Randall
Active Member
Let me ask you some questions that may sound "obvious" but can
have downright scary answers. Did you buy your domain name from
a service? Do you know who is in control of your domain name?
Have you done a "Whois" search to find out? The answer may very
well shock you!
Buying a domain name is a very easy thing to do. But if you buy
a domain name without any knowledge of "ownership" vs.
"control", you could very well be headed down a bumpy road.
Unfortunately, most Web site owners are unaware that "ownership"
does not equate to "control." Just because you paid for your
domain name does not mean you have access or authority to make
changes, transfers or other necessary functions. But if not you
- the owner - who does?
There are 4 components to a domain name:
1.Registrant: you - the person who registered the domain name
2.Billing Contact: could be anyone 3.Technical Contact: could be
anyone 4.Administrative Contact: could be anyone
The registrant is you. You might assume that items two, three
and four are also you. A natural assumption. Guess what. most of
the time they are not! THIS is where you get into trouble.
Who's In Control?
So whose names are listed in the "control" spots? Nine times out
of ten, it is a person within the organization you purchased
your domain name from. Any inquiries about billing, technical
issues and administrative questions are sent to this arbitrary
person. The domain name registration company has FULL control
over your URL. What does this mean?
Even though you are the owner, and you make a request for
changes, the confirmation request will go to the administrator
for verification. This person has the full authority to approve
or reject changes to your domain name.
The Dangers
Keep one thing in mind, domain registrars can, and do, go out of
business. They get bought and sold just like other
organizations. They are not legally required to notify you of
any changes within their firm. This fact alone can cause
unlimited problems with renewals, changes, sales or transfers.
But that's not all.
Let's say you put in a domain transfer request. A time sensitive
confirmation will be sent from the registrar of your domain name
to the administrative contact. This confirmation must be
answered within a certain timeframe. Now, if the administrative
contact is someone at the business you purchased your domain
name from we could have a serious problem. That person might be
on vacation, sick, fired, or even under orders not to respond.
In any case, your transfer will be denied. Think it doesn't
happen. I'm horrified to tell you it does - every single day.
What does the technical contact control? Basically, where your
Web site "lives." What happens if you submit a hosting transfer
request and your technical contact (not you - someone at the
business you got your domain name from) does not respond to the
message? Your domain name is trapped! Worse case scenario. your
site is down for days or weeks because your Web site lives at
one place, and your domain name lives somewhere else.
And finally, the billing contact. At some point it will be time
to renew your domain name registration. Most registrars send a
notice to the billing contact 30 days before the payment is due.
For whatever reason, the person listed as the billing contact
does not contact you about the renewal. You just lost your
domain name due to expiration!
Your Domain Name Is Being Held Hostage
When a domain name registration company forces itself into the
contact fields of your registration records, it's commonly know
as being "held hostage."
I personally know of countless horror stories of online business
owners who have fought tirelessly to "free" their domain names
and regain control. They will be glad to tell you the woes of
losing control of your URL. So what do you do about it? How do
you get back full control of your business?
Steps To Take
Make sure when you register a domain name that the registrant,
administrative, technical and billing contacts are in your name.
Just as soon as you receive confirmation and access information,
log in and change any "forced" contact information to your name.
Use a contact email address you will always have. A good one is
the one associated with your domain name. The email address on
record must match the email address you are sending a request
from. If you use an email associated with your ISP
(@hotmail.com, @rr.sc.com, @earthlink.com) and later change
ISPs, you'll have to make contact information corrections prior
to making any transfers, etc.
And lastly, if at all possible, register with a company that
provides you with a management or control center. This is -
without a doubt - the safest way to go.
·You won't have to wait for someone else to make needed changes.
·You won't have to ask anyone for permission to make changes.
·You will never be denied the changes you need to make.
·You won't lose your domain name because the company listed as
"contact" closed or was bought out.
·You won't lose your domain name because you weren't notified of
the renewal date.
·You WILL be in full control of the most important part of your
company - your domain name.
Take back control of your domain name today. Make the necessary
adjustments to the contacts on record so that your URL can never
be held hostage.
have downright scary answers. Did you buy your domain name from
a service? Do you know who is in control of your domain name?
Have you done a "Whois" search to find out? The answer may very
well shock you!
Buying a domain name is a very easy thing to do. But if you buy
a domain name without any knowledge of "ownership" vs.
"control", you could very well be headed down a bumpy road.
Unfortunately, most Web site owners are unaware that "ownership"
does not equate to "control." Just because you paid for your
domain name does not mean you have access or authority to make
changes, transfers or other necessary functions. But if not you
- the owner - who does?
There are 4 components to a domain name:
1.Registrant: you - the person who registered the domain name
2.Billing Contact: could be anyone 3.Technical Contact: could be
anyone 4.Administrative Contact: could be anyone
The registrant is you. You might assume that items two, three
and four are also you. A natural assumption. Guess what. most of
the time they are not! THIS is where you get into trouble.
Who's In Control?
So whose names are listed in the "control" spots? Nine times out
of ten, it is a person within the organization you purchased
your domain name from. Any inquiries about billing, technical
issues and administrative questions are sent to this arbitrary
person. The domain name registration company has FULL control
over your URL. What does this mean?
Even though you are the owner, and you make a request for
changes, the confirmation request will go to the administrator
for verification. This person has the full authority to approve
or reject changes to your domain name.
The Dangers
Keep one thing in mind, domain registrars can, and do, go out of
business. They get bought and sold just like other
organizations. They are not legally required to notify you of
any changes within their firm. This fact alone can cause
unlimited problems with renewals, changes, sales or transfers.
But that's not all.
Let's say you put in a domain transfer request. A time sensitive
confirmation will be sent from the registrar of your domain name
to the administrative contact. This confirmation must be
answered within a certain timeframe. Now, if the administrative
contact is someone at the business you purchased your domain
name from we could have a serious problem. That person might be
on vacation, sick, fired, or even under orders not to respond.
In any case, your transfer will be denied. Think it doesn't
happen. I'm horrified to tell you it does - every single day.
What does the technical contact control? Basically, where your
Web site "lives." What happens if you submit a hosting transfer
request and your technical contact (not you - someone at the
business you got your domain name from) does not respond to the
message? Your domain name is trapped! Worse case scenario. your
site is down for days or weeks because your Web site lives at
one place, and your domain name lives somewhere else.
And finally, the billing contact. At some point it will be time
to renew your domain name registration. Most registrars send a
notice to the billing contact 30 days before the payment is due.
For whatever reason, the person listed as the billing contact
does not contact you about the renewal. You just lost your
domain name due to expiration!
Your Domain Name Is Being Held Hostage
When a domain name registration company forces itself into the
contact fields of your registration records, it's commonly know
as being "held hostage."
I personally know of countless horror stories of online business
owners who have fought tirelessly to "free" their domain names
and regain control. They will be glad to tell you the woes of
losing control of your URL. So what do you do about it? How do
you get back full control of your business?
Steps To Take
Make sure when you register a domain name that the registrant,
administrative, technical and billing contacts are in your name.
Just as soon as you receive confirmation and access information,
log in and change any "forced" contact information to your name.
Use a contact email address you will always have. A good one is
the one associated with your domain name. The email address on
record must match the email address you are sending a request
from. If you use an email associated with your ISP
(@hotmail.com, @rr.sc.com, @earthlink.com) and later change
ISPs, you'll have to make contact information corrections prior
to making any transfers, etc.
And lastly, if at all possible, register with a company that
provides you with a management or control center. This is -
without a doubt - the safest way to go.
·You won't have to wait for someone else to make needed changes.
·You won't have to ask anyone for permission to make changes.
·You will never be denied the changes you need to make.
·You won't lose your domain name because the company listed as
"contact" closed or was bought out.
·You won't lose your domain name because you weren't notified of
the renewal date.
·You WILL be in full control of the most important part of your
company - your domain name.
Take back control of your domain name today. Make the necessary
adjustments to the contacts on record so that your URL can never
be held hostage.
