Network Solutions Review: Nineties Hangover, Or Serious Choice? We Asked 110 Users
Our Verdict: #1 Original Domain Registrar
Network Solutions was the original domain registrar and now also offers web hosting services like Cloud and WordPress plans. They also have professional email-only plans and will provide full service design and development services a la carte.
Click through any of the Network Solutions links on our page and use promo code EMAILSAVE25 to save 25% on email services.
Pros:
- Offers web design and development solutions
- Affordable cloud hosting plans
- 24/7 live support via telephone
Cons:
- Limited hosting types
- No live chat or support ticketing options
Network Solutions customers have written 100+ reviews on our site, giving highest marks for quality with affordable cloud hosting plans.
Is Network Solutions the Perfect Host for Your Site?
Curious about something specific? Jump to our most popular sections:
- Expert review — Get the straight scoop from our expert, Katie Horne.
- Best reviews — Read over 100 reviews by Network Solutions customers.
- Hosting plans — See which plan is best for you.
- FAQ — Read answers to the most common questions about Network Solutions.
If what you’re looking for is a domain name, then working with NetworkSolutions , the fourth largest domain name registrar today, is something you might want to consider.
However, Network Solutions’ product offerings don’t end there — the company provides web hosting packages, web design tools, and security tools, email packages, and online marketing services.
Given their wide range of products, is Network Solutions right for your hosting needs? Read on to find out if they are and if not, who the best alternatives are.
About Network Solutions
Network Solutions is an American technology company with physical locations in Virginia and Florida. Its company origins are in consulting, but over the years, the company has worked closely with the government on Internet-related projects, including domain names.
Since then, Network Solutions has gone public (its IPO was in September 1997), been bought out by three different companies before being acquired by Web.com in 2011.
Network Solutions Reviews by Our Community
Overall Rating from 110 Reviews by Network Solutions Customers
| Support | |
|---|---|
| Quality | |
| Features | |
| Value |
Most Helpful Reviews
Rakoto veve
commentenleverlescernes.com
Jul 26, 2013
john ketley
johnketley.com
Apr 23, 2018
I have been with Network Problems, as I like to think of them, for some years. By accident I will add, as I joined Wix and they stuck my domain into network p’. Ever since I paid my first basic premium,, network p’ have contrived to get my domain into problems, and then offer to fix it…
just upgrade they say..( that’s around $75 !!) I have reasoned with numerous of their Tecs,seo ‘s etc, and they then say, ok we will give an extra year, just upgrade ! I decline and I find no help at all. NOW I wonder just how much trouble they get me in after daring to criticize them .?
Jon Briley
jonbriley.com
Apr 01, 2018
Company sucks. I transferred my domains registrar to them and a month later they started pulling money out for privacy settings. I was told it was free for the first year.
Open ticket asking why they did this, took them 4 days to answer and still didn’t get an answer. I’m working on 3 days now trying to get an authorization code and unlock my domains so I can transfer them to NameCheap. I should have done this in the beginning. Wish me luck!!!!
Web Hosting Plans
Network Solutions offers a number of web hosting plans designed to appeal to a wide array of users.
Cloud Hosting
Cloud Hosting appears to be Network Solutions’ primary web hosting offering. Prices begin at just $5.69 per month, and there are four options from which you can choose.
The best option for you depends on the number of websites you need hosting for, as well as the total space required. The more premium options also come with security suites and/or SSL certificates.
Application Support
Cloud Hosting plans support numerous apps and technologies, including WordPress, Joomla!, Drupal, PHP, Perl, Python, Ruby, Ruby on Rails, MySQL.
Other benefits included with the Cloud Hosting plans include 24/7 technical support and a 99.9% uptime. If your website grows, you can upgrade to gain additional needed resources.
WordPress Hosting
While the Cloud Hosting plans support WordPress, WordPress users might still prefer a specialized hosting plan.
Network Solutions offers three different options, each supporting a different number of websites and offering a different resource allocation. Those with annual contracts will receive a free domain name as well.
| Entrepreneurs | Business | Professionals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Websites | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Storage | 50 GB | 100 GB | 200 GB |
| Email boxes | 10 | 25 | 50 |
| SSL Included | No | Yes | Yes |
| Price (per mon) | $7.99 | $13.98 | $18.98 |
E-Commerce Store And Website Builder
Network Solutions offers an e-commerce solution, which is an all-in-one combination that includes both the store and site building tools and the hosting needed to support everything.
The e-commerce plans differ from Cloud Hosting plans.
The former provides you with the tools you need to build an online store and include what you need to sell effectively and securely, such as:
- Product pages
- Inventory management
- A shopping cart
- Payment processing integration
All plans come with a fully customizable storefront (along with a mobile version) and templates to help you design your store.
You also get built-in marketing tools for things like SEO and social media integration, and the ability to add a store to an existing website or blog.
In most cases, you’ll get email services with the purchase of a hosting plan from Network Solutions.
However, if that’s not the case (or if you simply want a bit more functionality from your email service), Network Solutions offers several plans from which you can choose.
Individuals might consider the Professional Email plan, which includes 15 GB of storage and 10 GB of shared file storage.
Professional Email Plus
Small businesses, on the other hand, should look to the Professional Email Plus plan, which includes 20 GB of storage, 30 GB of shared file storage, and a web-based productivity suite that includes word processing, spreadsheets, and presentation tools.
Network Solutions offers a website building tool that also comes with a domain, so you’ll be ready to share your website with the world right away.
If you’re most comfortable with a Microsoft solution, consider the Microsoft Hosted Exchange plan. This gets you the complete Microsoft Office experience (including Outlook), either web-based or on your desktop.
Other Services
In addition to its web hosting, e-commerce, and email products, Network Solutions offers the following services:
Websites: If you don’t already have a website, you can purchase Network Solutions’ website building tool. It also comes with hosting and a domain, so you’ll be ready to share your website with the world as soon as you’re done building your website.
Custom Websites: Network Solutions offers a full-service web design and development option where the company will build you a full website, get it online, and help you maintain it.
SSL Certificates: SSL certificates ensure that data transfers between your servers and your visitors remain secure and improves your search engine rankings. If your hosting package doesn’t include a certificate, you can purchase one from Network Solutions.
Site Seal: Add credibility to your website with Site Seal, which indicates to visitors that your site is legitimate, not a front for an illegal organization.
SiteLock: Network Solutions offers SiteLock security and performance tools to help keep your site secure and loading fast. The Premium option gets you malware and vulnerability scans, as well as automatic malware removal. The Defend option gets you a firewall, malware and vulnerability scans, automatic malware removal, CDN, dynamic caching, and threat blocking. If you already have issues with your site, consider either the 911 or the 911+Defend options.
Domain Name Registration
Network Solutions offers a full suite of domain name-related services, so you use the company as your domain host/registrar without purchasing a hosting plan.
The company is highly experienced in this area and is currently the fourth-largest domain registrar.
Managing Domain Names
If you register your domain names with Network Solutions and are hosted on the company’s name servers, you have access to the DNS Manager tool.
Advanced DNS Records Management
The Advanced Tools section of the DNS Manager tool allows you to make changes to your domain’s DNS records instead of relying on and waiting for your hosting company to make the changes on your behalf. Some of the things you can do include:
Move specified domains to new name servers
Configure CNAME records so that you can set up aliases that can be used in lieu of your primary domain
Update the domain name associated with your IP address using the A Record
Specify the mail server to be used for email, and if you have multiple servers, rank them priority-wise to determine which will respond in the event that the primary mail server fails to do so. This is done by editing the MX records
Create new subdomains.
Uptime Performance
Network Solutions provides 24/7 technical support via telephone.
Network Solutions claims its Cloud Hosting customers can expect a 99.9% availability.
Support
Network Solutions offers 24/7 technical support via telephone, as well as access to a knowledgebase created by its parent company, Web.com.
Alternatives
If Network Solutions isn’t quite the company for you, consider the following alternatives:
| Network Solutions | SiteGround | Bluehost | InMotion | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Websites | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Storage | 50 GB | 10 GB | 50 GB | 40 GB |
| Free Domain | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Price | $7.99 | $3.95 | $2.75 | $4.99 |
SiteGround offers a wide variety of hosting options, all backed by customer service that most of its users rave about. In tests we’ve run in the past, SiteGround offers excellent uptime while still charging fairly low prices for its shared hosting options.
Bluehost, known for its relationship with WordPress, is very similar to SiteGround. The company’s support options are robust, including multiple ways to contact their staff, a knowledgebase, tutorials (both print and video), and more.
InMotion offers almost every type of hosting available, as well as services like quick-start website packages that allow you to get up and running with a newly-built, custom websites and premium support.
Conclusion
Network Solutions, as one of the oldest players on the (internet) block, is one of the most experienced around (especially when it comes to domain names).
While the company doesn’t offer as many hosting options as others, it does provide cloud hosting to users at a budget-friendly price point. If they sound right, visit NetworkSolutions.com now.
If you’re looking for something besides cloud hosting, be sure to check out our Best Web Hosting page for expert and user reviews of our highest-rated web hosting companies.
Contributing editor: Natalie Mootz
Most Popular Network Solutions Hosting Plans
| Web Hosting | Secure WordPress | Web Hosting Professional | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disk Space | 300GB | 50GB | 500GB |
| Bandwidth | 3000GB | 500GB | 5000GB |
| Price |
$9.96 / mo
(Billed as $9.96 Per Month) ⓘPrices in are approximate, based on current exchange rates. The host will likely charge you in USD, or at a different exchange rate.
Usual price: – Get % off!
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$15 / mo
(Billed as $9.96 Per Month) ⓘPrices in are approximate, based on current exchange rates. The host will likely charge you in USD, or at a different exchange rate.
Usual price: – Get % off!
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$15.78 / mo
(Billed as $9.96 Per Month) ⓘPrices in are approximate, based on current exchange rates. The host will likely charge you in USD, or at a different exchange rate.
Usual price: – Get % off!
|
| Visit Network Solutions Now | Visit Network Solutions Now | Visit Network Solutions Now |
| Plan | Disk Space | Bandwidth | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| VPS Essential Shared |
10GB | 500GB | $55 / mo Visit Host Now |
| VPS Professional Shared |
50GB | 2000GB | $95 / mo Visit Host Now |
Network Solutions Frequently Asked Questions
- Does Network Solutions offer VPS and dedicated servers?
Netowrk Solutions does not offer VPS and dedicate plans.
- Do they have any reseller hosting options?
Network Solutions offers a reseller plan through SRSPlus.com.
- Would my Network Solutions hosting plan come with a free domain?
A number of select plans are available that come with an included domain. Network Solutions refers to this as a ‘free nsWebAddress’.
- Will the price for renewal go up after the intro price has expired?
No. Network Solutions’ discounts are based on length of contract so as long as you renew for the same period, the cost should be the same.
- Do I get a money-back guarantee with Network Solutions?
For hosting services only, it offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you received a free domain name, this will not be included in the refund, although you will get to keep the domain name.
- Does the company offer unlimited bandwidth and storage for my site?
Most plans include unmetered bandwidth, which means unlimited except in extreme cases where users are consuming an excessive amount of bandwidth. Storage varies according to the plan.
- Does Network Solutions offer phone support?
Yes. There’s a dedicated support team that are able to answer questions online or by phone, 24/7. For premium support, you will need to pay for the MyTime service.
- Where are Network Solutions’ datacenters?
Network Solutions does not provide any information about its datacenters. It does, however, provide extensive information about its datacenters if you are concerned about their quality.
- How often will I be billed?
Monthly hosting packages are billed every four weeks. One-year plans are billed yearly. Longer plans are billed as the contract comes up.
- Will Network Solutions help me to transfer my website?
Migration is available with the paid MyTime services. There is also information in Network Solutions’ knowledgebase that will walk you through the process.
- Can I host more than one domain per account on their services?
The number of domains you can host depends upon the plan you choose. In general, you can only host a single domain on the lowest-level plans.
- Will I have access to site building software so I can build a website easily?
It offers a website building tool called nsWebsite, with three different plans.
- What kind of control panel will I get?
Hosting accounts come with a proprietary control panel.
- What is the uptime guarantee for shared hosting?
Network Solutions offers a 99.99% uptime guaranteed for Linux hosting, and a 99.9% uptime guarantee for Windows hosting. Both are backed by service credits for excess downtime. Downtime is measured across all servers, not individual accounts.
- What payment options does Network Solutions accept?
Payments can be made via MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover, and Paypal.
- What is its backup policy?
Network Solutions does not take backups of customer accounts. You can set up your own backups in its control panel.
- How many email addresses can I create?
The number of email accounts and email storage depends upon the plan you choose.
- Does it offer a CDN?
Some plans do include a CDN, but there are few details available.
- Are there any discounts for non-profits?
Yes. Network Solutions has a special plan for non-profit and community organizations.
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They are really professional, I’m a newbie in hosting stuff so I asked them so many questions on my hosting plan and how to set up those many features, they replied everything, sometimes in under 24 hour. So I’m a happy client.