Switching from GoDaddy to DNSimple

We've been using godaddy.com to manage our domain names and serverbeach.com (where we lease servers) to manage our DNS.

A good friend of mine Anthony Eden created an app call DNSimple.com which takes the pain out of managing all of this stuff. For a few months now, we've been buying domains from DNSimple but we hadn't moved everything until last week when I spoke to Anthony and he gave me a few details I was missing:

• You don't lose any time. So if I have 6 months left on a domain registration, I don't lose that time when I switch, my new registration get tacked on the end of it.
• I don't lose my current DNS settings. Although I want to use DNSimple to manage my dns settings, some of my domains have a lot of configuration and I never had the time to move everything at once. It turns out I don't have to: DNSimple will use your existing DNS server by default if you transfer. Now I can do all of this in two steps, which makes it easier for me.

Here are some tips on how to change to get things to go smoothly:

1. On godaddy you'll have to unlock each domain you want to switch and turn off privacy settings.
2. You'll need an authorization code from godaddy for each domain. Here's how to get that.
3. Go to DNSimple.com and click "Add a Domain" and make sure you tick the "Register or transfer this domain" box.
4. You'll get a confirmation email from "Aetrion LLC DBA DNSimple.com." Follow the link in the email and submit the form approving the transfer (aparently ICANN requires this).
5. Go back to godaddy and approve the transfers (instructions are in the link above), this is so you don't have to wait 5 days for it to auto approve.
6. That's it!

Here are a few more tips from Anthony:

• You can only transfer a domain once every 60 days and only if it's at least 60 days since purchase.
• Your current registrar may cancel the transfer. If so contact them or Anthony for extra help.

Now go signup and make your life easier simpler.

8 Comments

Adam Wiggall said on January 04, 2012

Steve,

Like you I have been a customer of DNSimple for a while but hadn’t made transfers (just bought new stuff).

I did this very same thing yesterday for my main domains and the whole process was completed in under three hours. Since then I’ve used the API to make some amendments to my account and I’m really pleased with how it has all gone.

Props to Anthony for putting together such a useful service.

Adam

Adam Wiggall said on January 04, 2012

Steve,

Like you I have been a customer of DNSimple for a while but hadn’t made transfers (just bought new stuff).

I did this very same thing yesterday for my main domains and the whole process was completed in under three hours. Since then I’ve used the API to make some amendments to my account and I’m really pleased with how it has all gone.

Props to Anthony for putting together such a useful service.

Adam

Marcus Neto said on January 04, 2012

I recently completed the switch. I had just been putting it off as switching registrars and hosts is always a pain. The switch was relatively simple but I will say that all of my DNS settings were lost in the transfer. I don’t know why mine would be different but I lost a day or two (no biggie) over the holidays of uptime due to this.

Kevin said on January 04, 2012

Does your website go down when you are transferring the domain?

Steven Bristol said on January 04, 2012

@Kevin,

No, it’s not affected at all. Zero down time.

Adam said on January 04, 2012

Steve – are you going to move away from GoDaddy for your SSL cert? If you are – any suggestions?

Bryce said on January 04, 2012

I switched too. I was super simple and the interface isn’t overwhelmed with ads and things trying to up sell their product.

Steven Bristol said on January 04, 2012

@Adam,

That question has crossed my mind, but I haven’t done anything about it yet. I think I will move them from godaddy when they expire, but I’m not sure where.