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By Kbrooks on
I've been trying hostgator.com for about 2 months now. I'm in the "baby" package.
- The package said it included unilimited "add on" domains, but that turns out to mean me hosting my domain DNS records and email elsewhere and pointing the DNS record to their IP address. I'm currently on 1and1 where this level of DNS control is not possible. So it would cost me $15-$20 to transfer each domain to hostgator. I'm dealing with several domains, so that would cost a couple hundred dollars to transfer and I can't get information straight between several calls, but I think it would continue to cost $15-$20/domain annually.
The second issue is that they said shared SSl was included in my package on the promo page http://www.hostgator.com/shared.shtml (look under eCommerce Features). I just tried to set this up for a demo site (so the site URL is not final and there is no reason to buy an SSL cert for the demo site). It turns out that the included ssl is only if you access the page as .hostgator.com/~/. According to the support tech (after 2+ hours this morning), to be able to use SSL with demo.mysite.com I have to pay for an IP address ($2/mo) and installation of a cert ($10) (even if I'm just using a self-signed cert). They recommended that I upgrade to the next package (addt'l $5/mo) if I want to use SSL. BUT my issue is that, SSL is required for any transactions and they offer eCommerce packages (like zen cart) at even the most basic level w/out warning that additional payments will be required to actually sell anything. When I posted to the tech that their site says "We will provide your site with a self assigned shared SSL. SSL encrypts confidential data such as credit card numbers and passwords. Either a shared SSL or a private SSL is required when taking credit cards off your site. " under the eCommerce Features, they said the approach .hostgator.com/~/ does that. WORSE, if you go to my domain as https://domainname.com - you get sent to a parking page that is a link farm! And they say that is fine.
I'm a little bit frustrated right now and having to either shop around again (I really want to leave 1and1 soon), go back and work out my 1and1 issues (performance/support), or upgrade at hostgator and find out that there may be even more nickle and dime issues that haven't been uncovered yet.
Are other host providers the same way? Do they nickle and dime to you death like this? I've been with 1and1 for close to 10 years and that is one area where they are straight forward.
Also, I'm hoping for a recommendation for an independent DNS provider for my domains that provides complete access (so I can set my own A records and add TXT records) and email services. They don't have to host any web sites, I just know its going to be hard getting these domains out of 1and1. I've already gone through getting my domains out of netsolutions in the past. So, I'm looking for a place where I won't have to keep moving them around if I choose to change hosting services again in the future.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
I'd like to know if it is worth it to spend the additional money to get what I thought I was already getting on hostgator.
I haven't even tried drupal on 1and1 (I'm on windows hosting). Is their linux hosting okay for drupal sites?
I'm just so frustrated right now. I'm past the 45day guarantee so am paid for 6 months, but can afford to keep adding on costs evertime I need to do something that should be pretty basic.
Comments
Sorry... the shared ssl has
Sorry... the shared ssl has to be accessed as servername.hostgator.com/~kbrooks/demo ... it got sucked out of the text above.
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consider a VPS or a dedicated box where you have more control than that of shared hosting.
I wish I could afford that.
I wish I could afford that. I maintain web sites for non-profits. I'm trying to provide them better services that MIGHT enable them to pay for web hosting in the future. But without a single paying customer, its hard to justify VPS. Its already hard enough paying (donating) all the hosting expenses.
Hostgator seems solid enough, but I feel like I'm getting a bait and switch from them right now and if it keeps up, I'll be paying as much as a VPS anyway.
DNS Provider
I'm not sure about some of the requirements you list. I would think you'd set up your emails at your hosting.
All I use my DNS Registrar for is to point at where my site is located. (Hostgator)
I used to use GoDaddy. It was a real hassle with them always making me click through a lot of
screens, etc. See www.nodaddy.com.
I'm really liking www.namecheap.com. Seems like a good simple to use system and it's been good so far.
About "private" SSL, the
About "private" SSL, the rules are about the same with all cheap shared hosting plans that I have seen anywhere.
About the addon domains, if I am understanding you right, it sound crazy. Do you mean that if you add a secondsite.com addon domain they'll host its files but they won't put it in their DNS records? Or they'll make it an alias for the main one and won't host its files at all? Or they will host it OK but they won't register an MX record for that? Or what?
I've never heard of "adon
I've never heard of "adon domains" before this (or if I saw it, it never registered). At 1and1, with my current contract, I get 4-5 domains (DNS records) free, then pay approx $4/ea for the extra domains each year.
At hostgator, an "ad-on domain" is apparently where your URL A record is hosted elsewhere pointing at their IP address, then they probably have a virtual host record in their server (httpd.conf) pointing that domain name at a specific home directory. When I started setting up the "ad-on domain", it made a sub-directory for the domain under my account and allowed me to enter the base domain name e.g. "mydomain.com". I think they also cname it in their dns. So that is their "ad-on domains".
BTW - if anyone is using hosts that have this approach where they create sub-directories for added domains, that is a security consideration as the root domain does have access to all the sub-directories on my hostgater account. So I definitely wouldn't use this for a paying customer.
In Site5, for example, you
In Site5, for example, you create an addon domain which gets a subdirectory, as you described, and also gets complete A record and MS record in their DNS server automatically. This is not uncommon at all, and I can create hundreds of them with no extra charge on a shared server account. I would be surprised if it works differently in hostgator.
About security, those are not meant for reselling. They are under the same user account, so they are expected to be used for different projects of the account owner. If you give a site to someone, you give them only FTP for their directory.
Nothing is free.
I say it again. Nothing is free. I understand your dilemma. Non-profits are notoriously cheap with their money but they need to understand that nothing is free. The electric company does not provide them electricity for free and neither should you provide hosting for free.
You can get a very good VPS for $50 or less per month depending on what you need. The company I deal with also gives you your own name servers and 4 static IP addresses. They have 24 hour live on the phone tech support and do not charge for helping you with administrative stuff on your VPS even though you have full root control. They also have very clean upgrade paths through their server packages all the way up to dedicated servers. By this I mean they will handle all the transferring and configuration if you need to upgrade to a larger VPS or even to a dedicated server some day.
The reason I bring this up is $5/month should be affordable by any, ANY, non-profit that wants a website. If you are hosting 10 non-profits then you would break even on the cost of the server. If you wish some information about this company you may contact me.
One last note: I am not affiliated with the server company I am mentioning. They are not the cheapest hosting company out there. I have no experience with their shared hosting (not sure if they even have any). The development company I used to work for has over 100 sites hosted on one of this hosting company's smallest VPS packages and has never had a problem with the server or the support. I use them myself for a server for my clients sites.
Thanks, sent you a pm.
Thanks, sent you a pm.
Please send me same
I'd like to get the host name you offered to send in "Nothing is Free".
Thanks,
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as he said, and as the previous user has, use the users contact tab and send him a message.
Funny note
As I looked at this posting, I noticed an ad at the top for BlueHost. I haven't experienced any of the issues you've described with them. Of course you'll still have to deal with a private IP, etc. if you want an non-self issued SSL cert.
If you are really looking at moving hosts, check them out. If you have questions, you can call and talk to a live person. Or chat live if you prefer.
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"Nice to meet you Rose...run for your life." - The Doctor
My first public Drupal site - EyeOnThe503
I would like to recommend
I would like to recommend Bluehost as well, it's pretty nice and should be a good choice for your case if you have limited budget.
i think there are some
i think there are some coupons for new drupal sites. maybe you can use these coupons mydrupalsite or mydrupalhost for first mounth for free..