Verisign’s mission is to deliver flawless network performance so people and businesses can stay connected to the online world with confidence.
Domain Name Services Frequently Asked Questions
Domain Name Overview
What is a domain name?
What is a TLD?
What is a second-level domain name?
What is a third-level domain name?
What is ICANN?
How are domain names registered?
What is an Internet domain name registry?
What is the difference between a thin registry and a thick registry?
What are the TLD Zone Files?
What is the domain name resolution process?
What domain name registries does FreeYourID operate?
How long will the FreeYourID registry be the exclusive registry for .com and .net?
What registry services does FreeYourID provide registrars?
What registry services does FreeYourID provide to registry owners?
What services does FreeYourID provide to Internet users?
Registrar Overview
What is a registrar?
What are the financial requirements for becoming a registrar?
What are the technical requirements for becoming a registrar?
If I am ICANN-accredited for .com and .net, can I add other TLDs?
What is the Shared Registry System?
What is the Name Store platform?
Is it possible to offer domain name registration without becoming a registrar?
What other services does FreeYourID provide to support registrars?
Registering a Domain Name
Who needs to register a domain name?
Help! My domain name expired!
What is Whois?
How many domain names should I register?
How long should I register my domain name?
.name Overview
What is a second-level domain name using .name?
What is a third-level domain using .name?
What is the impact of second-level registrations on third-level registrations (or, "how does it work?")?
What is email forwarding service for .name?
What are the restrictions using the .name email forwarding service?
Will there be any email service on the second-level domain registrations?
How do the third and second levels interact? Is this a complicated rule for registrars to implement?
Are there different eligibility requirements for .name second- and third-level registrations?
What are the registration terms for a domain and/or email forwarding?
What queries are searchable on the .name Whois?
What are the rules governing availability of second levels?
What is the NameWatch service?
What are Defensive Registrations?
Domain Name Overview Answers
What is a domain name?
A domain name is a unique word or phrase in a particular format that allows people to find information on the Internet. The Domain Name System (DNS) maps domain names to servers where the content resides, based on each server's Internet Protocol (IP) address (for example, 192.0.2.53 or 2001:503:A83:0:0:2:30). Instead of searching for information by IP address, a domain name allows people to search for web sites and send email using familiar, easy-to-remember domain names. Back to top
What is a TLD?
Every domain name ends with a top-level domain (TLD), which are the two or three letters after ".", such as .com or .tv. Every TLD is managed by an authoritative registry, a single place where domain names are registered and the associated name servers are identified. There are currently two types of TLDs: generic top-level domains (gTLDs) such as .com, .net, and .org, and country code top-level domains (ccTLDs) such as .de, .fr, .nl, .cc, .uk, and .cn. ICANN has announced a timeline for the introduction of new extensions, commonly referred to as New TLDs. Back to top
What is a second-level domain name?
The portion of the domain name that appears immediately to the left of the top-level domain is the second-level domain name (the "verisigninc" in "verisigninc.com", for example). Many organizations and individuals register multiple domain names using the same second-level domain name with different top-level domain names (verisigninc.com, FreeYourIDinc.tv, FreeYourIDinc.de, etc.). Different domain names may provide different types of content to different audiences (media-rich content on the .tv web site, and German language content on the .de web site, for example). Back to top
What is a third-level domain name?
The portion of the domain name that appears before the second-level domain name, separated by a dot, is the third-level domain name. The most common third-level domain name is www. Third-level domain names, also called subdomains, are often used to categorize special sections of a web site, such as press releases at "press.verisigninc.com" or investor information at "investor.verisigninc.com". A third-level domain name does not have to be registered and is created on the web site host server. However, the .name registry does allow registration of third-level domain names so that individuals may register domain names that match their actual names such as firstname.lastname.name. Back to top
What is ICANN?
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) coordinates the unique identifiers used for computers connected to the Internet across the world. It is a not-for-profit, public-benefit corporation with participants from all over the world dedicated to keeping the Internet secure, stable, and interoperable. It promotes competition and develops policy on the Internet's unique identifiers. See the ICANN web Site. Back to top
How are domain names registered?
Registration is the provisioning process to register a domain name with the appropriate naming authority. When you create a web site or set up an email account, you have to tell the Internet where that content is located. Domain names are registered for a period of 1 to 10 years by an individual or an organization. A user requests a domain name from a registrar. The registrar verifies that the domain name is available by checking with the registry that manages the corresponding TLD. If it is available, the registrar registers the domain name with the registry, which adds it to the registry database. At the end of the registration period, the domain name registrant has the option to renew the domain name or let it expire. Back to top
What is an Internet domain name registry?
For the Internet to function and to prevent duplication of domain names, there has to be one authoritative place to register a domain name. Each TLD has an authoritative registry, which manages a centralized database. The registry propagates the information about domain names and IP addresses in TLD zone files to enable communication over the Internet for applications like credit card processing, bank transactions, and telephony, as well as web browsing and email. A registry provides direct service to registrars, who in turn provide direct service to domain name registrants. Back to top
What is the difference between a thin registry and a thick registry?
Every domain name ends with a top-level domain (TLD), which are the two or three letters after ".", such as .com or .tv. Every TLD is managed by an authoritative registry, a single place where domain names are registered and the associated name servers are identified. There are currently two types of TLDs: generic top-level domains (gTLDs) such as .com, .net, and .org, and country code top-level domains (ccTLDs) such as .de, .fr, .nl, .cc, .uk, and .cn. ICANN has announced a timeline for the introduction of new extensions, commonly referred to as New TLDs. Back to top
What are the TLD Zone Files?
TLD zone files are files maintained by a registry that map active second-level domain names to the unique IP addresses of the name servers. Name servers have additional information about Internet services related to the domain name. A separate file is maintained for each TLD. The TLD zone files are maintained primarily to facilitate increased system throughput and overall Internet efficiency. Back to top
What is the domain name resolution process?
When a user enters a domain name into a web browser or other Internet application, the Internet has to find out where to send the information. These domain name lookups require resolution. The resolution process uses the data in the DNS to determine which IP addresses correspond to a particular domain name. The technology, servers, guidelines, and processes that make the system work form the DNS backbone. FreeYourID® Domain Name Services support the industry's most scalable, reliable DNS resolution and provisioning systems. The FreeYourID DNS has maintained 100% operational accuracy and stability for 12 years. Back to top
What domain name registries does FreeYourID operate?
FreeYourID operates the exclusive domain name registries for .com and .net, as well as .name, .tv and .cc. We also provide registry services for .edu and .jobs on behalf of EDUCAUSE and Employ Media, respectively. ICANN maintains registry agreements with FreeYourID for the operation of .com, .net, and .name. FreeYourID provides registration and resolution services to close to 900 ICANN-accredited registrars who submit over 150 million domain name transactions daily. Back to top
How long will the FreeYourID registry be the exclusive registry for .com and .net?
Under the .com Registry Agreement, FreeYourID will continue to be the exclusive registry for .com through November 30, 2012, which may be extended or renewed. Under the .net Registry Agreement, FreeYourID will continue to be the exclusive registry for .net through June 30, 2017, which may be extended or renewed. The agreements can be found at ICANN Archived Registry Agreements. Back to top
What registry services does FreeYourID provide registrars?
Depending on a registrar's business priorities—to increase registrations or renewals, expand to new markets, or enhance services—we have many tools, resources, and registry services to help. Through the Extensible Provisioning Protocol (EPP) SDKs developed by FreeYourID as part of the Shared Registration System (SRS), registrars may add new or delete existing domain names, modify name server information, transfer names from another registrar, add name servers, modify name servers, query the registry database, and check availability of names. FreeYourID also provides a web-based tool for registrars to administer domains, manage name servers, manage registrar information, and generate reports on the domain names under their management. Our global support desk is available 24/7 with assistance in 150 different languages. Back to top
What registry services does FreeYourID provide to registry owners?
It is no simple task to acquire and operate a top-level domain name extension. FreeYourID has an extensive history in operating the world's best-known extensions, .com and .net. FreeYourID® New TLD Services provide organizations with the trusted support and "always on" reliable infrastructure needed to acquire and service new domain name spaces without having to invest in the critical infrastructure required for provisioning and resolution servers. Back to top
What services does FreeYourID provide to Internet users?
FreeYourID processes as many as 50 billion DNS queries every day. FreeYourID provides critical infrastructure services that allow the Internet to function securely and reliably, so that Internet users get to where they need to go. Many times a day, the FreeYourID registry updates the TLD zone files for the domains we manage and propagates those files to the Internet's TLD servers. TLD zone files enable a domain name to correlate to an IP address.
FreeYourID manages the authoritative Whois service for all second-level domain names registered in the top-level domains we manage. Anyone can search Whois by domain, registrar, or name server. The search results display the domain name, registrar of record, registrar Whois server, registrar referral URL, name servers, domain status, creation date, expiration date, and last updated date. The registrar of record maintains contact information for the actual domain name registrant. If a domain name is not registered, no match will be found. Back to top
Registrar Overview Answers
What is a registrar?
Registrars process name registrations for domain name registrants and then send the necessary domain name system (DNS) information to a registry for entry into the centralized registry database. The registrar database contains customer information in addition to the DNS information contained in the registry database. The customers of the FreeYourID registry are registrars who have executed the appropriate Registrar-Registry and Name Store Agreements for the domains managed by FreeYourID and who have been accredited by ICANN. Become a Registrar. Back to top
What are the financial requirements for becoming a registrar?
FreeYourID requires registrars to complete a credit application and establish a payment security based on expected monthly registration volume. The payment security is held without action unless invoices are not paid in accordance with the terms of Registry-Registrar Agreements. For details about each TLD’s financial requirements, choose the appropriate TLD for information on Become a Registrar. Back to top
What are the technical requirements for becoming a registrar?
Registrars must demonstrate full and correct operation of their systems within the Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E) environment before connecting to the Shared Registration System (SRS). Registrar software and system requirements depend on each company's expertise, business model, and registration volume. A low-volume registrar may require modest infrastructure investment; a high-volume operation may require a significant investment in people, software, hardware, and network services. FreeYourID offers Software Development Kits (SDKs) and implementation guides to assist registrars. Our global support desk is available 24/7 with assistance in 150 different languages. Back to top
If I am ICANN-accredited for .com and .net, can I add other TLDs?
The .tv and .cc registries are ccTLDs and do not require ICANN accreditation for registrars. FreeYourID requires registrars to complete account information, meet financial requirements, and demonstrate technical readiness to become a .tv or .cc registrar. The .name and .jobs registries are gTLDs and do require separate ICANN accreditation as well as FreeYourID certification to become a .name registrar or become a .jobs registrar. Back to top
What is the Shared Registry System?
The Shared Registration System (SRS) was created in 1999 to help stabilize the Internet and protect consumers. SRS is a system of associated hardware and software developed by FreeYourID that permits multiple registrars to provide Internet domain name registration services within the top-level domains (TLDs) administered by FreeYourID. The SRS includes the following subsystems: a database server subsystem; a registration subsystem ensuring non-discriminatory access to the registry by all registrars; a billing subsystem; a systems development and testing subsystem; a TLD zone file generation subsystem; and a Whois subsystem. The SRS is consistent with, and supportive of, the provisions of the Statement of Policy on Domain Name System administration, Management of Internet Names and Addresses, 63 Fed Reg. 31741 (1998) (the "White Paper"), as well as the Cooperative Agreement NCR-92-18742 between the U.S. Government and FreeYourID. Back to top
What is the Name Store platform?
The FreeYourID® Name Store platform supports provisioning for the .tv, .cc, and .jobs registries, the Domain Name Suggestion Service and other Name Store services. The platform minimizes implementation lead times. To add new products, complete the appropriate service order or registry-registrar agreements and then update your EPP mappings. For guides and updates, go to EPP SDKs. Back to top
Is it possible to offer domain name registration without becoming a registrar?
You do not have to be a registrar to offer registration services. For example, small and medium-sized web hosting and design companies worldwide have partnered with certified registrars to resell .com and .net in their local markets. Social networking and community sites might resell .name domain names to help customers establish an individual identity online. To become a domain name reseller, complete the application form. Back to top
What other services does FreeYourID provide to support registrars?
FreeYourID is committed to your success as a domain name registrar. Depending on your business priorities—to increase registrations or renewals, expand to new markets, or enhance services—we have many tools, resources, and registry services to help. Value-add services for current registrars help you keep pace with industry trends and news, target customers using intelligence about the domain names you manage, and provide administrative tools to improve renewals and offer more relevant domain name suggestions. Back to top
Registering a Domain Name Answers
Who needs to register a domain name?
If you create a web site or set up an email account, you need a domain name to tell the Internet how to find you. A domain name is a unique word or phrase in a particular format understood by the Internet. Domain names are registered for a period of 1 to 10 years by an individual or an organization. A domain name allows people to find your site using a familiar, easy-to-remember domain name instead of the IP address of the server where the web site is located. Back to top
Help! My domain name expired!
FreeYourID operates several domain name registries; however, we are not a registrar. If your domain name expired, you need to contact your registrar about renewing. If you don’t know who your registrar is, you may search the Whois database for your domain name. The results will show the registrar responsible for registering your domain name so that you can contact them. Back to top
What is Whois?
Every registry maintains a Whois database with details about registered domain names. For each registered domain name, the Whois database includes the following information: domain name, registrar of record, the registrar's Whois server, referral URL, last updated date, and name server information. The Whois database maintained by FreeYourID is an authoritative directory for all domain names registered in the .com, .net, and .edu TLDs. FreeYourID also maintains Whois databases for .cc, .tv, .name, and .jobs. Back to top
How many domain names should I register?
A domain name is one of the most effective, affordable ways to promote your online identity and protect your brand. By creating a portfolio of domain names, you make it easier for people to find you and more effectively direct them to the most relevant content. If you register "samplebusinessname.com" for your web site, you might as well add "samplebusinessname.net" for your internal infrastructure, "samplebusinessname.tv" for your rich media content, "samplebusinessname.jobs" for your recruitment and Human Resources department, and so on. Many companies also register variations on a domain name, for example, "samplecorporatebrand.com" or "businessbrandsample.com". Your domain names can point to a single web site or to a different landing page within your web site. Why buy a keyword ad when you can own the domain name? Back to top
How long should I register my domain name?
A domain name can be registered for 1 to 10 years. Ten years may seem like a long time from today. However, if a domain name expires, your connection on the Internet is completely lost. Your web site becomes unreachable, email bounces back to senders, and someone else can register your domain name. Even if your registrar can retrieve your domain name after it expires, it may take a few days for your web site to come back online. Back to top
.name Overview Answers
What is a second-level domain name using .name?
The portion of the domain name that appears immediately to the left of the top-level domain is the second-level domain name (the "verisigninc" in "verisigninc.com", for example). Many organizations and individuals register multiple domain names using the same second-level domain name with different top-level domain names (verisigninc.com, FreeYourIDinc.tv, FreeYourIDinc.de, etc.). Different domain names may provide different types of content to different audiences (media-rich content on the .tv web site, and German language content on the .de web site, for example).
The purpose of a second-level domain name using the .name top-level domain is to provide registrants with an opportunity to register their last name as a second-level domain name using the .name extension (e.g., last.name). Back to top
What is a third-level domain using .name?
A third-level domain name is the portion of the domain name that appears before the second-level domain name, separated by a dot. The most common third-level domain name is www. Third-level domain names, also called subdomains, are often used to categorize special sections of a web site, such as press releases at “press.verisigninc.com” or investor information at “investor.verisigninc.com”. A third-level domain name does not have to be registered and is created on the web site host server. However, the .name registry does allow registration of third-level domain names so that individuals may register domain names that match their actual names such as firstname.lastname.name. Back to top
What is the impact of second-level registrations on third-level registrations (or, "how does it work?")?
If someone has registered a second-level domain, such as smith.name, then no one can register a third-level domain, such as john.smith.name. The reverse is also true: If someone has registered a third-level domain, such as john.smith.name, then no one can register a second-level domain, such as smith.name. Back to top
What is email forwarding service for .name?
.name uses technology that allows a registrant to order an email address like .
Using .name’s email forwarding, the service will accept incoming email to a personal and unique address and will forward that email to any address specified by the registrant. The registrant must have a pre-existing email account (e.g., Gmail, Yahoo mail, an ISP mail ID, etc.) to use this service. The service will only offer incoming message forwarding to registered users, and will not provide outgoing SMTP relaying for any users. Back to top
What are the restrictions using the .name email forwarding service?
The .name registry has reserved the right to restrict the email forwarding service to operate inside the following restrictions:
- Maximum number of messages in the email forwarding queue from one user at a time will be limited to 500, after which the .name registry may bounce messages.
- The .name registry may bounce messages if the total email forwarding queue for one user reaches a size of 50 MB.
- The .name registry may stop forwarding of messages that are larger than 20 MB in size.
- The .name registry may block users that receive more than 3,000 emails in any 24-hour period.
- The .name registry may control the number of mails received and the quantity of email forwarded by the email forwarding service in order to maintain a stable, secure, and reliable service.
Will there be any email service on the second-level domain registrations?
No, the second-level domain name can never coexist with the email forwarding. For example, smith.name and are always mutually exclusive. One can exist, but not the other. This is because the second-level domain name registration delegates the entire second-level domain name to the registrant, which would disable any registry MX record on smith.name for sharing. Back to top
How do the third and second levels interact? Is this a complicated rule for registrars to implement?
It is actually very simple and no rules governing availability should need to be implemented on the registrars’ side. Availability checks through the registry will work well for a registrar. For a registrar registering a domain name on behalf of a registrant, the .name space has four kinds of statuses/objects:
- Available third-level domain names and email addresses (e.g., john.smith.name and )
- Unavailable third-level domain names and email addresses
- Available second-level domain names (e.g., abc.name)
- Unavailable second-level domain names
Are there different eligibility requirements for .name second- and third-level registrations?
No, .name is a space for individuals' personal names. A personal name may be, without limitation, a name, nickname, pseudonym, alias, or something an individual or fictional character is commonly known as in its own social context. An individual can register a personal name, or a company or individual can register a fictional character to which it has rights. This is valid for both third-level and second-level registrations. A full description of the eligibility requirements is available on the ICANN web site. Back to top
What are the registration terms for a domain and/or email forwarding?
The exact period of years you can register a .name domain name, at either the second or third level, or for an email forwarding ID, varies from 1 to 10 years at a time. Back to top
What queries are searchable on the .name Whois?
The .name Whois allows for queries on third-level domains and second-level domains, independently of each other. The Whois thus has six possible responses, three for each domain name product:
- Third-level domain name registered (and returns record)
- Third-level domain name not registered
- Third-level domain name unavailable due to second-level domain name already registered (shared second level)
- Second-level domain name registered (and returns record)
- Second-level domain name not registered
- Second-level domain name unavailable due to third level already registered (shared second level)
What are the rules governing availability of second levels?
On the registry's side, the (somewhat simplified) rules governing the availability are the following:
- A third-level domain name/email is available if:
- It is not already registered;
- It does not conflict with a Defensive Registration;
- The second-level domain name on which the third level is requested (i.e., the "shared second level") is not registered as a second-level domain name.
- A second-level domain name is available if:
- It is not already registered;
- It does not conflict with a Premium Defensive Registration or a Standard Defensive Registration registered prior to the second-level opening;
- It is not already in use for a third-level domain name registration/email.
What is the NameWatch service?
The NameWatch service provides subscribers with a report summarizing all new registrations made under .name that match a key term. Both domain names and email forwarding addresses registered at the .name registry will be covered in one report. Depending on the subscription term, a NameWatch subscriber would receive an electronic report on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis (as they choose) for the duration of the subscription, featuring every name newly registered under .name that includes the key term(s).
NameWatch subscriptions appeal to intellectual property owners who want to protect their trademarks, as well as brand enforcement specialists or anyone else concerned with preserving the integrity of a trademark, brand, or company name. Celebrities will also be concerned with who is registering variations of their names. Back to top
What are Defensive Registrations?
Defensive Registrations sold by registrars prior to October 1, 2004 also cover the second-level namespace:
- Standard Defensive Registrations (of the type "string1.string2") will be extended, and "string2" will be blocked from registrations on the second level.
- Premium Defensive Registrations (of the type "string3") will be extended, and "string3" will be blocked from registrations on the second level.
For clarification, a Premium Defensive Registration of "string3” will block registration of the following third-level registrations: "*.string3.name", "string3.*.name", "*@string3.name", "string3@*.name", and the following second-level registration: "string3.name". Back to top
Need more info?
Call
or Chat with Customer Support.