domain name transfer advice please (.com)

[beastman]

I have a domain that I only use for email (I actually use Gmail using my domain email address) and it needs renewing. I am really skint at the moment and I am looking to save some money and transfer it to cheaper provider. It looks like moving it to a US provider would be about half the costs with someone like namecheap and it would seem a logical thing to do but I don't want to bugger it up. Can anyone advice any pros/cons?

thanks.

 

[Redrum]

There aren't really any cons. The main thing to watch out for is what happens with your DNS hosting. Most domain registrars provide free DNS hosting when you register a domain, but if you transfer the domain out, they will likely cancel the DNS hosting, and you will no longer be able to receive emails. Or, a less likely but possible problem is the new registrar will change the DNS servers to their own when they receive the domain but don't set the MX records up for your email.

So if you are using your current registrar's DNS servers, you need to make sure your new registrar has DNS servers correctly configured ready for you to use.

The only other thing to worry about is the expiry date of the domain. .com transfers can easily take a few weeks to go through, so if your domain expires soon, you need to get on with it. Most registrars will renew your domain for one year when you transfer to them as a means of charging you something for the transfer.

 

[Craig321]

It's all quite straight forward, just follow the transfer process on either end (your current provider and the new one) and you'll be fine.

As far as renewals go, most transfers will offer renewal as well so that's nothing to worry about.

Have you checked GoDaddy? That's where I get my .coms. They constantly have around 30% off (Google for codes). You can get quite a good deal on a .com and privacy if you look around.

 

[Beansprout]

Most registrars will renew your domain for one year when you transfer to them as a means of charging you something for the transfer.

.com and most other gtld transfers have a registry-mandated renew-at-transfer policy so it's not the company you buy from forcing the charge - if anything the charge is a barrier to moving the domain, unlike say a .uk where a tag change is free

 

[beastman]

There aren't really any cons. The main thing to watch out for is what happens with your DNS hosting. Most domain registrars provide free DNS hosting when you register a domain, but if you transfer the domain out, they will likely cancel the DNS hosting, and you will no longer be able to receive emails. Or, a less likely but possible problem is the new registrar will change the DNS servers to their own when they receive the domain but don't set the MX records up for your email.

So if you are using your current registrar's DNS servers, you need to make sure your new registrar has DNS servers correctly configured ready for you to use.

thanks for all the replies.....bit more confident in doing this now. I just don't wont to lose my email whilst there is a transition. With regard to DNS hosting, I take it that isn't such an issue when I don't have a website? I recall changing my MX records for my email on my control panel with my current domain provider......like this:

https://support.google.com/a/answer/174125?hl=en&ctx=cb&src=cb&cbid=11ysq3ji4ghcp&cbrank=0

Is this is what I would have to do with the new domain registrar and how its is all timed for a smooth transition?

 

[Redrum]

With regard to DNS hosting, I take it that isn't such an issue when I don't have a website?

As you don't have a website, the only thing you probably have to worry about are the MX records. Ideally you want to pre-configure nameservers at the registrar you're moving to with the MX records, then there will be no problem, but it depends on who you transfer to as to whether they offer that.

You could have some other DNS records, but I assume you'd know if you did. Did you ever set up DKIM for your email or anything like that? Did you verify your ownership of the domain when you set your email up with Google by using a text record?

If you have a look in your existing provider's DNS control panel, it should show you what records you have.

 

[beastman]

As you don't have a website, the only thing you probably have to worry about are the MX records. Ideally you want to pre-configure nameservers at the registrar you're moving to with the MX records, then there will be no problem, but it depends on who you transfer to as to whether they offer that.

Thanks. Its getting a touch tricky this.

You could have some other DNS records, but I assume you'd know if you did.

No just MX records/cname records as far as I know (from lookimng at my domain control panel)

Did you ever set up DKIM for your email or anything like that?

Definitely no.

Did you verify your ownership of the domain when you set your email up with Google by using a text record?

Don't think so!

I think on balance unless I can find a cheapo provider that offers easy pre-configuring of the name servers I'd probably best stick with my existing setup as knowing my luck my email will go missing.