Odd Network Solutions Issue

[bhartzer]

I have both a Network Solutions account (from the 1990s) as well as a Network Solutions' Namejet account (all domains bought at NJ get sent over to your account at Netsol).

My email address is tied to both accounts. However, one of the accounts I can't get into (the NJ account), and have been using their password reset function to reset the password. I've even been talking with their tech support and THEY send the password reset emails, and I never get them. HOWEVER, I actually DO get their email right away when they send a PIN verification email while on the phone with them.

This has been an ongoing issue since mid October. Now several support tickets escalated to their highest level of support and they actually have closed all support tickets without notifying me of a resolution, and there hasn't been a resolution. Still working with about the 11th support person now via email, which is actually to my email on the account (which, I've been told by other support reps that it doesn't exist). One support ticket was closed by their support rep because "my email doesn't exist", even though they've been sending me PIN verification codes to that email address. Crazy.

The Network Solutions' solution right now is to "change my email address to something else" on the account by going through their account verification form (drivers license, utility bill, notarized, etc. etc.) but that's acceptable to me. I shouldn't have to change my email address because of their issue.

Anyone else have an issue with password reset emails at Network Solutions? By the way, when was the last time you reset your password? (We get stolen domain recovery requests from Netsol, so that's also why I'm asking).

 

[bhartzer]

I finally resolved this issue. Turns out that it's an odd setup that Network Solutions has for sending emails.

This issue with Network Solutions that literally took 3 months to resolve. Yes, 3 MONTHS to resolve the issue. 2 months of that was working with my web host to figure out; neither the best techs at HostDime Global nor did the Network Solutions support techs knew what was causing the issue. Of course they both blamed each other for several months.


Whenever you purchase domain names through NameJet, those domain names are automatically put into a "random" Network Solutions account that they create for you. You're told the username, but you need to use the password reset function of Network Solutions to reset the password. No big deal, right?

Well, it turns out, that for me, that password reset function didn't work. It apparently was sending an email, but that email wasn't being received. I actually confirmed it with my web host, and the emails weren't even getting to my server. We (me and the host) checked the email logs and they were not getting to my server.

After 4 different support tickets set up at Network Solutions, Tweeting at them, calling, chatting, etc., those tickets all ended up being closed by Netsol without my knowledge. I'd call back in or message them for a status, and they had closed the ticket with no resolution whatsoever. Actually, one support closed a ticket because "my email address didn't exist". This despite the fact that they were sending emails to me about domain renewals and, while on the phone with them, they sent a 'verification pin number' via email and I received those emails just fine. So they can send me email for pin verification, but never a password reset email. Huh.

So, escalating it once again, a few more support tickets, I finally got it to a point where I was emailing back and forth (with the same email address) with someone in Corporate (Newfold). He was unable to resolve the issue.

Here I am, today, again trying to see the status since I haven't heard anything from Network Solutions.

It was mentioned that there was an issue with the MX record, and apparently it had an underscore the MX record. It turns out that Cloudflare obfuscates the true host mail record. Long story short, if you use Cloudflare for your DNS, then there's a technical way that you have to set up the mail records (you need an additional A record for mail, and that has to point to your IP address that handles mail). Otherwise, Cloudflare obfuscates, and you actually won't be getting all of your email. Most will go through, enough so you won't notice an issue. However, I've learned through all of this that certain companies (such as Network Solutions) won't get delivered.

Bottom line? If you're using Cloudflare for DNS, and that domain uses email, there's a good chance they're obfuscating your mail records. If that's the case, PM me and I can tell you how to fix this.

*tl;dr* I wasn't getting certain emails from Network Solutions because their wacky email setup at their company won't deliver emails to domains whose email records are being obfuscated to protect you from getting spam email. Check your MX records (email records) on your domain to make sure it's not being obfuscated.