Multiple questions

Hello,

After having some recent problems with my current host I can across hostgator. I have read some good things around the web and the plan I am interested in (Swamp) is much better than the one I am currently on.

I currently have 1 site with about 300 pages (<1g) and Vbulletin as my message board. I am interested in transferring that domain and registering two others. Bandwidth on the above plan doesn’t seem to be an issue as one of the sites will be small and the other not much larger than the current one (with Vbulletin also).

Anyways, on to the questions..

Will running 3 sites off of that one plan be a problem in terms of bandwidth and transparency to the end user? Currently I might pull 10g in two months, maybe 1 month now..

Registering domain names. I want to own the names but I don’t want my information all over the internet. My current host uses their info but they I assume hold the name technically, not me? If so what problems does that pose down the road if I decide to transfer to another host?

Obviously this probably isn’t the place to ask but would I be better off purchasing through a company that label the info "private" (obviously for a fee) and then hosting here or purchasing through here, etc? Seriously, that is my biggest hang up is my home address on the net.

Any and all comments or tips would be appreciated. Thanks
Mike

[Serra]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Will running 3 sites off of that one plan be a problem in terms of bandwidth and transparency to the end user? Currently I might pull 10g in two months, maybe 1 month now..

No, but if one site goes over limit, they all go down.

Registering domain names. I want to own the names but I don’t want my information all over the internet. My current host uses their info but they I assume hold the name technically, not me? If so what problems

You will be listed as the registrar for your domain. Your "information" will need to be all over the internet if you want proof you own it. You can get a "private" domain listing for about $10.00 per domain per year, which will make your information "private". You can do this through goDaddy.

Buy your domains from goDaddy and not your hosting company. They aren't any more expensive and it is easy to keep track of them.

Obviously this probably isn’t the place to ask but would I be better off purchasing through a company that label the info "private" (obviously for a fee) and then hosting here or purchasing through here, etc? Seriously, that is my biggest hang up is my home address on the net.

Yes, you would be better off. Just register as a private domain and then you will not have any problems. They are fairly bullet proof, so it would be hard to track you down if that is what you are worried about.

Register the new ones at goDaddy and then move your current one to goDaddy. You will need to have your host "Unlock" the domain for transfer, but then that will be the end of it. You get an extra year on your domain and you can make it private.

[quietFinn]

It's not only GoDaddy offering the "privacy" option, for example Enom has something called "ID Protect", costs 6$ per year.

[Serra]

Originally Posted by quietFinn

It's not only GoDaddy offering the "privacy" option, for example Enom has something called "ID Protect", costs 6$ per year.

You can also get it from third parties as well, so that if you already have a domain and don't want to use your registrar for the private domain.

I only used goDaddy as an example because they have a nice interface.

Namecheap is offering the service for FREE for a year to new domains and transfers. That means 8.88 per year for the ownership AND the private listing.

[Serra]

Namecheap: "* For a limited time, any new registrations and transfers to us automatically receive a FREE WhoisGuard subscription to use on any domain registered with us. This is a $2.88 value, absolutely free!"

That is cool too.. maybe I'll have to check them out.

[DarkSorrow]

If you have a decent vBulletin forum, you may want to host it else where. I just signed up with HG few days ago. Since my signup my vBulletin SQL database has crashed so they claim it 10 times. I doubt it's a crash. Looks more like a set limit on how many people can be in your forums at once.... From the looks of it, if you have 25 people on your site at once the MYSQL server will go down and lock.

mysql_connect(): Too many connections /home/site/public_html/forums/includes/class_core.php on line 273

Originally Posted by Serra

Namecheap: "* For a limited time, any new registrations and transfers to us automatically receive a FREE WhoisGuard subscription to use on any domain registered with us. This is a $2.88 value, absolutely free!"

That is cool too.. maybe I'll have to check them out.

I find it interesting that so many resellers on HG make the same statement about hosting services that "you get what you pay for", but when it comes to domain registration services the same thinking does not apply.

I currently have two customers who are registered at two different domain registration web sites that have them trapped thier with no way of ever resolving the problem. I suppose they should be thankful that thier sites are still working and the renewals are cheap.

There are just as many problems with cheap domain registration companies as there are with cheap hosting companies. You need them both to be stable companies.

[Serra]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I find it interesting that so many resellers on HG make the same statement about hosting services that "you get what you pay for", but when it comes to domain registration services the same thinking does not apply.

It really doesn't apply. For years I had domains at Network Solutions and was paying about $25.00-$30.00 per year. I transfered my domains to goDaddy and now pay about $9.00 per year and the service is as good as it was at Network Solutions. I have over 60 domains registered in my account and I've never had a problem.

I do have to agree that deep discount registrars can be a bad thing in some cases and I wouldn't be willing to put my business domain on one of those ultra cheap registrars, but for add-on domains and domains that aren't totally important, I wouldn't mind paying $8.88 for a domain and private listing.

[Serra]

Originally Posted by bspiller

If you have a decent vBulletin forum, you may want to host it else where. I just signed up with HG few days ago. Since my signup my vBulletin SQL database has crashed so they claim it 10 times. I doubt it's a crash. Looks more like a set limit on how many people can be in your forums at once.... From the looks of it, if you have 25 people on your site at once the MYSQL server will go down and lock.

You need to move up to a semi-dedicated plan and be rid of the limit. The limit also doesn't limit you to 25 users on your site, just 25 connections at a time, which doesn't equal users.

Also, the MYSQL server doesn't go down or lock, it just denies the connection and you have to refresh to view the current screen or hit the backspace key. (Both of which would be unacceptible to me)

edit: fixed quote.

[GatorJay]

[quote=Serra]

Originally Posted by bspiller

If you have a decent vBulletin forum, you may want to host it else where. I just signed up with HG few days ago. Since my signup my vBulletin SQL database has crashed so they claim it 10 times. I doubt it's a crash. Looks more like a set limit on how many people can be in your forums at once.... From the looks of it, if you have 25 people on your site at once the MYSQL server will go down and lock.

You need to move up to a semi-dedicated plan and be rid of the limit. The limit also doesn't limit you to 25 users on your site, just 25 connections at a time, which doesn't equal users.

Also, the MYSQL server doesn't go down or lock, it just denies the connection and you have to refresh to view the current screen or hit the backspace key. (Both of which would be unacceptible to me)

That was an old post, im pretty sure he infact did move to a semi-dedicated.

Originally Posted by Serra

It really doesn't apply.

Tell that to the customers who purchased from those discount registrars who are trapped.

If you purchase bad hosting services you just need to realise your mistake and move your web site to a new hosting provider. If you a bad decision on domain registrar then there is no recourse. You can't move your site and there is no one there to help you resolve your issue. Of course that may change with the new proposed deal between Verisign and ICANN.

[Serra]

Actually, it isn't that hard to move a domain under protest using ICANN now. Takes a few weeks, but I've done it without too much hassle, provided ownership legal ownership can be proven.

The paper work is freely available online, I just filled it out and in a few weeks, I had the domain.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Tell that to the customers who purchased from those discount registrars who are trapped.

Well, if the going rate is $8.00 for a domain and people pay FREE or $2.99, then I'm sure they know that they are looking for trouble.

[DarkSorrow]

[quote=GatorJay]

Originally Posted by Serra

That was an old post, im pretty sure he infact did move to a semi-dedicated.

That I did . Works good too. Had 41 connections on site few days ago with no issues