Advice on Setting up a Domain+email Hosting

KBZ on 24/01/2015 - 11:39
Last edited 24/01/2015 - 11:39

Hi Guys,

I just need some advice regarding setting up a domain+hosting for a family business, the current email we are using is just some basic freebie that we got from our internet provider but it's been down for 2 days and has been unreliable recently so we want to move on to something more reliable and preferably with our own domain.

I'm not that technically diverse, but more than willing to learn if just pointed to the right direction.

I'm thinking of using FastMail and getting a domain at namecheap.com (I got quoted about $14 a year for the domain I want) are these good providers? I did some research and FastMail does seem to be getting good reviews domain sites hard to find independent reviews but I hear I should avoid GoDaddy?

Reading their 'How To" The process seems quite simple is their anything I need to look out for?

Internet

Comments

  • airzone on 24/01/2015 - 12:16

    You can just use their name servers and it makes it easy. Be wary that changes take from 5 minutes to 24 hours to replicate

  • c64 on 24/01/2015 - 12:41
    +1

    separating your business email address from your isp is definitely a good move. i always shake my head whenever i see businesses with contact emails such as [email protected] etc. it is essentially locking you to telstra. buy a domain and own your email address.

    namecheap has the option of forwarding all emails to your domain to another email address. if you have more advanced requirements (webmail, imap, spam filtering etc) then you will need some sort of email hosting (fastmail, gmail etc).

    you also need to consider archiving/backing up your emails. what happens if your email hoster accidently loses all your emails?

    you should also know how to change the mx dns records for your domain (or set up a backup mail relay) in case your email hoster goes down for an extended period of time.

    • KBZ on 24/01/2015 - 15:44

      Thanks for the response mattgal, I've been meaning to do this for the business for a while so this whole issue has definitely catalyzed the process.

      Currently we are using POP3 so all the messages are saved on to our local server so not much problems there. Do you think we should be moving on to another protocol?

      you should also know how to change the mx dns records for your domain (or set up a backup mail relay) in case your email hoster goes down for an extended period of time.

      This flew over my head so ill read up on that.

      • c64 on 25/01/2015 - 06:34

        imap has its advantages, but if everything is working well then making changes is not necessary.

        with imap, all of your emails are stored on a mail server and you cache messages locally on a pc. this allows your emails to be accessed from multiple pcs using a mail client (sort of like webmail, but without the web interface). for pop3, your email client usually downloads all emails from the server, stores them on your pc and then removes them from the mail server.

        This flew over my head so ill read up on that.

        in the link you gave you are setting/changing your domain's mx dns record. this tells people wanting to send emails to @yourdomain.com the hostname of the mail server to send emails to.

        • KBZ on 25/01/2015 - 11:48

          Ah I see thanks for the clarification.

  • bjdchwr on 24/01/2015 - 13:31

    In my opinion, the GoDaddy is OK for domain registrations and I just use VPS or virtual host elsewhere.

  • GOFYS on 24/01/2015 - 14:58

    Try crazydomains.com.au. Cheap enough to get you website and email without searching the planet, and easy enough to navigate through signing up for Hosted email, and progressing to website etc..

    • c64 on 24/01/2015 - 15:17

      i think the OP is after reliability :)

  • pennae on 24/01/2015 - 16:14
    +3

    Or run Google Apps through cheap domain hosting (eg Dreamhoast) :) Gmail is reliable and so easy to manage.

    • deepdag on 25/01/2015 - 07:23

      I second this. Google apps very easy to set up. It took me just few mins to get it up & running.

      Also be careful while choosing the host as fair few went bust in last two years.

    • Noblejoker on 25/01/2015 - 22:34

      Totally agree Run Gapps myself for years
      Although you need to know it is no longer free for personal or business (only educational)
      There is a paid version but it is pretty expensive and pay per user
      I think Microsoft has a similar free option
      Outlook (hotmail) is nowhere near as good as gmail IMO but if you are using through desktop it may do

  • zrach on 24/01/2015 - 20:15

    try dreamhost

  • [Deactivated] on 24/01/2015 - 20:26

    I'd recommend using any domain registrar + cloudflare DNS(free) + Zoho mail (free).
    I use Zoho mail and haven't had any issues.

  • KBZ on 24/01/2015 - 23:08

    Hi Guys,

    Thanks for all the responses,
    I ended up getting the domain at namecheap.com and just used Fastmail.
    Just a quick question if I do decide to move to a different hosting whether it be it Google/Dreamhost/etc.

    If I just change the nameserver on my domain admin page (to my new host) it won't interrupt the flow of emails coming to me as long as I keep the same email i.e [email protected] right???

    • [Deactivated] on 24/01/2015 - 23:20

      Everything changes when you change the nameserver. (Meaning you won't get emails anymore)
      Your best bet is to use NameCheap's default nameservers, and just use their DNS hosting to create A records pointing to your hosting, and MX records pointing to Fastmail.

    • c64 on 25/01/2015 - 06:45

      configure the fastmail dns first (set up all the records). then point the name servers for your domain on namecheap to fastmail's dns servers.

      • KBZ on 25/01/2015 - 11:45

        Yep that's what I did and just sent a few test emails and its working, just asking if I decide to change hosting companies in the future I'll need to configure namecheap to redirect dns queries from my old host to the new one; and as long as I keep my email address format (same prefix [email protected]) I shouldn't have any interruptions with my email as in I won't have to tell my contacts what my new email address is.

        • KBZ on 25/01/2015 - 15:11

          *?

        • c64 on 25/01/2015 - 21:26
          +1

          caching is heavily used by dns servers around the world to reduce the load on the top-level root name servers and authorative domain name servers.

          when someone at an isp resolves a host name it is cached by the isp's name servers. dns records have a ttl associated with them (time-to-live), typically 5 mins - a couple of days. this tells caching name servers how long to keep cached records.

          so if you made some changes, cached copies of old mx records might be used by people trying to send you emails (ie, emails might get sent to your old mail hosting servers for a couple of days if your ttl was a couple of days).

          some solutions would be: lowering the mx record's ttl to a small value (say a couple of minutes) sufficiently in advance or you could run both your old mail hosting and new mail hosting simultaneously for a short while if your ttl was high while you wait for dns record changes to be propogated (rather than just switching off the old hosting and then switching on the new hosting).

          the fastmail link you gave talks about ttls a bit.

        • KBZ on 25/01/2015 - 22:17

          Oh wow I thanks for pointing that out palm to the face moment.

  • timmypete on 25/01/2015 - 01:14

    I see the OP has already pulled the trigger with Fastmail. I'm an existing and very satisfied customer using my own domains.

    With the question on changing domain hosts, a lot will let you set DNS records in the five days between initiating a transfer and it completing. It's worth checking this is the case beforehand, but if done the transfer is seamless.

    I did this transferring a domain from Enetica to Serversaurus (which like Fastmail is Melbourne based and a great service), but I'm sure there are dozens of hosts who do the same.

    • c64 on 25/01/2015 - 06:44

      With the question on changing domain hosts, a lot will let you set DNS records in the five days between initiating a transfer and it completing. It's worth checking this is the case beforehand, but if done the transfer is seamless.

      i don't think the OP is transferring the domain to fastmail, just configuring namecheap to redirect dns queries to fastmail's dns servers.

      • KBZ on 25/01/2015 - 11:46

        Yes that's correct just redirecting the DNS queries to FastMail.

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