Avoid Network Solutions, GoDaddy
June 10, 2023
June 2023 Update
It seem that Network Solutions has actually gotten worse since I originally wrote this article. We have a new client that unfortunately is hosted with Network Solution who's site has been ghosted, meaning you go to the URL and you get a very generic "website not available message." The client noticed this recently – understandable because how often do you visit your own site – but it's very possible it's actually been offline for weeks if not months. So far, it's been an arduous process of working to restore the site, and with each step Network Solutions has proven how utterly inept they are and how antiquated their hosting is. In fact, Network Solutions is most likely the reason the site is down in the first place. The client's WordPress install was hacked and I believe that's because it was running PHP 7.0 on NetSol's servers, which is known to have security vulnerabilities.
BOTTOM LINE: Do NOT use Network Solutions for ANY services!!!
ALSO: This is a new client who came to us for help. Had they been under our care from the start, their site would be on secure robust Hosting and protected with one of our Security & Maintenance plans! If you're in the same predicament as this client, please Contact Us and we'll restore and protect your site as quickly as possible.
Avoid Network Solutions, GoDaddy (Original Article)
We highly recommend any clients using either Network Solutions or GoDaddy for webhosting OR domain registration, to switch providers as soon as possible. In the past several months, we've had multiple clients encounter serious issues with both of these companies.
Lost Domain
We recently had a client lose their domain for 6 weeks due to an absurd level of incompetence at Network Solutions, her registrar at the time. Registrars are the companies that manage your domain names and you pay them yearly fees to do so. However, Network Solutions completely mismanaged my client's domain that she has owned for years.
Because she did not reply to an email they sent her requesting she verify her identity – which she later found in her Spam folder – she was locked out of her own domain. Without any additional warning, her domain was then suspended, which meant her website went dark AND her email was no longer accessible!
As soon as this issue was discovered, she contacted Network Solutions. She was then asked to prove her identity by replying to an email they sent her. However, because her email used the locked domain which was no longer accessible, she could not reply back! Network Solutions did not offer alternative authentication methods and it took her many, many frustrating hours emailing and on the phone with tech support until she was finally able to get her domain back.
Needless to say, as soon as her ownership was restored, we moved her domain to Google Domains which is the registrar we most recommend. Of all the registrars available, we find Google's service to be the most affordable (with domains starting at $12/year) as well as the easiest to purchase and manage your domain names. It's important to keep in mind that your domain name is an intrinsic part of your business and it's critical to keep it secure and operational, as this cautionary tale illustrates.
So, if you are using Network Solutions — or GoDaddy, which we find equally bad — we recommend switching your domain(s) to Google as soon as possible. In addition, it's also just as important to ensure you are using reliable and robust Webhosting. We can take care of either task for you, just Contact Us to do so now.
Hacked Website
Another client’s WordPress site, which was hosted on Network Solutions, was unfortunately hacked. This particular client is a non-profit that supports the local community. So though it's a small private business, it was still targeted by hackers who were able to hijack the site's pages to link them to Canadian pharmaceutical companies selling pain killers. It was an awful hack that took us a full day to restore on an emergency basis.
At the time it was infiltrated, this site was NOT protected by our yearly Security & Maintenance plan, but it is now. This is why prevention should always be the priority to avoid the painful and time consuming cure. In some cases, websites are hacked so badly that data is lost and a site needs to be partially or completely rebuilt. In fact, if you calculate the cost of restoring a site, plus the downtime and stress of being hacked, you’ll see our reasonably priced plans are worth the peace of mind.
In addition to regular maintenance, it's also important to protect your data with regular and automatic Cloud Backups. This is especially important if your data changes on a regular basis. We have plans to match your data backup needs and budget, including Monthly, Weekly and Daily for both WordPress sites and those running our NMD System platform.
For more information on how we can protect your website and also ensure you are using reliable hosting and domain registration services, please Contact Us.
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