Domain Names FAQ's

Q.  What is a domain name?
Q.  How long can a domain name be?
Q.  What characters can I use in a domain?
Q.  How does a domain with a hyphen compare to a domain without a hyphen?
Q.  What about domains with the "e," "i" or "cyber" type prefixes?
Q.  What makes a domain valuable?
Q.  Can a domain name include so-called "vulgarities?"
Q.  How do I register myname.adomain.com?

Buying a Domain
Q.  Once you buy a domain, do you own it forever?
Q.  How can I tell if a domain is available?
Q.  When I checked to see if a certain domain was available using a whois lookup tool, it said it was available, yet when I tried to register it, the domain came back as already being registered. Why?
Q.  What if the domain I want is already taken?
Q.  If I buy a domain before the company that owns the trademark/copyright for that domain buys it, can I sell it to them?
Q.  Doesn't interNIC or the company that registers the domain check to make sure that you're not violating anyone's trademark when you register the domain.
Q.  Can I register a domain, and then hold it until I am ready to use it?
Q.  Do I have to pay for a domain up front, or can I be billed?
Q.  How long does it take to register and own a domain?
Q.  What is a NIC ID?
Q.  Can I register a domain myself, or do I have to go through an ISP or web host?
Q.  Once I register a domain, can anyone look up my registration information using whois? Should I use my personal address and phone number?

Domain Speculation
Q.  How can I find out about domain names that have been recently released (i.e. are now available)?
Q.  I've heard that domains are placed on "hold" if they are not paid for, among other reasons. If they are not paid, they are released into the marketplace again. How can I find domains that are on hold so I can prepare to purchase them as soon as they are released?
Q.  Can I get a list of all the domain names that are currently registered?
Q.  If I want to buy a domain from someone that currently owns it, how do I contact them?
Q.  If someone wants to buy a domain I own, what do I have to do to transfer it?
Q.  Is there any software I can use on my computer to look up domain names?

Q.  What is a domain name?
A.  A domain name is a method of remembering specific web sites on the internet, usually a word or phrase that brings to mind one's person, business, service or product. Once a person or company pays the fees associated with registering a domain name, they "own" the domain until they give or sell it to someone else, or until they fail to pay the maintenance fee that is require after the initial registration period.

Q.  How long can a domain name be?
A.  Until the Fall of 1999, a domain name was limited to 22 characters, but the rules have changed to allow domains with 63 characters.

Q.  What characters can I use in a domain?
A.  You are limited to using alpha-numeric characters, and the hyphen (and the hyphen can't be the first or last character of the domain).

Q.  How does a domain with a hyphen compare to a domain without a hyphen?
A.  It really depends on the domain. Some names and words lend themselves to hyphens, and some don't. A domain such as science-fiction.com lends itself to the hyphen, as people would be likely to type it that way anyway. A domain such as web-development.com would not be as valuable, as people would not be likely to type or remember the hyphen.

Q.  What about domains with the "e," "i" or "cyber" type prefixes?
A.  Most domains with those common prefixes have been worn out, and are just overused and hard to remember. Unless you have a chance to use a domain like "ecommerce.com," leave the cute prefixes alone.

Q.  What makes a domain valuable?
A.  The value of a domain is determined by several factors:
length - how long is the domain; is it short, sweet and memorable?
characters - does the domain includes any numbers or hyphens?
Certain names work well with hyphens, such as science-fiction, and others do not, such as do-it-now.
extension - .coms are the most valuable, with .net next, then .org. Some country domains, such as .cc or .to, are increasing in value.
brand - is the domain or anything similar to it already being used in the
industry? Is the domain likely to confuse visitors? A strong, clear domain free of ties to other sites/businesses is the most valuable.
generic or specific - is the domain name generic, likely to appeal to a wide audience (music.com), or is it specific, and likely to only appeal to those interested in the subject/business (bodypiercing.com).

Q.  Can a domain name include so-called "vulgarities?"
A.  Although the question has still not been answered by the court, Network Solutions maintains that since they are a "publisher," they have the right to refuse to publish certain domain names, specifically those that include any of the "7 dirty words" made famous by comedian George Carlin in the early seventies. Other registrars, specifically those not located in the United States, have made their own policy, and allow registrations using those words.

Q.  How do I register myname.adomain.com?
A.  That is called a subdomain. You have to contact your web host's administrator and have them add the subdomain name you want to their DNS table, and then point it to the IP address of the machine which will handle calls to that subdomain. If you're using Virtual Hosting, with multiple domains on the same machine/web server, the admin will have to add it to the web server's configuration. The bottom line is that you don't "buy" a subdomain in the same fashion as a domain.

Buying a Domain

Q.  Once you buy a domain, do you own it forever?
A.  No, you are basically "renting" the domain. Most registrars have a minimum two year registration period, though some are offering variable registration periods now. Once the initial period is over, you will pay a "maintenance fee" to keep the domain. If you fail to pay it, you relinquish the domain, and becomes available for others to buy.

Q.  How can I tell if a domain is available?
A.  Use any of the popular whois tools that are available, such as the one present on the DomainNotes.com home page. Most registrars and domain registration companies have a lookup form available for your use.

Q.  When I checked to see if a certain domain was available using a whois lookup tool, it said it was available, yet when I tried to register it, the domain came back as already being registered. Why?
A.  Since Network Solutions is no longer the only domain registrar, there are several domain name databases that must be updated each day. When you checked to see if the domain was taken, it may not have been added to the database yet, so it would appear to be available.

Q.  What if the domain I want is already taken?
A.  Unless the domain owner is in violation of your current copyright or trademark, then you have no choice but to offer to purchase the domain from the owner, and failing that, find a different domain name. Our Domain Wizard can help you locate a suitable domain name for your business.

Q.  If I buy a domain before the company that owns the trademark/copyright for that domain buys it, can I sell it to them?
A.  No. The passage of an anti-cybersquatting law made this a criminal act. You must relinquish the domain to the rightful trademark/copyright owner upon their request.

Q.  Doesn't interNIC or the company that registers the domain check to make sure that you're not violating anyone's trademark when you register the domain.
A.  No, it's not their responsibility, it's the domain buyer's. There are places you can check for yourself for free, such as marksonline.com.

Q.  Can I register a domain, and then hold it until I am ready to use it?
A.  The answer is yes, but you will have to provide two distinct domain name servers (DNS) for your domain name when you register. If you do not have a host or server in mind for your domain, most registrars provide a "parking" service, some for free, some for an additional fee.

Q.  Do I have to pay for a domain up front, or can I be billed?
A.  Until recently, interNIC allowed folks to be billed for domains, but that resulted in too much domain speculation. Now they, and most other registrars, have implimented a "pay up front" system of registration.

Q.  How long does it take to register and own a domain?
A.  If you are already working with a registrar or registration company, and are using the same NIC ID, the process usually takes about 10 minutes. If you are a new customer, a few days.

Q.  What is a NIC ID?
A.  If you register a domain name, and are listed as the Administrative, Technical, Zone or Billing Contact, you will be assigned a NIC ID that is associated with your information. Usually the next time you register a domain, you can use the NIC ID and you will not have to re-enter your personal information.

Q.  Can I register a domain myself, or do I have to go through an ISP or web host?
A.  You can register the domain yourself, and save yourself some fees; just visit any domain registrar's site. You'll need to know several things, such as the primary and secondary DNS (Domain Name Server) name and IP address of the server you intend to host your domain on, and your host's NIC ID, if they are to be the technical or admin contacts for the domain. If you intend to be the admin, technical, billing and zone contact for your domain, all you will need to know if the DNS info. If you don't know this info, use a whois to look up your host's domain name, and use the DNS entries from that domain name. Most registrars also provide domain "parking" services in which you can use their own DNS servers for your domain, although some may charge a fee for this service.

Q.  Once I register a domain, can anyone look up my registration information using whois? Should I use my personal address and phone number?
A.  Yes, the public has access to that information, so you may want to use your business address or PO Box. Although most registrars do not verify your contact information, (other than your email address), it is a good idea to use a valid address for your contact info.

Domain Speculation

Q.  How can I find out about domain names that have been recently released (i.e. are now available)?
A.  You can visit whois.net and use their expired domains search. If you prefer a list of recently dropped domains, you can subscribe to the weekly UnclaimedDomains.com newsletter for an annual fee per year.

Q.  I've heard that domains are placed on "hold" if they are not paid for, among other reasons. If they are not paid, they are released into the marketplace again. How can I find domains that are on hold so I can prepare to purchase them as soon as they are released?
A.  You can't tell by looking at the whois record. There is a service that lets you do this at MyMonitor. They will also let you place specific domains on monitoring status, whereupon they will be immediately purchased when they are released. It is in beta testing now.

Q.  Can I get a list of all the domain names that are currently registered?
A.  Not unless you are a domain registrar, and the process of becoming a registrar costs approximately $20,000 dollars (US). The domain database is restricted to a select few.

Q.  If I want to buy a domain from someone that currently owns it, how do I contact them?
A.  You can look up their information using a whois service, which usually shows their email address and phone number. Of course you can always try to find their email address on their web site, if it is active.

Q.  If someone wants to buy a domain I own, what do I have to do to transfer it?
A.  You will have to follow the directions given by your domain registrar (i.e. register.com, networksolutions.com, etc.). Typically, you will submit a form to the registrar which has been signed and notarized by both the buyer and seller. The domain will be deleted and re-registered by the new owner, with a hold on the domain so that no third party can purchase it in the mean time.

Q.  Is there any software I can use on my computer to look up domain names?
A.  There are a few utilities that you can use to search for domain names; you can find them listed on the DomainNotes.com software page.

Do you have a question that wasn't answered here? Join the free DomainNotes email-based Discussion List. It's a low traffic list that focuses specifically on domain-related issues; you can choose to receive each message as it is sent to the list, or you can get a single email with all of the day's messages!