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Network Solutions Review: More than Just Hosting
Last Updated by Moh'd on
September 28, 2021
Network Solutions was the world’s first domain registrar, they were the first to start registering the .com, .net, and .org top-level domains, which says something about how long they have been in the market as pioneers.
However, we know being the first isn’t everything. With four decades of providing solutions for users with different products, Network Solutions has proved itself to be worthy of standing with the top hosting providers.
Quick Stats
Choosing a web host is overwhelming and considers multiple factors; for example, is it easy to use? Does it have what you need? Does it have reliable customer service in case I need help? Is it affordable? Is Network Solutions the right service for me?
All these are the questions you ask yourself before purchasing your web hosting plan. That's why we write our detailed review about different web hosts to help you find the right one.
This is an in-depth review of Network Solutions's shared hosting plans. To find out all you need to know, keep reading.
Hosting Types and Plans
Network Solutions offers multiple types of hosting. These include:
- Shared hosting: With 4 plans available, you can host your website starting from $3.79/month.
- WordPress hosting: Although we usually recommend Bluehost for WordPress, Network Solutions will host your WordPress website starting at $7.99/month.
- Reseller Hosting: Host your server for third parties with Network Solutions. It is important to mention that reseller hosting isn't available as a strict plan but rather as part of their wholesale affiliate program.
You can choose one of the above types, but if you're a small-medium business, shared hosting is what you're looking for. So, keep reading to find out all you need to know about it.
Network Solutions Shared Hosting Plans
If you're looking for either Linux or hosting plans, Network Solutions is the answer. You can choose from four Linux plans. To make it easier, we created the plans in a table to showcase the features.
Let's take a look at the Linux shared hosting plans:
| Plans | Personal Websites | Small Business Websites | Professional | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Disk Space | 15 GB | 300 GB | Unlimited Disk Space | Unlimited Disk Space |
| Number of Websites | 1 Website | 3 Websites | 10 Websites | 10 Websites |
| Emails | 5 Email Boxes | 1000 Email Boxes | Unlimited Email Boxes | Unlimited Email Boxes |
| Business Tax Savings Analysis | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| Domain Name | N/A | Included | Included | Included |
| SiteLock | N/A | Includes Malware Scanning | Premium Includes: Malware Scanning, Auto Malware Removal | Included |
| Mailbox | 150 | 500 | Unlimited Mail Boxes | Unlimited Mail Boxes |
| SSL Certificate | N/A | N/A | N/A | Included |
| Price for a 1-Year term | $3.79/Month | $9.96/Month | $34.95/Month | $40.78/Month |
2. Network Solutions WordPress hosting
Network Solutions offers WordPress hosting as well for users who want to start their WordPress blog website, with a 1-click installer and a set of tools and features that would make the job easier and more convenient for users.
WordPress hosting plans and features include:
| Plans | WordPress for Entrepreneurs | WordPress for a Growing Business | WordPress for Professionals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Storage | 50 GB | 100 GB | 200 GB |
| Emails | 10 Email Boxes | 25 Email Boxes | 50 Email Boxes |
| WordPress Sites | 1 WordPress Site | 3 WordPress Sites | 5 WordPress Sites |
| On-Demand Cloud Backup | Included | Included | Included |
| Domain Name | Free with an Annual Term | Free with an Annual Term | Free with an Annual Term |
| Multisite Management | N/A | Included | Included |
| SSL Certificate | N/A | Included | Included |
| Price | $7.99/Month | $13.98/Month | $18.98/Month |
There's a 30-day money-back guarantee on all plans allowing you to try out Network Solutions services before you come to a final decision risk-free.
It is important to note that Network Solutions doesn't offer free domain migration, as it costs $9.99.
Payment Methods
Like other web hosts, you can pay for your plan using a credit card or PayPal. Credit cards include Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover.
Network Solutions' Ease of Use
Regarding how easy it is to use Network Solutions, the website was easy to navigate and get to the available plans, at least the shared hosting and the WordPress hosting plans.
Setting up the plans is easy; you'll have to fill in some personal information like your name, email, number, and so on. Pay for your plan, and you'll be set to use your hosting plan.
The interface is easy to use with a cPanel and 1-click app installer where you can download any app you need.
Reaching the reseller hosting, on the other hand, requires accessing the wholesale affiliate program, which includes filling out forms and waiting for a response back after some time, which complicates things.
Customer Support
If you want to contact customer support, they're available 24/7 on the following platforms:
- Live chat
- Phone
- Knowledge base
- Blog
You'll connect with an agent within a few seconds. When contacting their agents, we found them to be knowledgeable and straight to the point, which is a plus knowing that someone with expertise has your back.
Best Deal - Starting $3.79/Month!
Security
Network Solutions has got your back with multiple security features. These include:
Free SSL certificate
SSL certificate is included in all their shared hosting plans, with the exception of the Personal Websites plan.
The SSL certificate will help encrypt data between the browser and the server using TLS encryption, which means your website data will be secure.
With SSL certification, you'll get a better ranking on search engines and the trust of customers in online transactions, thanks to it.
Password protected directories
Through the cPanel, you can secure certain parts of your website by adding a password to certain parts of your website.
This helps limit non-members from accessing parts of your website, thus limiting usage of important pages that only an admin should have access to or grant access to users who paid for a service instead.
Sitelock Protection
Need to protect your website from malware and hackers? Sitelock is the ultimate tool you can use that provides you security and ease of mind. Sitelock functions to protect you from:
1. Viruses and malware: With Sitelock, your website will be scanned on a daily basis to check for any possible viruses and protect you from them. If a virus or malware is detected, it will be removed automatically.
2. Invalid redirects: A type of attack that can damage your website traffic is an invalid redirect attack that takes traffic from your website to somewhere else. Sitelock can protect you from such attacks.
3. Network Solutions offers a firewall with their servers to protect from any attack, including DDoS attacks—specifically, multi-layer DDoS protection.
4. Other vulnerabilities (SQL injections, cross-site scripting, and more).
24/7 network monitoring
Know your website is in safe hands with Network Solutions, they monitor their websites and servers 24/7 to ensure nothing goes wrong.
Site backup
All the shared hosting plans come with an on-demand cloud backup option and multiple recovery points. This means you can restore your website from multiple points of your choice.
Load Times, Reliability & Features
What about Network Solutions' uptime and features? Let's take a look:
Uptime & Speed
Everyone wants their website to be always up and running. With Network Solutions, the uptime on our tests was 98.7%, which is relatively low when compared to other hosting providers.
When it comes to speed, there's a free CDN included for the first month; it's optional and can be purchased as an add-on later on if needed. With other web hosts, you might not have to worry about your speed, but with Network Solutions, you'll have to keep an eye on it.
Features
There are plenty of features to benefit from when creating your website. These include:
- cPanel
- 1-click app installer
- Free website builder
- On-demand backup
- Google apps integration
If what you want is not included, you can always purchase it as an add-on.
For Advanced Users
Network Solutions provides some developer-friendly tools for advanced users. Hence, if you're a programmer, you'll be happy to know you'll get the following:
- Python
- Rubi on Rails
- Perl
- MySQL database and MS Access database support
- Visual studio 2013 integration, Web Deploy, and Web Matrix compatible (Windows hosting)
- Latest PHP versions 7.x
- System management tools: Cron Job Scheduling (Linux hosting)
These are tools mixed between both operating systems: Linux and Windows. However, there's a lot more. Check out their website to know.
Custom error pages
When a website isn't loading, usually an error page appears; it differs from one web browser to the other. Network Solutions gives you the chance to make your website look more professional by customizing the error page in any way you like. You can refer to the knowledge base to know how to create it.
Server location
The best part about using Network Solutions is they have multiple servers worldwide. You can choose between:
- Denver, USA
- London, UK
- Singapore
- JHB, South Africa
- Frankfurt, Germany
- Mumbai, India
- Sydney, Australia
It's recommended to choose a web server that's close to your target audience.
Website builder
If Linux hosting is your choice, their plans come with a free website builder. Network Solutions provide you with their own website builder with multiple templates for you to choose from. You can build the website of your dreams, even if it's your first one. No coding is required.
Bottom Line
Like any web hosting provider, Network Solutions has its ups and downs.
Their website includes almost anything you can imagine that you might want to use in a website, ranging from security features such as a free SSL certificate, password-protected directories, and more to general features; Network Solutions won't fail you.
On the other hand, there are a few issues that might be concerning for some, such as the below-average uptime as we recorded last year, in addition to the lack of free migration.
If you decide it's the one for you, try it out for 30 days and get a refund if you change your mind.