Shot through the heart

Grrrhhh…. looks like I’m going to be paying for 2 hosting accounts now!

I told you before about the problem with 1&1.com in that I could only have 2 MySQL databases with my hosting when I really wanted a lot more. The service with 1&1 has been fantastic, but as I run a lot of site using MySQL I really wasted to have a single database dedicated to each individual website I host.

I thought I’d found the answer in Heartinternet.co.uk as they were offering a really good deal, which included 50 MySQL databases, for only £8.99 a month (around £10 including VAT). I thought this would solve my problems, and so today I signed up, ordered a new domain, got the hosting, and then started to have a good look around.

On my 1&1 I host lots of domains all pointing to various directories on my hosting, and as I wanted to start transferring over content and domains I went on the search for something like this. Hmmm.. it was a little odd that only 1 domain name was associated with the new hosting account, and that there didn’t seem to be the option to add new ones. Yes I could order new domains or transfer old ones in but I was starting to get a little worried. They do have a function where you can add in a ‘ghost’ domain, so you can play around with directories before you transfer over, but this was the final nail in the coffin as I could only choose one domain for the hosting plan!

Now I knew what I was lookin for, I search the FAQ and other areas and finally found out that ‘domain mapping’ for a SINGLE domain would cost me an extra £19.99 a year! Considering I have around 20 domains already that could prove very expensive! F**k that!

When I signed up it was luckily only on the monthly plan, so one option is to cancel, and the other option is to keep it, but purely use it for the MySQL databases which are what I really wanted them for. I can carry on using 1&1 and just consider the extra £10 a month I’m spending as a top-up for the databases as I would be paying a lot more than that to add the feature to 1&1.

I’m still annoyed though that Heart Internet didn’t just have a big banner saying ‘You can only host 1 domain on this account…or pay through your ass for more.”

On a hosting package with 50 MySQL databases, 10 gig webspace, 50 gig data transfer, 10,000 mail boxes, etc you would expect that being able to host multiple domain would be included. Bastards.

So what do think I shoud I should do?

I really need the MySQL, and I can still use the webspace for my business website I’m setting up (www.thanetmedia.co.uk) as well as storing demo sites, but once the sites are live and need a domain I’ll have to transfer them over to 1&1.

I think this is what I’ll have to do, which whilst it isn’t perfect, it’s the closest I can get to having what I want.

The final option though is to sign up for a Reseller account which is £30 a month (+VAT), which can host unlimited domains but which is a lot of money… too much for the moment.

I really do feel like I’ve been mislead on this. Grrrhhh!!!

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Update: I’m going to try and cancel my account with Heart Internet, but we’ll see how easy that will be. If I’m just using it for the MySQL databases then I’ve seen a few other possible hosts (In the US) which are much cheaper.