What's it usually like?

I registered here a few days ago and I am already having many problems on server: skinner. Is it usually like this? I understand that they have a status page and everything and they try to explain the problems as best they can, but I have to say waiting 2 days is a bit over the top, imagine if i was running a commercial business on their server?

In any case, if I take advantage of the money-back guarantee, does the domain name I'm using free up straight away?

For the last few months, "usual" has varied greatly among Dreamhost users. My sites have been generally fine, and my email reliable, though there have been notable exceptions during short peroids of network trouble. I'm not happy about the "wait till Monday" tome of the current status reports, and *that* is *not* usual for Dreamhost; things are usually addressed in a very timely manner.

Others report entirely different experiences, with massive amounts of downtime, unusable email, etc. Bottom lilne, at this point I'd have to answer your question with," Your Mileage May Vary (YMMV)".

In reply to:
In any case, if I take advantage of the money-back guarantee, does the domain name I'm using free up straight away?

I'm not sure what you mean by "free up". If the domain is "free" with your Dreamhost account, you will have to pay for it if you cancel (currently $9.95 year), but once that is done, or if your domain was paid for by you or is registered with a different registrar, you are free to change the DNS to point it wherever you want. Does that help?

--rlparker

Usually they just have to reboot the server and so it's only down for 20 minutes once or twice a day, at least on Alexander. Or they have to reboot some other supporting equipment.

Terry

I'd just add that DH won't take you name if that's what you're worried about.

If you wanted to leave, the quick fix would be just changing your nameservers. If you do that (and your site is up here), setup your new hosting account before switching nameservers.

If you mean you want to transfer the registration, I'm pretty sure it's a standard rule (not just Dreamhost) that you have to wait 60 days. The only problem with that would be if your new host offered a free domain on transfers. You'd either have to wait, or use your free domain on something else, depending on their domain/sign-up policy.

What I mean is if I cancel my account ("Crazy Domain Insane" plan - 1 year) will dreamhost.com still be in control of my domain name?

That is-- if I went to say, IX Web Hosting, would I be able to register that same domain name with them after I have already cancelled it with dreamhost?

So is there a way I can completely remove my domainname information from dreamhost (instantly?)
Edited by nraffi on 09/09/06 00:45 AM (server time).

In reply to:
would I be able to register that same domain name with them after I have already cancelled it with dreamhost?

You are confusing domain name registration with doman hosting. If you registered the name with Dreamhost (as the registrar) then the answer is "No". After 60 days, you could *transfer* the domain registration from the Dreamhost registrar to a new registrar (usually, you will have to pay for the coming year - added to the end of your current registration period).

In reply to:
So is there a way I can completely remove my domainname information from dreamhost (instantly?)

If you are talkling about the *registration" information, the answer is "No". If you are talking about the DNS information that Dreamhost, as the registrar, maintains in order to be able to point your site to hosting resources, the answer is a qualified, "yes" - just put new nameservers into the Dreamhost Control panel to point to the new host. That is a "qualified" answer, in that it won't be "instant" - DNS has to propagate across the web for it to be in effect (can take from a matter of hours to several days).

--rlparker

I think my post answered this, but just to be clear:

In reply to:
will dreamhost.com still be in control of my domain name?

It will still be registered here, but it's yours. The $9.95 will probably be pulled from the refund, which pays a year. Registration and hosting are two separate things. You can point the nameservers where ever you want, even before cancelling your plan here.

In reply to:
would I be able to register that same domain name with them after I have already cancelled it with dreamhost?

So is there a way I can completely remove my domainname information from dreamhost (instantly?)

You can't delete the info, but there's no need to. Your options:

Registration stays at DH, you point the nameservers to any host you want.

Transfer registration to any host/registrar you want, but you'll probably have to wait 60 days to do that.

Also, note that you don't have to have it registered with any host. You could register it with someone like Godaddy, Namecheap, etc... whether you host at DH or any other host.

If you're next host offers a free domain on transfers, you'd have to wait before you could do that. That really just depends on the new host's policy, if they even offer a free domain (not all do--and some might not on transfers, but just on new registrations).

One other thing: If you transfer the registration, you don't lose the year you pay for here. Registrars will add 1 year on transfer.

I think I understand what you mean, but just to clarify could you explain:

*IF* I wanted to begin hosting the "Unlimited Pro" plan at IX Web Hosting would i be able to get my money back (or most of it)?