€171 for basic hosting and .net?!

sticker

Hey all,

A firends father has a domain registered with A1 Computers http://www.a1computers.ie/websites.htm - They are charging him €171 per year for a hosting package and a .net, which seems extremely high to me!

here is his website http://www.spiritfocus.net/

How do I move the .net to another cheaper hosting company? The domain is expiring soon...

They were fairly rude and dismissive over the phone, I'd even say judging by their site, they seem a little mickey-mouse! Anyone have any dealings with them?

I don't see any co-operation from their end to facilitate a move to another company - what are my options?

Thanks in advance!!

PS - I notice that the Web Hosting forums seem to be locked to new threads, hense me posting here.

forbairt

Are they providing him with some other form of support ... makes changes to anything for him and so on ?

smemon

yeah that's way OTT, a basic host and .net should cost about $100/year, maybe less - well over half of that charge anyway :rolleyes:

my guess is they've all sorts of 90 day hidden terms which prevent you from moving a domain, unless you pay them a compensation fee of course

legally, they have to move the domain along and unlock it for you if you demand it, but it could cost you - speaking from experience here.

Most of these guys make their money on people who forget to renew domains until the last minute, when it's too late, and then it costs extra as it's bundled into the small print.

Webmonkey

Do you have logon details to the Registrar? - Request this off them and you simply get a hosting acount with maybe blacknight or hosting-365 and point the domain to their nameservers. Simple really once you got access to the registrar and have the website files which can't be much judging by the site.

Seth Brundle

Are A1 Computers a reseller?


Is there any .net in that site? All I can see are three basic HTML pages.
edit: I'm losing it - wrong .net!

Webmonkey

Why does A1 Computers sound so familar - is the owner on boards by any chance?

AARRRGH

I stick the odd site on one of my servers. I charge €150 per year for this. Expensive? Perhaps. However I will make small changes to their site, advise them on technical issues, and in general be their point of contact for any web related issues.

So I wouldn't dismiss "expensive" hosts. It really depends what you're getting.

Webmonkey

dublindude wrote: »

I stick the odd site on one of my servers. I charge €150 per year for this. Expensive? Perhaps. However I will make small changes to their site, advise them on technical issues, and in general be their point of contact for any web related issues.

So I wouldn't dismiss "expensive" hosts. It really depends what you're getting.

Exactly, +1

forbairt

Webmonkey wrote: »

Exactly, +1

Similar ... its a managed service so to speak ... so that they don't have to figure out how to change an mx record or setup a subdomain and so on.

Hal1

Webmonkey wrote: »

Why does A1 Computers sound so familar - is the owner on boards by any chance?

Probably one of those guys in the A1 waste company who done a computer course and decided to open his own hosting company.:p

louie

171 Euro per yer? That's nothing.
How much do you spend on a night out? Did you ever ask yourself that?

Laslo

louie wrote: »

171 Euro per yer? That's nothing.
How much do you spend on a night out? Did you ever ask yourself that?

In relative terms maybe but there are much cheaper options out there. The fact that they were rude and dismissive is enough to warrant leaving them. I'm moving hosting provider at the moment for that very same reason.

sticker

My God, have people here totally lost the plot...?!

This is a clear example of a company / individual taking advantage in my opinion... The gentleman in question has a ONE PAGE website that was created pre hosting/domain... there is ZERO maintenance required. Essentially a totally over priced and unnecessary service was given to an individual who is of an older age and wouldn't know any better.

Seeing as there are packages out there for €25 this is a ludicrous amount to pay. END OF. To make the comparison to a night out is also pointless - It's the equivalent of going into one boozer - being charged €5 for a pint and then being charged €30 next door -

It's a no-brainer in my opinion - blatant extortion.

Webmonkey

Edit - ok you are asking how to move the domain. Like I said before get in contact with the registrar.

sticker

dublindude wrote: »

I stick the odd site on one of my servers. I charge €150 per year for this. Expensive? Perhaps. However I will make small changes to their site, advise them on technical issues, and in general be their point of contact for any web related issues.

So I wouldn't dismiss "expensive" hosts. It really depends what you're getting.

This package and the services provided WOULD indeed suit a particular customer, but if you just look at the site in question, would you in all likelyhood advice this kind of hosting service to an eldery individual who simply wants a basic package to plonk his webpage on and walk away?

forbairt

think you had edited your original post to include the website in question last night ? after I'd posted my post ? (1 minute difference in my post time and your edit time) If I'd seen the site I would have laughed at the .net which I orignally thought was programming and not the TLD extension

See webmonkeys response on how to move it.

unfortunately the company you are dealing with are within their rights to ask for a transfer fee (their time and so on in moving it over)

sticker

forbairt wrote: »

think you had edited your original post to include the website in question last night ? after I'd posted my post ? (1 minute difference in my post time and your edit time) If I'd seen the site I would have laughed at the .net which I orignally thought was programming and not the TLD extension

See webmonkeys response on how to move it.

unfortunately the company you are dealing with are within their rights to ask for a transfer fee (their time and so on in moving it over)

No worries forbairt! Apologies for the confusion!

I understand the situation regarding the company's position. My recommendation to the gentleman involved is to run from this shower. I'll seee what costings are involved to move and post back.

sticker

Webmonkey wrote: »

Do you have logon details to the Registrar? - Request this off them and you simply get a hosting acount with maybe blacknight or hosting-365 and point the domain to their nameservers. Simple really once you got access to the registrar and have the website files which can't be much judging by the site.

Sorry Webmonkey I don't understand... and apologies for the long slew of questions!!

I have the FTP login & password, is this what you mean by the logon details?

Why is the registrar? Is it A1 in this case?

Is it a simple case of "telling" A1 to point the domain to new hosting package? (which MAY involve a cost)

When the domain expires, how do I move this to a more preffered hosting provider?

Thanks!

Liam Byrne

sticker wrote: »

The gentleman in question has a ONE PAGE website that was created pre hosting/domain

To be factual, it's actually a 3-page website....but the cost does seem like it would be capable of hosting a lot more.

Then again, if he's paid for a 54-seater bus and is only using 3 seats, whose fault is that, exactly ? Hardly the hosting company's ?

Totally aside from SEO's, and slightly OT, would a letter sent to.....

"Jim O'Connor
Dublin, Ireland"

....actually reach the guy

Webmonkey

Liam Byrne wrote: »

To be factual, it's actually a 3-page website....but the cost does seem like it would be capable of hosting a lot more.

Then again, if he's paid for a 54-seater bus and is only using 3 seats, whose fault is that, exactly ? Hardly the hosting company's ?

Totally aside from SEO's, and slightly OT, would a letter sent to.....

"Jim O'Connor
Dublin, Ireland"

....actually reach the guy

No, i'm sure A1 are just resellers - meaning they register through normal companies.

Apparently the registrar is http://publicdomainregistry.com/

But first of all I would get in contact with Jim O' Connor webmaster AT a1computers.ie
Ask him you would like to host the site yourself.

First of all you'll need to register for hosting somewhere. I would recommend www.servage.net as a host - found them pretty good but then you might like to stick Irish - blacknight are good.

Next upload all the site files there and then ask Jim to hand over details of http://publicdomainregistry.com/ to you and then you can become the Billing person so you will have control on the domain.

Once you've access here you can point the domain to the new host by changing the nameservers.

Hope this helps - first try get in contact with Jim though.

sticker

Liam Byrne wrote: »

To be factual, it's actually a 3-page website....but the cost does seem like it would be capable of hosting a lot more.

Then again, if he's paid for a 54-seater bus and is only using 3 seats, whose fault is that, exactly ? Hardly the hosting company's ?

Totally aside from SEO's, and slightly OT, would a letter sent to.....

"Jim O'Connor
Dublin, Ireland"

....actually reach the guy

This seems like a clear case of stating the obvious... I suppose I'll just go ahead and say it anyway....

First off, regardless if its a three page or one page, the job of any responsible hosting company is to provide the best hostage and domain package to SUIT the individual client - this is clearly an abuse of that.

Secondly, what’s the point in belittling the content of the webpage in question?

sticker

Webmonkey wrote: »

No, i'm sure A1 are just resellers - meaning they register through normal companies.

Apparently the registrar is http://publicdomainregistry.com/

But first of all I would get in contact with Jim O' Connor webmaster AT a1computers.ie
Ask him you would like to host the site yourself.

First of all you'll need to register for hosting somewhere. I would recommend www.servage.net as a host - found them pretty good but then you might like to stick Irish - blacknight are good.

Next upload all the site files there and then ask Jim to hand over details of http://publicdomainregistry.com/ to you and then you can become the Billing person so you will have control on the domain.

Once you've access here you can point the domain to the new host by changing the nameservers.

Hope this helps - first try get in contact with Jim though.

Thanks for the helpful advice Webmonkey,

Jim O'Connor is actually the gentleman I'm trying to assist - it's his webpage - he has approached me to look into transfering the hosting and domain to another location...

Seth Brundle

sticker wrote: »

First off, regardless if its a three page or one page, the job of any responsible hosting company is to provide the best hostage and domain package to SUIT the individual client - this is clearly an abuse of that.

You make it sound like the host should have done more. If this is their basic hosting offering and the client accepted it then fine. People choose to pay Eircom to host websites for more!
Personally, I wouldn't charge a client this amount for a basic hosting/domain package but if someone agreed to pay it then they don't have the right to turn around and say I'm ripping them off when there are countless others out there competing against me.
A1 IMO look a bit unprofessional but then again I have never dealt with them - I never heard of them before this thread. However, I have no idea what the initial deal covered. I would not assume that they are rip-off merchants which is what this thread seems to be doing!

sticker

kbannon wrote: »

You make it sound like the host should have done more. If this is their basic hosting offering and the client accepted it then fine. People choose to pay Eircom to host websites for more!
Personally, I wouldn't charge a client this amount for a basic hosting/domain package but if someone agreed to pay it then they don't have the right to turn around and say I'm ripping them off when there are countless others out there competing against me.
A1 IMO look a bit unprofessional but then again I have never dealt with them - I never heard of them before this thread. However, I have no idea what the initial deal covered. I would not assume that they are rip-off merchants which is what this thread seems to be doing!

The point of this thread was to ask others what is involved in moving the .net domain. Granted my opinions are far from hidden when it comes to the pricing and service A1 computers provided in this case. I do feel that it needs to be said though.

This company provided an unsuitable package to a client that is simply not-savvy to the industry or pricing structure therein.