changes to DNS zones standard business model for CD????

The minute I got a sniff of issues with Discount Domains being purchased I switched all of my domains and domains I manage on behalf to Metaname and you make a change at Metaname and its live 2 seconds after you click the button.

Matt Beechey Mobius Network Solutions

mobiusnz

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#3465471 27-Feb-2026 14:48

Ok - Some time around 2 hours later and the TXT record is added. Validated the domain with Microsoft and now I've added the txt, MX and Cname records required for mail. Now to wait another 2 hours.

This is complete crap - Is this to try and "upsell" people to Premium DNS for $2.50 ish per month?

Unacceptable in my book - Just absolute crap service in line with any dealings I've had with them here or australia over the years.

With Metaname I can register a domain, create a new 365 tenancy and have an email mailbox working on that domain with Microsoft in about 15 minutes. This is taking me 4 hours to add one email alias for an additional domain with an existing 365 Tenant.

Matt Beechey Mobius Network Solutions

sparky1685

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#3465507 27-Feb-2026 16:00

I am praying that no big firm ever makes Metaname an offer they can't refuse! I genuinely don't know who else based in New Zealand there would be to turn to.

Kraven

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#3465522 27-Feb-2026 16:28

At least getting the auth code out to transfer the domain away from the nightmare that is CD works quickly...

hio77

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Lizard Networks

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#3465528 27-Feb-2026 16:48

having seen alot of these buyouts in the backend, it would not surprise me if there was a push to bring the records into the same platform for most of the compute and management requirements.... With the solution to the old authorities to operate them as a slave to that stack. The plaster fix to making that happen being the old nameservers essentially becoming a restricted recursive resolver.

2 hour TTL is right in line for a cached NXRECORD to be held.

in all my time supporting dns issues in the last 10 years where 'propagation' is a factor, it's almost always isp or routers resolver simply acting like it's still the 90s when the propagation statement was actually reality.

I could probably count on my hands the number of times I have had to touch "legacy" dns resolvers that have been kept running due to static configured dns to fix this sort of issue.

#include <std_disclaimer>

Any comments made are personal opinion and do not reflect directly on the position my current or past employers may have.

CYaBro

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#3465532 27-Feb-2026 17:36

sparky1685:

I am praying that no big firm ever makes Metaname an offer they can't refuse! I genuinely don't know who else based in New Zealand there would be to turn to.

Prodigi! :)

Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer.

xpd

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#3465533 27-Feb-2026 17:39

CYaBro:

sparky1685:

I am praying that no big firm ever makes Metaname an offer they can't refuse! I genuinely don't know who else based in New Zealand there would be to turn to.

Prodigi! :)

+1 :D

XPD / Gavin

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mobiusnz

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#3465668 28-Feb-2026 11:40

Kraven:

At least getting the auth code out to transfer the domain away from the nightmare that is CD works quickly...

Yeah - The guy manages it himself up till now. I'm just adding his web domain to 365 to validate a listing ownership on Google maps so it probably won't be touched for some time but I am temped to manage it for him or get him to switch. I was a little snappy at the tech on Chat as their answers were so bad instead of just saying "oh, our DNS takes 2 hours to add records".

I might check out Prodigi as I want somewhere to recommend for end users to register their own domains as I love Metaname but its not easy for a nonce.

I currently steer people to 1st domains as their platform works pretty well and its a local help desk to talk to etc.

Matt Beechey Mobius Network Solutions

Groucho

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#3466387 3-Mar-2026 12:58

sparky1685:

I am praying that no big firm ever makes Metaname an offer they can't refuse! I genuinely don't know who else based in New Zealand there would be to turn to.

I'll throw SiteHost / MyHost into the mix as well who are NZ owned and based.

saf

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Vetta Group

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#3466394 3-Mar-2026 13:08

Also throwing our hat in the ring as a kiwi-owned business also offering domain names as a .nz registrar:

https://vetta.nz/domain-names/

My views are as unique as a unicorn riding a unicycle. They do not reflect the opinions of my employer, my cat, or the sentient coffee machine in the break room.

mobiusnz

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#3467217 6-Mar-2026 11:11

Oh good - Just added a CNAME for someone at Discount Domains. Looks like they are also unified with Crazy Domains slow as molasses adding new DNS records.

It was bad when they hadn't integrated all of their platforms properly - Now it appears you keep the same interface but the actual DNS changes are integrated so they all take hours. I don't need this one to go live but it means I have to set reminders to check back later to see if it actually happened rather than confirming it seconds later.

Its just a terrible advert for Crazy Domains - I wouldn't recommend my worst enemy register a domain with them.

Matt Beechey Mobius Network Solutions

danfaulknor

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Prodigi

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#3467226 6-Mar-2026 11:25

mobiusnz:

I might check out Prodigi as I want somewhere to recommend for end users to register their own domains as I love Metaname but its not easy for a nonce.

We have a lot of non-technical users. Get a lot of traffic direct from our listing with the DNC who are first time domain-owners :)

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kiruti

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#3467331 6-Mar-2026 17:36

If being NZ owned doesn't matter, Porkbun is the cheapest I've seen for .nz domains and has great support.

mobiusnz

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#3473115 24-Mar-2026 13:40

More issues yesterday. A clients .COM domain stopped functioning at all on Sunday. Turned out the domain had a "clienthold" status. Rang D/D and their support said they are escalating to another domain team. Eventually emailed back "Your domain "COMPLETELY WRONG DOMAIN NAME.CO.NZ" is fixed now". It wasn't - Rang again and this time found the real cause.

The registrant email was an ex employee so yearly "check your details" email was going there and not being confirmed so the domain went on ClientHold.

Changed registrant email, requested re-send of email and clicked link and domain back working pretty quickly afterward.

Yes - Partly client error but it took 5 hours to find out it was easily resolvable while we were told "domain team is looking into it".

More evidence of their complete crappyness.

Talking to the client this minute about moving their domains elsewhere.

Matt Beechey Mobius Network Solutions