Review Network Solutions 2024
Network Solutions: A Veteran Presence with Room for Improvement
Network Solutions is a name almost synonymous with the early days of the internet. Founded in 1979, they've been around longer than most, offering a suite of services from domain registration to web hosting. But how do they hold up in today's competitive landscape, especially for seasoned web professionals, sysadmins, and developers? Let's delve into the details.
Hosting Plans & Pricing: Network Solutions provides a standard range of hosting options, including shared, VPS, and dedicated servers. While their pricing isn't the most budget-friendly, particularly at the entry-level, they do offer discounts for multi-year commitments. Experienced users, however, might find the resource allocations on shared plans to be a bit limiting compared to what some competitors offer at similar price points.
Ease of Use: One area where Network Solutions struggles is its user interface. While functional, it feels dated and lacks the intuitive design found in more modern hosting control panels like cPanel or Plesk. This might not be a deal-breaker for tech-savvy users, but it does create a steeper learning curve for those accustomed to more streamlined experiences.
Performance & Server Speed: Uptime and website loading times are crucial for any online presence. Network Solutions generally boasts decent uptime, hovering around industry standards. However, server speeds can be inconsistent. While they utilize data centers located in the US, we've observed faster performance from servers located on the East Coast compared to the West Coast in our testing. This geographical consideration might be important for those targeting specific regions.
Security: Network Solutions does offer essential security features like SSL certificates and daily backups. However, some advanced security measures, like malware scanning and DDoS protection, often come at an additional cost. This "à la carte" approach to security might be a point of contention for experienced users who expect more comprehensive protection as a standard inclusion.
Customer Support: A mixed bag, unfortunately. Network Solutions does offer 24/7 phone and chat support, which is crucial for time-sensitive issues. However, the quality of support can vary. While we've encountered helpful representatives, there have also been instances of long wait times and responses that lacked in-depth technical knowledge.
Data Centers: Network Solutions operates data centers solely within the United States. While this might be suitable for some, it limits options for users who require servers in specific geographical locations for latency or data sovereignty reasons.
The Verdict:
Network Solutions is a well-established name in the industry, but their long history doesn't always translate into a cutting-edge experience. Experienced users might find their services adequate but will likely encounter areas where they fall short compared to more specialized hosting providers. Their pricing, while not outrageous, doesn't always reflect the value proposition, particularly regarding ease of use, server speed consistency, and the need for add-on security features. While their customer support is available around the clock, its effectiveness can be inconsistent. Ultimately, seasoned web professionals should carefully weigh the pros and cons and compare Network Solutions to competitors before committing.
Network Solutions's rating: Bad hosting provider
We rate features of services on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being the lowest rating and 5 being the highest rating. e also take into account the opinions of other users when rating features. We read user reviews and feedback to get a sense of how other people are using the features and what they think of them.
We found many complaints about the service and quality of this provider. Therefore, we decided to rank this hosting provider as "Bad".
Parameters | Score | Why did we give this score? |
---|---|---|
Features | 1 | Poor - We consider a number of factors when rating features, including: usefulness, ease to use, effectiveness, impact.. Network Solutions's feature is extremely limited or not present at all. It does not provide any significant value to the user. |
Reliability | 1.9 | Untrustworthy - Network Solutions consistently fails to meet its promises and deliver on time. They have a history of poor customer service and are not responsive to customer complaints. |
User Friendly | 1.5 | Below average - Network Solutions is somewhat difficult to navigate and use. Users may have some trouble finding the information they need or completing tasks. |
Support | 1.7 | Below average - The support service is poor. There may be a user manual or FAQ page, but it is poorly written and does not provide adequate information. The helpdesk may be unresponsive or unhelpful. The support time may be slow and there may be no live chat with customers. The service may not support multiple languages. |
Price | 1.7 | Somewhat expensive - The pricing of Network Solutions is expensive. It is slightly higher than the average prices of similar services, and there is some flexibility in the price list. |
Promotion | 1.6 | Small discount - Network Solutions offers infrequent promotions. Their promotions are not very attractive and have limited reach. There are few bonus programs, discounted codes, or percentage discounts. They have some conditions for receiving promotions, and their targeted audience is somewhat limited. They do not offer many rewards programs, loyalty programs, discounts, or special offers. |
Other Factors | 0.9 | Poor - The number of customers is extremely low, and the partner reviews are overwhelmingly negative. The company's revenue is also very low. |
Pros and Cons
Here are the pros and cons of using Network Solutions as your hosting platform.
Positives
- Pricing does not increase upon renewal.
- Domain lock is available.
- DNSSEC is included with all domains.
- Includes one month of web hosting for free.
- Long-term domain registration options (e.g., 10, 20, and 100 years)
Negatives
- Very expensive compared to top competitors.
- Pricing has a tendency to be deceptive.
- Domain name privacy is only free for the first year. It costs an extra $3.99 to $4.99 per month thereafter.
- It advertises that its drag-and-drop website builder is included with the purchase of a domain, but it costs extra.
Interesting facts
Please note that these are general observations and the actual experience may vary for different users. It’s always a good idea to do thorough research and consider your specific needs before choosing a service provider.