Domain Registration - Who to use (who do you recommend?)

Hi All,

I often get asked for recommendations on who to use to register a
domain in the .nz space.

Our domain was registered years ago and I haven't actually had to do
this myself but I get asked (you know how it is!)

Who do you recommend for this?

One of my general concerns is that many of the cheaper web hosting
providers *appear* to offer free domain registration, renewal, and DNS
hosting for as long as you are a customer. However, my concern about
recommending them is, who owns the domain? Would it be in their name,
not the person I am trying to help out, and what if the relationship
soured?

For that matter, what is the definitive way to find out who actually
owns a domain? If I look up, say, TradeMe.co.nz I get the information
posted below (bottom of this posting). Does that tell you anything
definitive about who actually *owns* the domain in the event that the
registrar goes bust (Domainz Limited in this case I presume).

Thanks,
--

Alan.


+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
Queried whois.srs.net.nz with "trademe.co.nz"...

% New Zealand Domain Name Registry Limited
% Users confirm on submission their agreement to all published Terms
%
version: 1.23.0
query_datetime: 2008-03-05T16:48:52+13:00
domain_name: trademe.co.nz
query_status: 200 Active
domain_dateregistered: 1999-01-06T00:00:00+13:00
domain_datebilleduntil: 2009-01-06T00:00:00+13:00
domain_datelastmodified: 2008-01-06T01:35:27+13:00
domain_delegaterequested: yes
%
registrar_name: Domainz Limited
registrar_address1: Private Bag 1810
registrar_city: Wellington
registrar_country: NZ (NEW ZEALAND)
registrar_phone: +64 4 473 4567
registrar_fax: +64 4 473 4569
registrar_email:
%
registrant_contact_name: Trade Me Ltd
registrant_contact_address1: PO Box
registrant_contact_address2: 11042
registrant_contact_city: WELLINGTON
registrant_contact_country: NZ (NEW ZEALAND)
registrant_contact_phone: +64 4 8032600
registrant_contact_email:
%
admin_contact_name: Trade Me Domain Support
admin_contact_address1: PO Box
admin_contact_address2: 11042
admin_contact_city: WELLINGTON
admin_contact_country: NZ (NEW ZEALAND)
admin_contact_phone: +64 4 8032600
admin_contact_email:
%
technical_contact_name: Trade Me Domain Support
technical_contact_address1: PO Box, 11042
technical_contact_address2: Northcote
technical_contact_city: WELLINGTON
technical_contact_postalcode: 1309
technical_contact_country: NZ (NEW ZEALAND)
technical_contact_phone: +64 4 8032600
technical_contact_fax: +64 4 000000
technical_contact_email:
%
ns_name_01: ns1.trademe.co.nz
ns_ip4_01: 202.21.128.51
ns_name_02: ns2.trademe.co.nz
ns_ip4_02: 202.21.128.52
ns_name_03: ns3.trademe.co.nz
ns_ip4_03: 203.57.145.51
ns_name_04: ns4.trademe.co.nz
ns_ip4_04: 203.57.145.52
%
% Users are advised that the following activities are strictly
forbidden.
%
% Using multiple WHOIS queries, or using the output of multiple WHOIS
% queries in conjunction with any other facility or service, to enable
% or effect a download of part or all of the .nz Register.
%
% Using any information contained in the WHOIS query output to attempt
a
% targeted contact campaign with any person, or any organisation,
using any
% medium.
%
% A breach of these conditions will be treated as a breach of the .nz
Policies
% and Procedures. Sanctions in line with those specified in the
policies and
% procedures at www.dnc.org.nz may result from any breach.
%
% Copyright InternetNZ
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

 

AAh a topic of interest to me right now as well....I too have some
concerns about buying a domain, ie I just need to buy it, I dont want a
web site or anything else, buying via go-daddy etc etc all seem to tie
it into buying other things....so the cheap price isnt really cheap...If
I get a nz domain I think I will just go to Domainz, however .nz is way
more $ than .com, and a .com would be fine for me, so Im looking for a
simple and cheap .com deal.

The other thing I dont like is as you have posted below, my contact
details and address would get into DNS which due to the nutters about
I'd rather avoid.

regards

Thing

 

What offers have you had for registering a .nz domain (the most common
TLD I get asked about)?

Is DomaiNZ pure registration?

What about DNS?

Can you manage the DNS yourself?

I had a quick look at dyndns too, but then it all got very
complicated, so I turned here to see if I could get some
recommendation on where to focus my 'search for information' efforts!

Alan.

--

Alan.

The views expressed are my own, and not those of my employer or anyone
else associated with me.

My current valid email address is:



This is valid as is. It is not munged, or altered at all.

It will be valid for AT LEAST one month from the date of this post.

If you are trying to contact me after that time,
it MAY still be valid, but may also have been
deactivated due to spam. If so, and you want
to contact me by email, try searching for a
more recent post by me to find my current
email address.

The following is a (probably!) totally unique
and meaningless string of characters that you
can use to find posts by me in a search engine:

ewygchvboocno43vb674b6nq46tvb

 

The prices GoDaddy offer domains for are as advertised, with no
additional purchase necessary. The only additional cost is $US0.20 per
year per domain to ICANN (com, net, org, biz, info, name, jobs, mobi).

The thing I don't like about GoDaddy is they do try very hard to sell
you services you may not want. The good thing is you only need to go to
the site once a year to verify your details, to update your credit card
information, or to change name servers. I find the ads easy to ignore
when I'm saving money compared to other options.

You can make your domain name private via GoDaddy. They have a deal on
to make unlimited domains private for $US8.99 per year if you register
or transfer to their service. Apparently I don't qualify because my
domains are already registered... not fair

I don't really think it is worth the expense myself. There are easier
ways to get e-mail addresses and other details than querying DNS records.

RL

 

Iserve. Not the cheapest, but a *lot* cheaper than Domainz. They do
what they promise, offer free redirection services and I find them
hassle free for the 20 or so domain names I own.

 

Back when I was helping Rex Croft look after the .nz registry (mid 1900s),
this was the key field identifying the domain owner, as I understood it.
Everything else could be easily changed, but we always took special care
with any requests for changes to this field.

Absolutely good point. I remember a certain ISP that tried to register all
its customers' domains in its own name. It claimed that way it could hold a
lien on the domain if the customers left without paying their bills. John
Houlker disagreed.

 

I guessed as much, but nice to have it confirmed - thanx!

So who do you recommend that does it the 'right way' for a customer?

Thanks,

--

Alan.

The views expressed are my own, and not those of my employer or anyone
else associated with me.

My current valid email address is:



This is valid as is. It is not munged, or altered at all.

It will be valid for AT LEAST one month from the date of this post.

If you are trying to contact me after that time,
it MAY still be valid, but may also have been
deactivated due to spam. If so, and you want
to contact me by email, try searching for a
more recent post by me to find my current
email address.

The following is a (probably!) totally unique
and meaningless string of characters that you
can use to find posts by me in a search engine:

ewygchvboocno43vb674b6nq46tvb

 

Hi EMB,

1) What does a 'redirection service' do for the domain owner? Sorry
if that is a dumb question!

2) Can you make changes to DNS yourself (using a web interface or
something like that?) If not, what do they charge to make changes and
how is it actually done (email)?

3) Can you add records to DNS yourself?


Thanks,

--

Alan.

The views expressed are my own, and not those of my employer or anyone
else associated with me.

My current valid email address is:



This is valid as is. It is not munged, or altered at all.

It will be valid for AT LEAST one month from the date of this post.

If you are trying to contact me after that time,
it MAY still be valid, but may also have been
deactivated due to spam. If so, and you want
to contact me by email, try searching for a
more recent post by me to find my current
email address.

The following is a (probably!) totally unique
and meaningless string of characters that you
can use to find posts by me in a search engine:

ewygchvboocno43vb674b6nq46tvb

 

Hi RL,

1) Can you put an email address on there that is not on the domain
registered?

2) For example, could I use a GMail address for that (where the spam
is filtered on their server)?

3) Can I change that email address whenever I like, and if so, how
does that work (web interface)?

4) Can I make changes or additions to the DNS records using a web
interface or similar? What are the charges (if any) for this?

Thanks!

--

Alan.

The views expressed are my own, and not those of my employer or anyone
else associated with me.

My current valid email address is:



This is valid as is. It is not munged, or altered at all.

It will be valid for AT LEAST one month from the date of this post.

If you are trying to contact me after that time,
it MAY still be valid, but may also have been
deactivated due to spam. If so, and you want
to contact me by email, try searching for a
more recent post by me to find my current
email address.

The following is a (probably!) totally unique
and meaningless string of characters that you
can use to find posts by me in a search engine:

ewygchvboocno43vb674b6nq46tvb

 

I used DomainMongers in the past. I've not registered a Domain for ages
though.

That's not DNS, that's the Domain Registry.

Cheers,

Cliff

 

Short answer, no. Longer answer, if you want to do that most Domain Name
Registries offer a web-based tool to manage your Domain. If you want to
*host* the Domain Name (ie keep the authoritative zones on your own
server) then not only do you have to register the Domain but you have to
persuade the DNS registry systems to point to your DNS servers. It's not
impossible, but difficult and you need a server that is up 24x7.

Cheers,

Cliff

 

No idea. I haven't kept up with what the domain registrars have been doing
for about 10 years. All I can say is, my own ISP, formerly Wave, now Ihug,
hasn't tried to take ownership of my domain away from me.

 

You and DNS appear to have been around longer than I thought! According
to Wikipedia it was invented in 1983ish,

Cheers,

Cliff

 

It gives really basic functionality to the domain. Web requests can be
redirected to another URL (eg the free webspace provided by your ISP).
It also gives catch-all redirection of email to that domain to any
single email address you want.

Using their web interface you can change the authorative DNS servers for
the domain, and then you can change DNS settings on said DNS servers.

Don't confuse DNS with domain registration. Your web hosting provider
will normally provide DNS services as well. You make DNS changes here
(but also see above comment).

 

Some of them will offer you a secondary server. That way, you have to set up
one DNS server (standard DNS practice is to require two). Yours is the
primary, and theirs automatically picks up any configuration changes you
make.

 

I don't think they really need to *host* the DNS authoritative
records, but I would like to be able to make changes or additions to
the DNS records directly (via a web interface say) without having to
go via a helpdesk or anything (and certainly not having to pay to make
such changes).

Does DomaiNZ offer a web-based tool to do that? Do they charge to
make additions or changes to DNS records?

Thanks,

--

Alan.

The views expressed are my own, and not those of my employer or anyone
else associated with me.

My current valid email address is:



This is valid as is. It is not munged, or altered at all.

It will be valid for AT LEAST one month from the date of this post.

If you are trying to contact me after that time,
it MAY still be valid, but may also have been
deactivated due to spam. If so, and you want
to contact me by email, try searching for a
more recent post by me to find my current
email address.

The following is a (probably!) totally unique
and meaningless string of characters that you
can use to find posts by me in a search engine:

ewygchvboocno43vb674b6nq46tvb

 

Hi EMB,

Thanks for your answers!

On point three, I may be confused as you point out!!

I was specifically talking about adding a new DNS record (I think).

For example, if my domain is:

mydomain.co.nz

and the DNS records start out as (fake IPs!):

Record Type Canonical IP

A mydomain.co.nz 111.111.111.111
MX smtp.mydomain.co.nz 222.222.222.222
NS terminator.xtra.co.nz 55.55.55.55

If I want to add, say, (secondwebserver.mydomain.co.nz) can I do that
using the web interface?

Thanks,

--

Alan.

The views expressed are my own, and not those of my employer or anyone
else associated with me.

My current valid email address is:



This is valid as is. It is not munged, or altered at all.

It will be valid for AT LEAST one month from the date of this post.

If you are trying to contact me after that time,
it MAY still be valid, but may also have been
deactivated due to spam. If so, and you want
to contact me by email, try searching for a
more recent post by me to find my current
email address.

The following is a (probably!) totally unique
and meaningless string of characters that you
can use to find posts by me in a search engine:

ewygchvboocno43vb674b6nq46tvb

 

Fair enough!

Thanks for your help.

--

Alan.

The views expressed are my own, and not those of my employer or anyone
else associated with me.

My current valid email address is:



This is valid as is. It is not munged, or altered at all.

It will be valid for AT LEAST one month from the date of this post.

If you are trying to contact me after that time,
it MAY still be valid, but may also have been
deactivated due to spam. If so, and you want
to contact me by email, try searching for a
more recent post by me to find my current
email address.

The following is a (probably!) totally unique
and meaningless string of characters that you
can use to find posts by me in a search engine:

ewygchvboocno43vb674b6nq46tvb

 

Yes. All my domains, and all contacts therein (there is more than one,
e.g. owner and technical contact), use my Orcon e-mail address.

There may be some restrictions on using free hosts, I'm not sure. I use
a free Orcon account.

E-mail addresses likely require validation, but yes, you should be able
to change them to any e-mail address you like. See below.

You can update all domain records via the Web interface. There is no
charge for this.

RL

 

You would still need the second level DNS providers to include the
'glue' records for your DNS server into their DNS. For instance, if I
wanted to host DNS for mydomain.com and my DNS is ns1.mydomain.com and
ns2.mydomain.com then there must be records for ns1.mydomain.com and
nd2.mydomain.com at the .com level otherwise these DNS servers cannot be
found. But if the DNS is hosted in GoDaddy's DNS servers, then the
entries for the mydomain.com will have NS records for GoDaddy's servers,
since they are authoritative for the mydomain.com.

Cheers,

Cliff