Anybody use Network Solutions?



  • Isn't is remarkable how awful they've become?

    So a few months ago, they "upgraded" my account to "gold VIP status" (without asking me). As far as I can tell, this means absolutely nothing except they set all my domains to auto-renew. The only way to turn off auto-renew is by calling them. On the phone. Which is literally the first thing I've ever had to call Network Solutions for ever in my 10 year history of being their customer. And as an aside, their auto-renew policy is fucking insane:

    @Network Solutions said:

    By choosing auto-renew, the valid payment method on file will be charged at some point ninety(90) days* prior to its expiration date. Your service may be renewed for a shorter term than the term for which you originally purchased your service(s) and you will be charged the current price for each service. Your credit card on file will be charged for the renewal.

    So to summarize, without any notification to me prior, you charge me at some unpredictable point in a 90-day window, you charge me an unpredictable price, and you "may" renew for a shorter term than I've indicated I wanted. Why would anybody consent to this policy?

    Anyway. At the time I complained to Network Solutions' online support, which did zero good of course, but what did help is that the credit card info attached to my account was out-of-date. So Network Solutions has been trying (and failing) to charge a defunct card for this renewal "service" I never wanted in the first place. I hope they're incurring penalties from VISA.

    BUT TODAY! The problem arises that I have a domain I actually do want to renew. Which means I have to plug-in my current and correct credit card info, so to prevent them from charging me random amounts of money at random points of time for a random duration of lease, I need to actually contact them to turn off this "Gold VIP" bullshit and get my account back to "some loser who just walked in off the street" status. Or whatever.

    "Your estimated wait time is 15 minutes, please remain on hold." Fuck this noise.



  • Network Solutions? I haven't heard that name in years. Honestly, if I were you, I'd find another registrar and transfer the domain to someone who will actually talk to you before making changes with serious financial repercussions.



  • @Circuitsoft said:

    Network Solutions? I haven't heard that name in years. Honestly, if I were you, I'd find another registrar and transfer the domain to someone who will actually talk to you before making changes with serious financial repercussions.

    It's the trade-off. Is it worth $25 * 6 domains to save myself the annoyance? Plus who do I transfer it to? All registrar's are fucking awful now. NetSol is still better than GoDaddy, but not by much.



  • @blakeyrat said:

    It's the trade-off. Is it worth $25 * 6 domains to save myself the annoyance?

    Considering how often, readily, and vociferously you become annoyed, I'm going to say yes.



  • I don't seem to mind domainsite.com. Simple and works well. GoDaddy is good if you have A LOT of domains, as they offer bulk rates, but other than that it looks like they're always gonna scam me out of everything I own.



  • @Zylon said:

    Considering how often, readily, and vociferously you become annoyed, I'm going to say yes.

    Eh they're averaging only about once a year.

    I found out Dreamhost does domain registrations and transfers and looks to be a decent option, and their rates are low-- only $10 per domain. But of course I have to have NetSol unlock them first and God-knows how long that will take.


  • Trolleybus Mechanic

    @blakeyrat said:

    Plus who do I transfer it *to*?
     

    Namecheap.

     Next question?



  • Forget domain names. If your users can't be bothered to remember your IP addresses, then they aren't good enough for you anyway.



  • Not sure who you bank with, but poke around on their website and see if they do temporary credit card info for something like this.
    Basically it's a form you enter in how much money you want on the 'card' and how long it's valid for, then they generate a number and everything right there.

    Otherwise, do what I do - get a reloadable card, and only put enough money in it for whatever you're buying right then. I use the AmEx one now.



  • @blakeyrat said:

    Isn't is remarkable how awful they've become?

    We use them at our office for no other reason (AFAICT) than that was the way it was before I started. The two things I hate the most are that their shared hosting configs prevent apache/iis from being able to detect https connections through evironment variables, and that they periodically flush all ftp credentials and won't allow any of the previous 10 passwords to be used.


  • Trolleybus Mechanic

    @mott555 said:

    Forget domain names. If your users can't be bothered to remember your IP addresses, then they aren't good enough for you anyway.

     

    Forget IP addresses. If your can't create their own routing table by MAC address alone,  then they aren't good enough for you anyways.

     


  • ♿ (Parody)

    @Lorne Kates said:

    @mott555 said:
    Forget domain names. If your users can't be bothered to remember your IP addresses, then they aren't good enough for you anyway.

    Forget IP addresses. If your can't create their own routing table by MAC address alone,  then they aren't good enough for you anyways.

    Forget networks. If they can't just walk over and look at your monitor themselves...


  • Fake News

    DomainDiscover is a good one.



  • @blakeyrat said:

    Plus who do I transfer it to?

    NearlyFreeSpeech.net.



  • To address the interm problem, you have two possible ways to deal with their auto renewal:

    1. Give them your valid credit card information.  Then once the charge goes through, update it with the old number (assuming it is not past its exp date).

    2. IIRC if you have a paypal account, you can setup a fixed amount credit card that works like a gift card.  You give them that number and if they try to do a repeat payment against it, it will fail.



  • @blakeyrat said:

    Which means I have to plug-in my current and correct credit card info, so to prevent them from charging me random amounts of money at random points of time for a random duration of lease, I need to actually contact them to turn off this "Gold VIP" bullshit and get my account back to "some loser who just walked in off the street" status. Or whatever.
    Can't you get a temporary credit card number?



  • Guys,

    A) I didn't fucking ask for help. Stop giving help. If I wanted help, I'd have posted in the "Help and Questions" forum, not this one.

    B) I took care of this hours ago. I called them up and got escalated to someone who was able to remove me from the "Gold VIP" program and turn off auto-renew. Turning off auto-renew is now a one-time thing though, every time you register a new domain it auto-renews by default and you have to call again to get them to turn it off.

    I'm still considering moving registrars but the problem I encountered is resolved to my satisfaction. I did not ask for help resolving it.



  • Since I don't remember you stating it elsewhere on the site, what's wrong with GoDaddy?



  • @Sutherlands said:

    what's wrong with GoDaddy?

    What's not?



  • @blakeyrat said:

    Guys,

    A) I didn't fucking ask for help. Stop giving help. If I wanted help, I'd have posted in the "Help and Questions" forum, not this one.

    B) I took care of this hours ago. I called them up and got escalated to someone who was able to remove me from the "Gold VIP" program and turn off auto-renew. Turning off auto-renew is now a one-time thing though, every time you register a new domain it auto-renews by default and you have to call again to get them to turn it off.

    I'm still considering moving registrars but the problem I encountered is resolved to my satisfaction. I did not ask for help resolving it.

    So why did you post. you phrased it as if you needed help with this situation on finding a better registrar.



  • @gu3st said:

    So why did you post. you phrased it as if you needed help with this situation on finding a better registrar.

    No I didn't.

    I asked exactly two questions, both of which were rhetorical. (Although if you want to answer them, knock yourself out.) Nor did I even slightly mention looking for advice on finding a new registrar here in the forum. (Although I did ask on Twitter, maybe you're confused. Twitter looks a whole lot like the forums, it's so easy to get those mixed-up.)

    Any impression you got that I was asking for advice in any way, shape, or form comes from your own skull. So instead of directing your answer to me, you should direct it to your own skull and then everybody's happy.


  • Trolleybus Mechanic

    @blakeyrat said:

    A) I didn't fucking ask for help. Stop giving help. If I wanted help, I'd have posted in the "Help and Questions" forum, not this one.
     

    Yeah! Fuck all you fucking fuckers for trying to be helpful decent human beings. I hope your sister gets raped by a goat. IN HER COLON!


  • ♿ (Parody)

    @Lorne Kates said:

    Yeah! Fuck all you fucking fuckers for trying to be helpful decent human beings. I hope your sister gets raped by a goat. IN HER COLON!

    Hey, asshole! That goat wasn't asking for help identifying his next partner!



  • @blakeyrat said:

    "Your estimated wait time is 15 minutes, please remain on hold."

    15 minutes?! HOLY CRAP, THEY'VE GOTTEN BETTER...

     



  • @blakeyrat said:

    @gu3st said:
    So why did you post. you phrased it as if you needed help with this situation on finding a better registrar.

    No I didn't.

    I asked exactly two questions, both of which were rhetorical. (Although if you want to answer them, knock yourself out.) Nor did I even slightly mention looking for advice on finding a new registrar here in the forum. (Although I did ask on Twitter, maybe you're confused. Twitter looks a whole lot like the forums, it's so easy to get those mixed-up.)

    Any impression you got that I was asking for advice in any way, shape, or form comes from your own skull. So instead of directing your answer to me, you should direct it to your own skull and then everybody's happy.

    Why bother posting. Why ask "Anyone use Network Solutions?" as your fucking post title. That's inherently asking for advice from people who have used Network Solutions.

    Or maybe you can get the stick out of your ass and quit whining about everything under the technological sun. Maybe farming would have less rage about DNS and domains and version control and Windows paths and Linux... oh god help us about linux.


  • Trolleybus Mechanic

    @boomzilla said:

    @Lorne Kates said:
    Yeah! Fuck all you fucking fuckers for trying to be helpful decent human beings. I hope your sister gets raped by a goat. IN HER COLON!

    Hey, asshole! That goat wasn't asking for help identifying his next partner!

     

    How the holy shit am I supposed to know that? Do I read fucking GOAT MINDS now? 



  • @boomzilla said:

    @Lorne Kates said:
    @mott555 said:
    Forget domain names. If your users can't be bothered to remember your IP addresses, then they aren't good enough for you anyway.

    Forget IP addresses. If your can't create their own routing table by MAC address alone,  then they aren't good enough for you anyways.

    Forget networks. If they can't just walk over and look at your monitor themselves...

    Forget monitors. If they can't wait in line at the I/O counter for their own stack of fanfold, they aren't good enough for you anyway.



  • @boomzilla said:

    Filed under: goatse



  • @Lorne Kates said:

    Do I read fucking GOAT MINDS now? 
    We have no idea what you do while you read...



  • @blakeyrat said:

    @Sutherlands said:
    what's wrong with GoDaddy?

    What's not?

    Their holiday party.  Ok your turn.



  • Y'all should know by now that when blakey posts on TDWTF, it ain't because he's looking for solutions, it's to vent his frustrations, and (in this case) presumably start a conversation on how bad Network Solutions/ISPs in general are.

    Put yourself in his shoes: if you were relating a story about shitty customer service to a friend or coworker, and they kept butting in to suggest how you could've made the experience less painful, you're gonna tell them to stop talking, or just plain tell 'em to fuck off.

    Listening is a skill not confined to verbal conversations. Try it sometime, instead of rushing into full-tilt problem-solving mode. If more developers did that we wouldn't have half the crappy software that we do.



  • @The_Assimilator said:

    Y'all should know by now that when blakey posts on TDWTF, it ain't because he's looking for solutions, it's to vent his frustrations, and (in this case) presumably start a conversation on how bad Network Solutions/ISPs in general are.

    Put yourself in his shoes: if you were relating a story about shitty customer service to a friend or coworker, and they kept butting in to suggest how you could've made the experience less painful, you're gonna tell them to stop talking, or just plain tell 'em to fuck off.

    Listening is a skill not confined to verbal conversations. Try it sometime, instead of rushing into full-tilt problem-solving mode. If more developers did that we wouldn't have half the crappy software that we do.

    <font face="impact,chicago">Thank you. That was helpful.</font>



  • And more to the point, this isn't the help forum. People who want help should be posting ------------------------> here

    This forum you're in is not a help forum. People posting here are not looking for help. It's always been this way.



  • @Sutherlands said:

    @blakeyrat said:
    @Sutherlands said:
    what's wrong with GoDaddy?

    What's not?

    Their holiday party. Ok your turn.

    Ok well, how about their recent full-day outage? That happened only a couple months ago, has it already slipped your mind? NetSol might suck in the sales department, but in the technical department they're at least reliable. (Well, their DNS is. I don't use their other services.)

    I think their advertising is despicable too.



  • @blakeyrat said:

    @Sutherlands said:
    @blakeyrat said:
    @Sutherlands said:
    what's wrong with GoDaddy?

    What's not?

    Their holiday party. Ok your turn.

    Ok well, how about their recent full-day outage? That happened only a couple months ago, has it already slipped your mind? NetSol might suck in the sales department, but in the technical department they're at least reliable. (Well, their DNS is. I don't use their other services.)

    I think their advertising is despicable too.

    The best thing about getting a combo job from Ed Asner is all the spit he uses. One day I'm gonna ride that fat white ass, though.


  • ♿ (Parody)

    @The_Assimilator said:

    Listening is a skill not confined to verbal conversations. Try it sometime, instead of rushing into full-tilt problem-solving mode. If more developers did that we wouldn't have half the crappy software that we do.

    Don't try to be such a chick like blakey. Clearly, if someone brings up a problem you should figure out how to help fix it.



  •   @Network Solutions said:

    By choosing auto-renew, the valid payment method on file will be charged at some point ninety(90) days* prior to its expiration date. Your service may be renewed for a shorter term than the term for which you originally purchased your service(s) and you will be charged the current price for each service. Your credit card on file will be charged for the renewal.

     I think it just means they may charge the card at some point 90 days prior to THE DOMAIN's  expiry date and that domain may be renewed for less years than the amount you previous used (for example if you bought a domain and paid for 3 years, they may only auto renew it for a year when time comes). Also, they will charge the price at that time for the renewal, not the price you initially paid for the domain (for example, if you paid 8$ for domain and paid in advance for three years, and now three years later new domains cost 11$, they will charge you 11$ not 8$).

    It's just written like lawyers would write, nothing special.

    It's still a shitty move from network solutions, whom I never used simply because they're just as shitty as godaddy (they used to do stuff like catch the domain names you searched for availability on their website and reserve them, then drop them before they actually had to pay the yearly fee if you didn't come to them to purchase)

    I personally use namecheap.com and found them great, have about 10 domains with them with the oldest about 8 years. If I'd have to move I'd probably go with gandi.net  or accept an offer from my dedicated server company for an Enom reseller account 



  • @blakeyrat said:

    well, how about their recent full-day outage? That happened only a couple months ago, has it already slipped your mind? NetSol might suck in the sales department, but in the technical department they're at least reliable. (Well, their DNS is. I don't use their other services.)
    Eh, stuff happens.  If that's what you want to use as a reason to dislike them, I won't argue. 

    @blakeyrat said:

    I think their advertising is despicable too.
    Valid reason.  It'd be great if that type of advertising didn't work, eh?


  • Discourse touched me in a no-no place

    @Jeremy D. Pavleck said:

    Not sure who you bank with, but poke around on their website and see if they do temporary credit card info for something like this.
    Basically it's a form you enter in how much money you want on the 'card' and how long it's valid for, then they generate a number and everything right there.

    Otherwise, do what I do - get a reloadable card, and only put enough money in it for whatever you're buying right then. I use the AmEx one now.

    Yeah, and make sure that they actually honor that. A friend tried doing one of those a few years ago, and called them and asked "what happens if someone bills me more than I have set up on the card?" And they told him, no problem, they'd just silently charge the extra.


  • Considered Harmful

    @blakeyrat said:

    Nor did I even slightly mention looking for advice on finding a new registrar here in the forum.

    @blakeyrat said:
    Plus who do I transfer it to?



  • @blakeyrat said:

    And more to the point, this isn't the help forum. People who want help should be posting ------------------------> here

    This forum you're in is not a help forum. People posting here are not looking for help. It's always been this way.

    Congrats. You found the help forum. Maybe you should post there because you always have so many fucking problems with everything. Windows, git, domains, linux, mac, solaris, bsd, linus torvalds, richard stallman and anything else that doesn't function exactly how your perverse brain expects it to.


  • ♿ (Parody)

    @Sutherlands said:

    @blakeyrat said:
    I think their advertising is despicable too.
    Valid reason.  It'd be great if that type of advertising didn't work, eh?

    It would probably mean that the human race was doomed to die out in the current generation. I think that's the opposite of great.



  • @Sutherlands said:

    @blakeyrat said:
    I think their advertising is despicable too.
    Valid reason.  It'd be great if that type of advertising didn't work, eh?
    I have no idea what their ads look like - either I have never seen them, or they totally failed to grab my attention. So what's so despicable about them?

    @gu3st said:

    Congrats. You found the help forum. Maybe you should post there because you always have so many fucking problems with everything. Windows, git, domains, linux, mac, solaris, bsd, linus torvalds, richard stallman and anything else that doesn't function exactly how your perverse brain expects it to.
    You misunderstood.Blakey doesn't want help. Because that might lead to him being able to use tools the way they're supposed to be used and, you know, actually make them work, and then he would have much less reason to go off on self-righteous rants in this forum. And we'd lose the second best source of entertainment after snoofles articles about the daily life at WTFCorp.



  • @boomzilla said:

    @Sutherlands said:
    @blakeyrat said:
    I think their advertising is despicable too.
    Valid reason.  It'd be great if that type of advertising didn't work, eh?

    It would probably mean that the human race was doomed to die out in the current generation. I think that's the opposite of great.

    Have you [i]seen[/i] the current generation?


  • ♿ (Parody)

    @SenTree said:

    Have you seen the current generation?

    I'm always amused by people who are depressed by noticing that we appear to be following Idiocracy down the tubes (which isn't precisely what you're saying, but close enough for a TDWTF thread) without realizing that it's no different than things have always been. I cannot honestly think of a past time in which I would rather live than the present.

    I would implore you, however to resist the temptation of your shoulder aliens to respond that I think things are perfect or that history has been a steady improvement across all dimensions. Just say NO to shoulder aliens.



  • @boomzilla said:

    @Sutherlands said:
    @blakeyrat said:
    I think their advertising is despicable too.
    Valid reason.  It'd be great if that type of advertising didn't work, eh?

    It would probably mean that the human race was doomed to die out in the current generation. I think that's the opposite of great.

    Which part would be the cause?  Humans having morals, or humans rejecting companies where they don't agree with the advertising?@Anonymouse said:
    I have no idea what their ads look like - either I have never seen them, or they totally failed to grab my attention. So what's so despicable about them?
    It's just your typical hot girl dancing around barely dressed, etc.  If you care, most of them are on the website, afaik: http://videos.godaddy.com/godaddy_media.aspx?ci=13478


  • ♿ (Parody)

    @Sutherlands said:

    @boomzilla said:
    @Sutherlands said:
    @blakeyrat said:
    I think their advertising is despicable too.
    Valid reason.  It'd be great if that type of advertising didn't work, eh?

    It would probably mean that the human race was doomed to die out in the current generation. I think that's the opposite of great.

    Which part would be the cause?  Humans having morals, or humans rejecting companies where they don't agree with the advertising?

    Hmm...probably the naked straw men part.



  • @boomzilla said:

    @SenTree said:
    Have you seen the current generation?

    I'm always amused by people who are depressed by noticing that we appear to be following Idiocracy down the tubes (which isn't precisely what you're saying, but close enough for a TDWTF thread) without realizing that it's no different than things have always been. I cannot honestly think of a past time in which I would rather live than the present.

    I would implore you, however to resist the temptation of your shoulder aliens to respond that I think things are perfect or that history has been a steady improvement across all dimensions. Just say NO to shoulder aliens.

    Actually, I made a throwaway remark for humorous purposes. Personally, I think the current generation has great potential, and I'm only sorry I won't be around to see them and their descendants explore the galaxy.

  • BINNED

    @Sutherlands said:

    It's just your typical hot girl dancing around barely dressed, etc.
    ...with the unsupported suggestion that the hot girl will have less clothing if you go to their website. I've never used their DNS. Is this bait-and-switch technique typical of their service?



  • @boomzilla said:

    Hmm...probably the naked straw men part.
    English, please.  Unless you're actually looking for naked men.

    @PedanticCurmudgeon said:

    @Sutherlands said:
    It's just your typical hot girl dancing around barely dressed, etc.
    ...with the unsupported suggestion that the hot girl will have less clothing if you go to their website. I've never used their DNS. Is this bait-and-switch technique typical of their service?
    Not AFAIK.  They made their start by not charging $80 to register a domain name, and then make their actual money off of selling websites and server space, from what I can tell.


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