Posted on August 18th, 2009Domain name registrations are primarily handled by two entities: registrars and web hosting companies. Both can provide you with the simple website address you need to secure your online identity and establish a presence on the web. Which do you choose? This article will provide some valuable insight to help you make a decision.
The Tempting Hosting Package
Many of today’s web hosts offer free domain name registration along with their hosting services.
This type of arrangement has many benefits. First of all, it allows you to accomplish two major goals in one motion, providing the ammunition needed to start making a name for yourself online.
Now you have an easy way to manage both your domain and web hosting account from a centralized area. Not to mention the fact that you didn’t have to pay anything for the domain name registration. This is an appealing option for obvious reasons but there are several disadvantages that must be considered.
What Can Go Wrong?
The big downside to registering a domain with your web host is that the situation calls for you to place all of your eggs in one basket. You could receive excellent service in the beginning but discover six months down the line that you are no longer satisfied with your provider. This could be due to a lack of support, poor performance or excessive downtime. Whatever the reason, you may feel the need for change and this only leads to more problems. While you can easily transfer the domain name you purchased from a registrar, this is not always the case when dealing with a web hosting company.
There is a lot that can go wrong when trying to pack up a domain registered by a web host. If this is the road you take, be aware that you may run into the following roadblocks:
You need to ask your holding provider to initiate the domain name transfer. Depending on whether you signed up with a reputable company, this could either be a seamless process, or one that takes days or even weeks to complete.
The web hosting company owns the right to your domain name. What many people do not realize is that when registering a domain with a traditional hosting provider, there may be underlying terms that limit your ownership. Something like this could put your transfer efforts on hold and potentially inflict more damage on your internet identity.
You Lose Your Domain. Factoring in the above scenarios, there is a great change that will not be able to transfer your domain from the web host to a new registrar. This puts you in a compromising situation where you are forced to hold onto your identity, or walk away from it entirely. Considering all the efforts you have invested, this is not a predicament you want to find yourself in.
Conclusion
Registering your domain name with a web hosting company can be the ideal solution or an absolute nightmare. Therefore, leaving these important services in the hands of separate providers would clearly be the safer option. If you simply cannot pass up a deal, make sure you choose a respectable host that provides a quality service you have the utmost confidence in.