Single registrar or multiple registrars

For a large number of domain names

[caran1]

If you have a large number of domain names (100+), is it advisable to keep the domains with a single registrar or with multiple registrars. For a single registrar , you get better pricing, but if there is a problem , all websites will be affected.
Any feedback is appreciated.

[davezan]

but if there is a problem , all websites will be affected.

That'll happen only if any of the following occur:

1. You use their DNS for all domain names and they experience trouble.

2. Your account/s lock/s up for whatever reason (e.g. login unsuccessful, billing problems, etc.)

3. Legal issues occur. (e.g. Court order for all domains registered in your name.)

Other than those (and whatever I might have missed), there's no reason your websites will be down even if you use the same registrar. Many people use the same registrar solely for domain management and their website/email/etc. hosting elsewhere.

[stu2]

I prefer to have 1 good quality registrar where I can manage all of my domains on the same control panel.

Registrars don't necessarily deal with webites, and I'd certainly recommend that you register your domains with a registrar and host your websites with a good quality webhost, who is independent of your registrar.

OK this does mean having a separate webhost and registrar. So why do I recommend that? Well it's basically for insurance in case you have any kind of dispute with your webhost (it happens). They cannot lock you out of your registrar account and you can simply sign up with a new webhost and point your domains to the new webhost, with minimal downtime to your websites.

[caran1]

Thanks for the replies. I keep my hosting and domain registration separate. I'm worried about account locking and legal issues. If the registrar is in a different country, has anyone tried resolving a legal problem?

[Pedent]

Splitting your domains across two registrars may halve the damage done if you encounter problems, but it also doubles the chance that you'll do so.

[edited by: Pedent at 4:19 pm (utc) on Nov. 18, 2006]

[srmn8tr]

I am approaching 160 domains, and I currently spread them across about a half-dozen registrars for the following reasons:

1) If you do any SEO stuff, having all your domains with one registrar can raise a red flag with the search engines, even if you use whois privacy (which I do for all my domains)
2) As far as risk, I believe it is less risky to have more than one registrar, because if the one you choose has problems it's either all your domains or some of your domains. Having multiple registrars is more work, but if you manage your info well it's actually not bad at all. This assumes, of course, you choose good companies to work with (a trial and error proposition)

Jim

[stu2]

I like your thoughts on that, Pendant. Personally, I think you can skew the 50% in your favor if you select your registrar well, and, never do a chargeback.

[caran1]

Has anyone had problems with a registrar in some other country and how were they resolved?

[gpmgroup]

Split it a different way

Registrar
3rd Party DNS
Hosting company or companies.

Any problems / changes should then be transparent

Using more than one registrar for a sizable number of domains quickly becomes very time intensive.

[stu2]

Now, instead of 2 parties pointing fingers, we have 3 parties pointing fingers at each other when things go wrong :)

[DonMateo]

Just keep a list of all your domains in an access or mysql database, or even in excel. List the domain name along with the registrar you used and the date you registered the domain. Then it's easy to see which domain is where, and easy to determine which domains are about to expire.

Maybe you don't need that for 100 .coms but you'll find it is very useful if you grow your portfolio or start mixing in ccTLDs (where prices really change a lot with different registrars).