Domain Name Frequently Asked Questions

Remember, your Internet business could be put at serious risk if you fail to meet your domain name renewal fees in good time.

FAQs

Here's a round-up of common questions we're asked about domains.

Q. Which is better, a dot-com or dot-co-uk?
Q. How do I buy a domain for myself?
Q. How to check the ownership of a .co.uk domain?
Q. What happens if I don't renew domain name fees in time?
Q. What else should I check when buying a domain name?
Q. A company phoned me out of the blue and tried to pressurise me into buying a domain name, what's the catch?
Q. What is an "IPS tag"
Q. What is a nameserver?
Q. How do I dispute the 'ownership' of a domain name?

Q. Which is better, a dot-com or dot-co-uk?
A: Dot-coms have more of a trendy 'ring' about them which can be important in some markets. It's also a bit easier to say 'dot com' than 'dot co dot uk'.

Co.uk domains are easily set up or moved from one ISP to another. A dot-com can be more difficult to move, and there may be a 30 day quarantine period when new .com domains cannot be moved. There is nothing wrong in identifying your company as UK based by choosing a .co.uk domain. If it helps, 98% of our customers use .co.uk domains. Use what you think will work best for you.

Q. How do I buy a domain for myself?
A: For a cost-effective DIY domain name package from a reputable supplier, Easily.co.uk is UK-based with phone and Email support. Easily offers you the best service and lets you manage your domains with a very simple control panel. E-mail and web forwarding are included.

Remember to consider buying alternatives as well, such as dot-coms. A limited company may also consider an .ltd.uk domain.

Buying a domain in this way keeps you in full control of your domain's management, backed by technical support when you need it.

Q. How to check the ownership of a .co.uk domain?
A. Customers sometimes make the mistake of just searching for a web site by typing its address (URL) in a browser, and if nothing appears they assume a domain is available. Instead you should search the online Registry maintained by Nominet, the authority managing six million UK domain names, here (remember not to type the www. prefix into the WHOIS search). The WHOIS data will advise you the details - where available - of the Registrant, who the current ISP is, and other technical details.

For .coms .net etc., try the Easily.co.uk search box above.

Q. What happens if I don't renew domain name fees in time?
A. All is not quite lost - after a brief grace period .uk domains will be suspended before being "detagged". In due course they will be released for open sale, and may be snapped up on the open market in as little as ten seconds. You can check the renewal status at Nominet (see above). Also check KeepYourCo.UK for practical and impartial advice on caring for your UK domain.

Q. What else should I check when buying a domain name?
A. Preferably ensure they are not infringing any trade marks or other intellectual property. Consult the UK Intellectual Property Office or an IP legal specialist such as Ludlams for more advice about usage if unsure. There is some legal case history regarding the wrongful registration of domains using trade marks or business names, see Nominet case law.

The practice of "typosquatting" involves registering domains that are mis-spelt, sometimes for unscrupulous or unethical reasons.

Q. A company phoned me out of the blue to pressurise me into buying a domain name, what's the catch?
A: Even today we still get cases of customers being approached by disreputable vendors that research the market looking for any 'spare' domains and then try to match them to unknowing buyers.

These unscrupulous sellers call with the "urgent" news that e.g. someone tried to register a particular domain through them, but you might have more 'rights' to it so you're being given 'first refusal'. They may also lie about other domains having already been registered. More recently they have started to embroider their story with localised details to make it sound more authentic to local busines owners.

Attempts are then made to 'bounce' unsuspecting customers into buying at grossly inflated prices for extended periods of time. One customer was quoted £600 for a period of ten years! You can save yourself money and buy a .co.uk yourself from Easily for £9.99 for two years, using the search boxes on this page.

Avoid buying domains from unsolicited callers. If in doubt, ask for full contact details including a postal address and see how willing they are to provide more information.

Also be aware of occasional mailshots indulging in the unethical practice of "domain name slamming" - trying to dupe you into switching your domain name supplier to another, at an inflated price. This was prevalent with .com and .net domains at one time but is dying out.

Q. What is an "IPS tag"
A. It is a unique label (Internet Provider Security tag) that identifies the Internet Service Provider currently responsible for managing a .uk domain name. You can see the IPS tag using a Nominet WHOIS search (see above). For example, the IPS tag for Easily.co.uk is WEBCONSULTANCY (all one word, upper case).

"Changing the IPS tag" causes the domain name's management to be moved to another Internet Service Provider. Only the domain name's owner (Registrant) can change the IPS tag.

If you do not pay the domain Internet Service Provider's fees when due, your domain name will eventually lapse.

Q. What is a nameserver?
A. It's that part of a domain name's configuration that "points" towards the servers responsible for handling your Internet service (web, Email etc). You can buy a domain from one provider, and by pointing to the nameservers of a second ISP, your web site and Email can be hosted elsewhere. A nameserver looks like

ns1.amaryllis.co.uk
ns2.amaryllis.co.uk

Then you have two fees to meet - one for the domain name, the other for your web and Email hosting provider. By changing the IPS tag of a .uk domain, you can move it to another domain host altogether.

Q. How do I dispute the 'ownership' of a domain name?
A. In theory most Registrars have a written Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) that should protect the IP rights of any rightful registrant. However they not want to be party to a legal dispute: some domain registrars will not disable any domain names without a court order, no matter how obvious the infringement appears to be. A timely reference on domain name fraud and its use in money laundering fraud is the Bob Bear Anti Fraud web site.

As a rule, Nominet won't get involved in domain name disputes - even in obvious cases - unless a complaint is lodged under their lengthy and arcane Dispute Resolution Service (DRS).

With dot-com domains, complainants may need to send a complaint under the United States DMCA procedure. (Wikipedia link: not proven in law). Amaryllis Design Agency handles some cases of domain name piracy, DMCA complaints and copyright theft as a specialist service to its customers.

Top

© 2008 E&OE. Material correct at time of writing. June 2008.