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Network Solutions Review: Web Hosting |
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| Great price and great performance with a variety of cool features, but a few quirks keep it from being a gold standard; includes 55% discount | ||||||||||||||||
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[Editor's note: Network Solutions is offering NextAdvisor visitors an over 55% discount on web hosting, bringing the price down from $9.29 to $3.99 per month. There's no need to enter a coupon, just follow any link to Network Solutions from NextAdvisor.com] We can sum up Network Solutions in three simple words: Inexpensive. Reliable. Limited. It's a web hosting service with lots of useful, interesting features, but can be weighed down by a confusing user interface and a sometimes difficult site builder. Setup One of the best things about Network Solutions is how simple the setup is. Pick your plan. Choose your domain, which is free for 10 years. Pay, and then you are ready to start building a website! The site even takes you to some FAQs about building your site that proved very informative. You also have the option to bypass those and dig right in. Interface Network Solutions' interface looks very sleek and user-friendly, and for the most part it is. But it is easy to get lost or confused with their wide range of options, many of which are labeled similarly. Also, many of the features use pop-up windows and software that doesn't always integrate well with the site, causing delays, work-arounds, and other inconveniences, especially for browsers that are not compatible. On the plus side, Network Solutions often goes out of its way to explain any issues or confusion with the interface, which makes the process a little easier. Features Network Solutions offers a site builder that has a wide range of options, templates and features to help you build a somewhat robust website. Sadly, the builder lacks when it comes to response time and user friendliness. In some instances, we were unable to click on certain features, such as the text-editing tool, and had to refresh the entire page to gain access. The other features range from RSS feeds to on-site blogs, and everything in between. The one thing that Network Solutions doesn't skimp on is features, although some do cost extra. The site includes site statistics to keep track of your traffic, and security to protect your site, rounding out the basic web hosting package. Network Solutions also offers domain privacy protection for $9.99/year, which will hide your personal information (address, e-mail and phone number) which usually needs to be published with the domain name. For $6.99/month, you can also make your website mobile ready. Network Solutions also has a "Special Offers" tab that gives you updates on features that are currently being discounted. Unlike other web hosts, Network Solutions doesn't offer a shopping cart option as part of its basic web hosting package. If you want to build an ecommerce site, there is a separate section with different pricing. The most basic online store on Network Solutions is $29.95/month. Performance Network Solutions did very well in our wide range of performance tests, although we have only been testing its performance for a short time. It recorded very little downtime, and had one of the fastest response times of all the web hosting services we reviewed. For uptime, higher percentages are better. For all others, lower numbers indicate better performance.
Support Support can be tricky with Network Solutions. On the plus side, they offer a wide range of ways to get in touch with their support team, as well as a detailed and organized interface to help you locate your problem more quickly. On the down side, their chat feature was down both times we tried to use it (but kept popping up asking if we needed help when we didn't), and you need to manage their maze of automated messages before you can get a live person. If you don't want to wait for a live person, Network Solutions offers MyTime Support, which is a paid service that connects you with a live support person who can help with issues that aren't covered by their basic support coverage. Between all of these features, the support we received was extensive and helpful. Conclusion There are a few quirks here and there when dealing with Network Solutions, including their sometimes hard to use website builder. But for the most part, Network Solutions is a solid web hosting service that performs well and is reliable. If you are looking for an inexpensive, reliable web hosting service, check out Network Solutions. |
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| Cheapest Price: | $3.99/mo with 55% NextAdvisor discount |
| Storage/Data Transfer: | Unlimited |
| Money-Back Guarantee: | 30 days |
| Domain: | Free for 10 years |
| Support: | Email, Phone, Chat |
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