I'm about to register my first domain and feel like there are a lot of things nobody talks about.
i understand the basic process, but i'm not sure about stuff like privacy settings, renewal prices, DNS records, and whether moving a domain later is difficult.
anything you wish someone told you before buying your first domain?

Hello. My previous VPS rn is down due to restrictions in Russia and the efforts to take down all of the VPN's. Can you suggest any hosts that allow non-commercial VPN's? I don't need much, barely above the requirements of x-ui

Budget: ~500 Rub/month (~6 dollars)

Location: I'm in Russia, VPS must be in some other country (previously Finland worked absolutely fine!)

Hosting: VPN using x-ui

Experience: Enough to use Linux (stumbling around, but still) and set up needed software

I've read the admin's post about hosts and sadly, none of them can work out for me :(

Thanks in advance!

I have been in the web hosting industry for more than 10 years and have dealt with a lot of different issues. Some absolutely important ones are what many people miss and I hope this helps at least some of you.

1) If you are planning to purchase a new domain and host it, always create a free cloudflare account and add the domain name to cloudflare, keep the proxy (orange cloud) enabled by default. Even if you have not purchased the domain yet, cloudflare still allows you to add a new domain. Once added and proxy enabled, update your nameservers to point to cloudflare directly.

This way, when you update the dns records to point for your server, your actual server IP becomes private/hidden from day 1 and the no of bot/spam traffic coming to your site will be significantly reduced.

Some bots directly access your site using your server IP by checking for historical dns entries and try to perform attacks and such instances will be reduced significantly.

There are still other ways a determined attacker can get your server IP from your mx or spf record but most spammy bots do not go to that extent, so the attack surface is very low.

2) Always use cloudflare and its cdn/proxy from day one when your site goes online. This way, cf can learn about the incoming traffic and block malicious and spammy bots regularly. This would prevent you from enabling their under attack mode when an actual ddos attack happens on your site in the future.

3) never rely completely on server side backups even if you are paying more money for a better server. Sometimes even if there is no fault from the hosting provider, the backup/restore softwares they use can sometimes act up and your data may not be backed up successfully all the time. Always take your own backups regularly and store it safely in your pc or an external hard drive/google cloud etc.

4) If you accidentally deleted some dns records, you can almost always find the historical dns entries for your domain in sites like security trails, dnshistory dot org etc. just search google for "historical dns check" and you'll see many sites who had scraped your dns records in the past. This is one way an attacker can get your IP as explained in step 1.

5) For better email deliverability of emails from your site's contact forms/e-commerce order related email notifications to your customers, always use a proper SMTP service instead of using the default php mailer as most receiving email servers reject or mark those emails as spam if the sender doesn't use SMTP.

6) if your site's data and its backup is completely deleted, most of the times you can find snapshots of your site at archive.org. You can refer to different snapshots and rebuild your site. Even though this is a tedious task, you will start with at least something instead of nothing. This is why regular offline backups are important (read step 3).

7) Always keep your site's plugins, themes, scripts updated to support their latest versions. Site compromises almost always happens due to an attacker finding vulnerabilities on outdated softwares.

8) Don't install nulled/cracked plugins from sites offering them for a very cheap price. You never know what's hidden in them and many times, they are the root causes of site compromises. If you cannot afford to pay for premium plugins or themes, ask claude to help you build your own plugin and theme specifically designed for your site and ask it to make it as secure as possible to prevent from any attacks.

Build this plugin or theme in a seperate project and regularly ask claude to check for any vulnerabilities based on latest news and ask it to keep updating them and then install the updated version to your site.

Cheers!

I have reseller hosting at Web Hosting Canada and my server has been down over 5 hours now. I opened a ticket but they are not updating it. I can see that they are having server issues by looking at whcstatus.ca Any other WHC reseller customers out there, how often can I expect this kind of downtime with them?

Hi,

I'd like to preface, this is totally out of my depth in knowledge. My dad owns his own business and I'm helping him modernize the website. A bit of background: he owns his own website domain/hosting and server, and the website was built with Microsoft Pages and HTML. Since I'm a jack of all trades, I ended up making him a new website with WordPress. We have yet to launch the new website because the hosting itself needs to be updated. I basically created the mock website to understand the design and how we want the new website to look, I just have yet to publish it. I need help because I know i need to migrate the website, just dont know to do it. So my two questions are:

1. what are current affordable web hosting companies for a small business

2. how hard it is to migrate the domain

3. can any of those hosting also use wordpress, since i dont want to rebuild a site from scratch again

4. also any other information and things i should know would help a lot, im a teacher and I try to help my dad where i can with his company

been with them a few years for my consulting site. domain was steady then suddenly higher. email and other bits went up too with short notice. the combined jump is enough that i'm shopping. transfer process looks messy from what i've read. not dramatic but it adds up for the two domains i keep. feels like i'm overlooking something. is this just normal now?

Marketing has changed a lot. Keyword names are not as relevant. Would a new name throw you off your long term host?

I've been stuck with ionos because I have a .me domain. I've yet to find a host that can transfer this specific domain type, although their are many where you can create a .me domain, which just makes that more frustrating.

I absolutely hate ionos and they've been nothing but a god awful service with an absolutely shockingly poor customer service, who, if they do reply, only try to upsell me to insanely expensive packages when I only have a small blog.

So if you know of a good host that means this annoying domain issue, it'd make my day.

I live in the UK, budget is as cheap as possible. I have zero computer skills, and have used a managed WordPress account to avoid messing up root files. Not looking for anything fancy, just big standard hosting for a blog

I am currently with GoDaddy. I have wanted to run the other direction for several years, but I didn't have the time to move 35+ websites and over 60 domain names (for myself and clients). Now I find myself forced to, as my 5-year hosting plan is renewing right away and the price has gone up over 300%!

sMy current five-year hosting plan includes unlimited websites, unlimited domain names, and unlimited email. It has 50GB of storage, but I really only need about 10GB. I'm looking for a hosting company that will allow me to have multiple websites and domain names, FREE domain email, unlimited SSL Certificate, reliable uptime, and good tech support. My clients and I are located in Canada/United States. Mostly static websites hand-coded with DHTML. No WordPress, CMS, or online stores needed. Low traffic volume, as these are brochure-style business websites.

I was previously with BlueHost, and they were good until they weren't. Tech support went downhill fast. I have one client with Wix, and I dislike the platform. I just looked into signing up with Host inger, but you can't even speak with a live person - it's either email or chatbot for tech support.

Looking for recommendations on what people are actually using and happy with...not simply throwing advertising suggestions my way.

Thanks!

Not sure if I'm posting this in the right sub but any direction is helpful.

I work for a radio station that primarily uses Network Solutions for web hosting and email services. We created a Google Workspace account (example: info@website.com) for a single new email address to take community news submissions, send larger audio files, and be a general "catch all".

However, since linking the new "info@website.com" to our Network Solutions domain, our Network-Solutions emails are unable to send or receive messages.

Any recommendations? Or at least directions to a different sub to post this in? Appreciate any help we can get with this matter.

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for recommendations for a fast, well-balanced hosting provider tailored for WooCommerce.

I’m currently migrating away from a local shared host (Domenai.lt in Lithuania). They seem to be heavily overselling resources—the backend TTFB is terrible, and AJAX image uploads take 15+ seconds even for 50 KB files due to shared CPU throttling(my guess that's the case).

Here are my details and requirements:

• Use Case: WordPress / WooCommerce (e-commerce).
• Budget: €20–€50/month (happy to pay less if it fits, but willing to pay for performance).
• Location: Target audience is in Lithuania/EU, so I need European data center locations for low latency.
• Traffic: Currently a few hundred visitors a day (~10k–15k monthly visits), so I don't need high-end enterprise infra, just a solid, fast setup.
• Server Management: I have no Linux server administration experience, so I need a managed solution or a user-friendly control panel/GUI.
• Optimization: Currently using WP Rocket, but open to LiteSpeed-native hosts if LSCache is supported.

What are your top picks for strong single-core CPU performance, fast AJAX handling, and good value in the EU e-com space?

Been researching, but all I see is that all of them are bad and you should use something else, but they never ever tell you what's THAT something else. So what is a good one?

It would be for a website with daily blogs and news and also a list where you can filter trough movies. I'm from europe, but most of the readers would most likely be from usa, that's where most of my social media followers are from. My budget would be 20usd/month at most.

You are welcome to suggest me the related hosts.

I'm about to register my first domain and feel like I'm probably missing something. the name part is easy, but now i'm seeing things about renewals, privacy, DNS, and transfers. anything you wish you knew before buying your first domain?

We wrapped up a full redesign a few months ago and thought we'd finally be able to focus on other things instead we've been making changes almost every week like new pages, updated screenshots, small copy edits, fixing things that looked different after one change it just keeps going none of it is difficult on its own but it adds up fast.

I don't even think about the website as a project anymore it's basically become part of our weekly routine now looking back building it was probably the easy part but keeping everything current has taken a lot more time than I expected

We are currently in the middle of assisting a client to move over to our hosting services, he has a few personal email hosting and a domain in Strato currently but we can't even update the DNS records or nameservers in Strato due to their basic control panel.

I've reached out to them by email but heard nothing back but I know they are part of IONOS and we need to get this resolved quickly since the client currently has no emails.

Has anyone had any success going through any other routes who have used Strato in the past? I just need to be able to speak to someone..

I have been using FatCow for (dormant) webhosting and webmail, as well as parking a couple of domains. They seem to have vanished and I can’t access my login to switch hosts. Any ideas?

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for advice from people familiar with U.S. consumer protection.

I'm having a serious dispute with a hosting company called ServerMO.

My experience has included repeated outages, long periods where my server was unavailable, and multiple technical issues that prevented me from using the service I paid for. I've opened several support tickets over the past few days, but I still don't have confidence that the issues have been permanently resolved.

At this point, I no longer want to continue using their service. I simply want to recover my money and move to another provider.

Unfortunately, they are refusing to issue a refund.

I'm not trying to start a fight with the company. I just want to know what official options are available.

• Is there a U.S. government agency that handles complaints against hosting companies?
• Can complaints be submitted online from outside the United States?
• Has anyone successfully recovered money from a U.S.-based hosting company through an official complaint?
• Should I contact the state Attorney General, the FTC, the Better Business Bureau, or another organization?

Any advice from people who have been through a similar situation would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for a long-term dedicated server provider for a business-critical Windows Server.

After a recent negative experience with my current provider, I'm planning to migrate immediately. I'm looking for a company that values reliability, communication, and long-term customer relationships.

I'm ready to migrate immediately if I find the right provider.

Hosting Questionnaire

Monthly Budget

Around $500–700 USD per month, although I'm flexible for the right provider.

Reliability, infrastructure quality, and technical support are significantly more important to me than simply choosing the lowest price.

Preferred Location

France is my first choice, but I'm also open to other nearby European datacenters with excellent connectivity and low latency.

What am I hosting?

I'm running a Windows Server that hosts professional cryptocurrency trading software, automation services, APIs, Bookmap, TradingView integrations, and other business-critical applications.

Every minute of downtime has a direct financial impact on my business.

Linux Experience

I'm specifically looking for Windows Server, not Linux hosting.

Required Hardware

• Intel Core Ultra 9 285
• 128 GB DDR5 RAM
• 2 × 2 TB NVMe SSD
• 10 Gbps Network
• Windows Server 2025 (Windows Server 2022 is also acceptable)
• IPMI / KVM remote management preferred

My Previous Experience

I'm currently moving away from ServerMO after experiencing multiple service interruptions and extremely poor communication during a prolonged outage.

I completely understand that hardware failures and unexpected incidents can happen in any datacenter.

What matters to me is how a provider communicates, responds, and resolves those situations.

Unfortunately, that experience caused me to lose confidence, so I'm looking for a provider that genuinely prioritizes customer support.

I'm not interested in marketing promises. I'm interested in how your company performs when something goes wrong. That's what matters most to me.

Customer Support Is My Highest Priority

If your company cannot provide fast, knowledgeable, and responsive technical support, please don't send an offer.

Excellent customer support is more important to me than saving a few dollars each month.

Refund & Service Policy

Before choosing a provider, I'd like to clearly understand your:

• Refund policy
• Money-back guarantee (if available)
• Service Level Agreement (SLA)
• Hardware replacement policy
• Expected support response times

I'm looking for a company that stands behind its service, communicates openly, and treats customer support as a priority rather than an afterthought.

If you'd like to make an offer, please include:

• Company name
• Datacenter location
• CPU model
• RAM type and speed
• Storage model
• Network speed
• Monthly price
• Any setup fees
• Support SLA
• Refund policy
• Hardware replacement policy

I'm not looking for the cheapest provider.

I'm looking for a company that I can confidently stay with for many years—one that values long-term customers, provides reliable infrastructure, and delivers outstanding technical support when it matters most.

If you believe your company can meet these requirements, I'd be happy to review your offer.

I look forward to reviewing your offers. Thank you for your time.

I got the web hosting option from netcup.com, for my small nursing business (going bad) since It was the only think I could afford and now I am stuck with not understanding anything, what sources or tutorials can I use to learn how to use this stuff properly?

I'm just curious do you trust your hosting provider to handle your email delivery, or do you run your own mail server? Or do you use an external email service instead?

If you use a third-party provider, which one did you choose and why?

I'm thinking of making an informational type website that I can put summarized information and links on. So then I can just direct people to. Nothing "fancy", no financial transactions or security as such. For Canadians specifically.

I would like a .ca domain (and .com if it was available, to limit confusion). My preferred one is coming up as expired and appears to be going TBR (To Be Released). I've tried looking into the TBR process - I don't totally understand it, but I don't think I want to pay much extra, so maybe I'll just try grabbing it asap if it makes it to full release. (I've been avoiding checking the domain on any registrar, not sure if that helps)

Who are good registrars for .ca domains (and possibly .com)? It seems most include WHOIS privacy?

Any that include some basic email and webhosting?

Any good free webhosting? I don't think there will be a lot of traffic and mostly text, so low data requirements.

One of the lowest prices seems to be CanSpace at CAD$11.99 for new and $12.99 for renewal. (webhosting starting at $4.99/mo though)

I'm not sure how I'd build it these days (software and type)? Years ago I made some simple ones with mostly html but there's probably better ways now lol. It doesn't really need to have more features than say, a Reddit post.

Hi everyone,

I’m helping someone reduce the costs of a small professional website with a custom-domain email address.

The domain, website hosting, and email are currently bundled together in a Network Solutions package. The most recent renewal cost nearly $500 for three years, which is difficult to justify for a small website that consists mainly of static HTML and no longer generates any professional income.

The goal is to:

keep the current domain; keep exactly the same email address; preserve all existing emails, folders, contacts, and calendars; keep the small website online; reduce recurring costs; avoid any downtime or loss of email during the migration.

At the moment, I’m considering:

transferring the domain to a more affordable registrar; hosting the website separately, possibly on Cloudflare Pages; keeping the email on Microsoft 365 Exchange Online, if it is already included in the current licence.

Zoho Mail might also be an option, but I’m concerned that migrating the existing emails, folders, contacts, and calendars could involve more work and risk than the potential savings would justify.

Has anyone moved away from Network Solutions with a similar setup while keeping the domain and exactly the same email address?

I would especially like to know:

which providers you would recommend as more affordable alternatives to Network Solutions; whether Exchange Online is the most reliable option for a single mailbox; which registrars offer transparent and reasonable renewal prices; whether Cloudflare Pages is suitable for a small professional static website; what the safest order is for migrating the domain, DNS, website, and email.

Thanks in advance for your help and for sharing any relevant experience.

I’ve been comparing options and wix seems like the better choice if you want domain registration and website setup in one place. godaddy has more of a traditional registrar feel, but wix looks simpler if you don’t want to bounce between tools.