Recommend Me Domain Hosting with Free or Cheap E-mail Forwarding

[unknowing]

What domain host do you recommend that has e-mail forwarding? I want to transfer so I am concerned about annual cost, transfer cost, and cost if any for email forwarding.
Thanks

[eugeneo]

What do you mean domain hosting? Do you want to host a website or you are looking for a website registrar?

For email, I recommend Google Apps its free and easy to use.

[unknowing]

What do you mean domain hosting? Do you want to host a website or you are looking for a website registrar?

For email, I recommend Google Apps its free and easy to use.

I guess I am looking for a website registrar. I have a domain, and use it for an email address, so the email forwarding is important.

[mcplar]

i use gmail for my email server. Very simple to set it up and no forwarding! Biggest + is that it's free. Quick google search gives you plenty of how to pages. Here is one for example - http://www.coffeecup.com/help/articles/set-up-gmail-for-your-own-domain/

You don't need a registrar - if you have your own domain, the registrar was the company you purchased your domain through.

[unknowing]

i use gmail for my email server. Very simple to set it up and no forwarding! Biggest + is that it's free. Quick google search gives you plenty of how to pages. Here is one for example - http://www.coffeecup.com/help/articles/set-up-gmail-for-your-own-domain/

You don't need a registrar - if you have your own domain, the registrar was the company you purchased your domain through.

That sounds great! Where they refer to connecting to the server that hosts your website, can that just be my domain registrar where I currently control my domain and email forwarding? Do I need this S drive them mention?

[mcplar]

no you don't need the S-Drive thing or FTP.. you don't even need a webhost (www.yourname.com pages).

So you edit the DNS entry through your registrar settings - you'll have to ask them for help if you're not familiar.

Here is the help page for the domain verification - http://support.google.com/a/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=60216

[unknowing]

no you don't need the S-Drive thing or FTP.. you don't even need a webhost (www.yourname.com pages).

So you edit the DNS entry through your registrar settings - you'll have to ask them for help if you're not familiar.

Here is the help page for the domain verification - http://support.google.com/a/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=60216

OK, if I do this, do I still need to keep, and pay the old Registrar? Or once this is done, I am free of the Registrar, and I can maintain the domain at google apps for free?

Also, do I need to edit the DNS server entries? Does this need to be done before my domain expires with the old Registrar?

Thanks

[Adevictus]

Namecheap + Google Apps = solid way to go

[sexyj]

You still need to pay whoever domain registrar you are using yearly for the domain renewal. What you are doing googleapps is chaning to MX record to tell where emails are being received.

[mcplar]

OK, if I do this, do I still need to keep, and pay the old Registrar?

- Yes you pay the registrar the fee to keep your domain name only! You update your DNS (MX) entries through your registrar's control panel to point to gmail.


Or once this is done, I am free of the Registrar, and I can maintain the domain at google apps for free?

- read above answer.. as long as you want a www.yourname.com/.ca etc, you will never be free of the registrar. Google apps is free but you never know what the future will bring.


Also, do I need to edit the DNS server entries? Does this need to be done before my domain expires with the old Registrar?

- again first answer. Who ever your registrar is (you can let it expire and renew somewhere else - or straight up transfer early to a new one), this is where you update your DNS entries ;)

Any more questions, feel free to shoot me a PM or reply!

[unknowing]

Thanks to everyone for helping a total noob. I hope that my domain transfer goes smooth!