I have used Star Server for a year. I would like to share my personal Star Server usability (specifically the cons) in the hope that it will help those who are looking for a reputation.
Please note that this article was written on August 22, 2024.
It is possible that the Star Server will be greatly improved and easier to use in the future. In the meantime, we hope you understand that the content of this article is current at the time of writing.
...Bottom line, it didn't work for me.
What is Star Server?
Star Server is known as a "cheap rental server for beginners" operated by Net OWL Inc.
Net OWL Inc. has been providing Internet-related services since 2009, so it is not so new.
The Star Server itself seems to have been offered on August 7, 2017.
I first used Star Server in January 2023. After using it, I can honestly say that there were a few areas that I thought were disappointing.
I do not intend to continue using the service and plan to cancel it. I have already paid for 3 years and plan to cancel after 3 years.
Star Server also has several features.
Star Server Features
Basic functions are available.
It works just fine for running a website.
That said, any site created by an individual with HTML and CSS will work with any plan.
However, I would like to tell beginners who are considering "which rental server to use" that most rental servers are basically compatible if you want to run a modest site there.
Star Server also has all SSDs, PHP acceleration settings, and other measures in place to increase site display speed.
Available from 220 yen/month
Star Server is inexpensive. You can use it from 138 yen/month.
...Huh? The headline above says 220 yen/month....
This is actually a trap. Star Server has the cheapest plan, the Economy Plan.
But this plan only allows for minimal site management.It does not have an easy WordPress install function, and MySQL is not available.
Therefore, I treat it as if there is no economy plan. Given that, I would use the light plan for 220 yen/month.
Still, it makes no difference that they are inexpensive.
Star Server Reputation
If you've read this far into the article, you may have a dim view of this,I do not recommend Star Server myself.
The reasons for this are discussed below.
X (formerly Twitter) has the following reputation
- No connection, failure
- It's too good to be true that you get the domain for free.
- Cannot use adult content (adult-oriented)
- Star Server is fine for a simple site, right?
We have checked almost all submissions, up to August 2024. They can be divided into the above reputations. In particular, about 60% of the posts are about a failure and not being able to connect on the Star server.
In fact, in terms of low fees, they are popular with beginners who want to get started easily.
Disadvantages & Cons of Star Server
Here are the disadvantages I have found after using Star Server for a year.
Unable to configure DKIM, DMARC, SPF, etc.
This is exactly the reason why I intensely wanted to cancel my Star Server in March 2024.
What is DKIM?It's an important setting to make sure your mail gets through to the right person."It is.
To send email to Google, Yahoo, etc., outgoing domain authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) must be supported.
Briefly explained, this is a measure to prevent identity theft and phishing scams.
If you don't set up this authentication, your email will end up in their spam folder. In other words, even if you send an email to Gmail, it will not be delivered properly. It is the worst, isn't it?
Not sure if it is supported now; it was not in March.
By the way, all the other rental servers I use support these outgoing domain certificates. The only one that did not support them was Star Server.
Lack of support
Also, basically, Star Server lacks manuals and support. There is no phone support, only email support.
Also above all,Manuals and materials are clearly lacking.
The manual page itself is available.
However, it is not as hands-off as other rental servers. It is not uncommon to find no hits when you look up what you want to know.
As for the outbound domain authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) issues encountered above, I have searched and found no way to configure them on the Star server.
I found a message board where users can interact with each other, but I can't find any answers in the official manual at all.
No automatic backup
Also, Star Server does not have an automatic backup function.
This is why you need to make your own backups. If there is a critical problem with the site, if you don't have backups, you are finished.
Manual backup methods are explained in the manual, but they are clearly not beginner-friendly.
Do you recommend Star Server?
No, I did not. I personally did not find Star Server to be a good fit. Therefore, I do not recommend it.
However, this is just my personal opinion. I have nothing against Net OWL Inc. or StarServer, but I simply feel that if the service were improved, it would be easier to use.
This is a particularly low-cost service. If you choose it for its low price, it's an option.
It's just...I would only recommend other servers for the main site operation.
There were a few other minor stresses as well, such as not being able to configure the email settings to use on the Star server with another company's domain.
As a user who has been using the system for a year, I cannot recommend it in its current state.
Who would you recommend StarServer to?
If you run a website or blog for hobby purposes, that's fine.
The price is also cheap; the advantage of using WordPress is that you can use it from plans starting at 220 yen.
If you are only looking at cheapness, Star Server may be a good choice.
However, on the other hand, I found the service to be rather thin on the ground for commercial use by companies and businesses. In fact, I have used most of the domestic rental servers and they are difficult to use.
What domestic rental servers do you recommend?
You can choose as many rental servers as you like in Japan. In other words, there is no problem if you use a well-known service.
You often read articles that say, "This rental server is recommended for site management!" This rental server is recommended for running a website. To be honest, unless you have a very heavy site, you can run your site on any rental server in Japan.
Do you really need all those specs? All rental servers have such high performance that you may ask yourself, "Do I really need that many specs? Unless you have very low specs, you can use any of the rental servers.
I recommend Thin Rental Server.
By the way, I am currently using Thin Rental Server. The admin screen is easy to view and the various settings are easy to configure.
It's only slightly more expensive than the Star Server, but "which would you recommend?" I would definitely sayThin Rental ServerIt is recommended that you
- ease of use
- Does it have all the features?
- Fewer failures (security measures and stability)
- Support Availability
The above are important points to consider when choosing a rental server.
If you are in doubt, I would recommend Thin Rental Servers.
We look forward to your consideration.
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