I retract any recommendation of domain registrar NameCheap
In the past, I have recommended domain registrar NameCheap.com. But after last weekend’s server move, I retract any such recommendation.
I have 20-some odd domains registered, all with NameCheap. When moving servers, it was necessary to change the DNS listings for all of them. There are three ways to do this in the NameCheap interface. For some domains, an option comes up to type or paste DNS entries directly. For some, there’s a different sidebar, but that sidebar gives a “Make Like Another Domain” option. (I have no idea why NameCheap’s UI is inconsistent in that regard.) And there’s also a mass update capability, for a page of results (about 9) on the Manage Domains listing.
I started by changing a single domain (DBMS2.com). Then I noticed the mass change option, and tried it. However, I was told it might take the changes up to an hour go through. (9 freaking transactional updates? An hour?? What are you thinking, NameCheap?) I also found that when I tried the DNS management option, on the sidebars that showed it, I frequently got busy server error messages. (C’mon, NameCheap — just how busy can your core servers be on the weekend? Or do you have such terrible backup practices that they are fatally slowed when being backed up?)
My websites broke right and left during the move, and nslookup indicated DNS problems. When I went back to look at NameCheap, and was able to ascertain the DNS settings, sometimes I found NO ENTRIES AT ALL. Even the first one I changed — DBMS2.com — eventually had its entries nulled out.
Eventually, with mutiple tries, I seem to have gotten all the DNS entries right. But I have to say that the NameCheap system is one of the most error-prone database applications it has even been my misfortune to contend with.
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5 Responses to “I retract any recommendation of domain registrar NameCheap”
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Is it possible that the one-hour delay has to do with DNS caching rather than the speed at which they can process transactions? Those DNS servers have caches with very long expiration times…
I highly recommend GoDaddy. I have had nothing but excellent experiences dealing with GoDaddy for everything. Their UI is a little clunky, but everything just works.
I would agree with Daniel. The “server error messages” should not have happened, however the “broke right and left websites” is definitly a DNS propagation issue with a TTL of 3600 and standard.
Actually, it seems as if the errors were in getting data from the Network Solutions database. Those are pass-through queries; NameCheap doesn’t host the information itself.
Basically, their UI had a couple of nasty screwups.
I wouldn’t trust my domain or website to NameCheap for anything in the world as they register and harbor spammers on their parking servers… ie http://www.park-your-domain.com dns servers. So if you’re reading this, go somewhere else where the service is better. Namecheap.com is doing what they do best… they’re cheap and non caring!