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- What is a domain
name?
A domain name is essentially
a signpost on the Internet. Every website you've ever
been to, and every email you've ever composed, has
used a domain name in its address. People register
domain names in order to 'stake a claim' to a particular
name -- whether for business or personal reasons.
Once a domain name is registered to a person or company,
it is that person's to use exclusively as long as
they continue to pay the yearly renewal fee. Our domain
name is opensrs.org, and we also own opensrs.com and
opensrs.net
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- After I've chosen
an OpenSRS Registration Service Provider, what's involved
in getting my domain name?
Most OpenSRS Registration
Service Providers have built a domain registration
process that you initiate from their web site. Once
you've applied for the name, the Registration Service
Provider accepts payment, processes the order with
OpenSRS, and then the domain name is registered to
you. This process can generally be completed within
one business day, but it will vary by Registration
Service Provider.
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- Once I have a domain
name, how can I make changes to it?
You can make changes to
your domain name by using the OpenSRS management interface
at: http://opensrs.backland.net/cgi/manage.cgi.
Bear in mind you'll need your domain's username and
password to make the desired changes.
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- How do I change
ownership of my domain name? (ie. I want to sell it
or give it to someone else)
You can simply give your
username and password to the new owner, and allow
them to change the contact information using the Manage
Domain interface. They should also change the domain's
profile to a new one with a unique username and password.
To change the contact information:
In the Manage Domain interface
(http://manage.opensrs.net), click on Organization
link and update the information
To change the domain's profile:
Log into the Manage Domain
interface at: http://manage.opensrs.net
Click on "Manage Profile"
and then select "Change Ownership of Domain". Fill
out the username/password of the profile you want
to add this domain to, or create a new profile and
provide a username and password. If you are moving
the domain to an existing profile, click on "Move
to existing profile" and type the name of a domain
that is already in the profile into the "Previously
registered domain" field. Click on "Change Owner"
and the domain will be in the new profile.
* It is important to
remember that anyone with the profile login information
can change all info for all domains in the profile,
including ownership.
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- What is the role
of OpenSRS?
OpenSRS is a domain
registrar that competes with other domain registrars
(Network Solutions, Register.com, etc.) in the domain
name market. What makes us unique is the fact that
we are strictly wholesale, providing services to Registration
Service Providers who in turn sell domain names to
people and companies worldwide. Because we focus on
'business-to-business' relationships, we're able to
avoid the costs of supporting a base of end users,
and consequently, can offer our services at a significantly
lower price than our competitors.
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- What's the difference
between an OpenSRS registered domain name and a Network
Solutions (NSI) registered domain name?
There's no difference
between a name registered with OpenSRS and a name
registered with Network Solutions. Network Solutions
is currently better known because they ran the first
domain registration business without competition for
a number of years.
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- Registry? Registrar?
Registrant? What do these words mean?
Registrar:
A "Registrar" (or "Domain
Name Registrar") is an organization like OpenSRS or
Network Solutions that has control over the granting
of domains within certain TLDs (top level domains,
like the generic .com/.org/.net or country-specific
.ca/.us/.mx etc.).
Registry:
The 'Registry' is the
backend that registrar's have shared access to. Each
registrar writes new names to a central registry database,
from which the authoritative root (essentially, a
table of all domain names on the Internet) is built.
Registrant:
A registrant is the person
or company who purchases a domain name. For example,
Jessica Smith (registrant) registers the name jessicasmith.com
through OpenSRS (registrar) who in turn writes the
name to the central database (Registry).
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- How can I get in
touch with an OpenSRS Domain Registration Service
Provider?
You can reach a Registration
Service Provider by emailing our helpful sales
staff (sales@backland.net)
who will make sure to expedite your request as quickly
as possible.
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- Why can't I get
domains at wholesale prices?
You can! OpenSRS is a
service for organizations that register at least 25
or more domain names a year. In order to register
domains at wholesale prices using OpenSRS, you will
need to:
- Complete and return our
contractual agreements
- Install our Perl-based
tool on a Perl-capable machine
(Quickstart customers can start registering domains
via our Web interface before they've completed the
installation on their own server)
- Pass a certification
test (the RITE test - RSP Integration and Testing
Environment)
- Pre-pay:
- $250 (US dollars) for
Full Access (if you're using the OpenSRS client
software scripts)
- $500 (US dollars) for
Quickstart (if you are just using the Web interface
to start while preparing the scripts)
If you want an easier
process for registering domain names, we encourage
you to visit a retail domain name Registration Service
Provider that regularly handles single registrations.
Contact an OpenSRS Domain Registration Service Provider
by clicking here. For more information on becoming
an OpenSRS Registration Service Provider, please visit:
http://www.opensrs.org/gsguide.shtml
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- I can't get hold
of my Registration Service Provider. I call, I write,
and I still don't get an answer. What do I do?
OpenSRS, as a wholesale
domain registrar, likes to leave customer service
issues between the Registration Service Provider and
the end user. However, if you have tried repeatedly
to contact your Registration Service Provider, using
all traditional means (including telephone and email),
to no avail, please contact compliance@opensrs.org.
The compliance department will normally respond to
your query within 24-48 hours. Our compliance officer
will not necessarily deal directly with your issue;
our first step it to try to contact the RSP ourselves
to get the issue resolved. Failing that, we can take
action to remedy almost all situations. NOTE: Please
do not contact the OpenSRS compliance officer unless
you have exhausted all other means of contacting your
RSP.
If the company you have chosen
as your Registration Service Provider has gone out
of business, Tucows will ensure that you are notified
and allowed to chose another Tucows RSP before your
domain name is due for renewal.
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- How can I transfer
my domain to another Reseller?
If you have found another
Reseller that you wish to do business with, you can
transfer your domain to them by contacting them directly
to make your request. See below for info on finding
a new Reseller.
Please be certain that you meet the following requirements:
- Your current Admin Contact email address is
valid, and you can respond to a confirmation message
sent to that address.
- Your gTLD domain registration is at least 60
days old, or has been with the current Reseller
for at least the same period.
- Your domain is no more than 40 days past it's
present expiry date.
You can verify any aspect of your current domain
record, including expiry date at http://whois.opensrs.net.
If you have not yet decided on a new Reseller to
do business with, OpenSRS can gladly provide you
a list of qualified referals. Simply send your request
for a "Reseller Referal" to sales@opensrs.org
If you wish to transfer
a .CA domain -
Please visit the following page for a complete
list of our .CA Resellers: http://www.tucows.ca/calist.html
Please be aware that this process will normaly
take about a week to complete, and your new Reseller
will charge you a fee for the transfer of gTLD domains
(com/net/org). The fee will add an additional "domain
year" to your registration in the transfer process.
Again, you will be able to view this newly extended
expiry date at http://whois.opensrs.net
PLEASE ALSO NOTE:
If your domain is in a Profle
containing other domains, it will be removed from
this Profile. As such your login information might
change during an RSP Transfer, though you will be
informed of this, of course.
For more info on Profiles:
http://www.opensrs.org/Manage_FAQ.shtml#q9
If your domain is past expiry,
you should simply renew with the current Reseller,
unless your new Reseller can assure you that they
can complete the RSP-Transfer for you before the
dopmain is deleted 40 days after expiry. If your
new Reseller requires more info on this process,
you can refer them to the following URL: http://www.opensrs.org/Support_FAQ.shtml#Live_reseller_domain_move
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- I can't get any
technical support from my Registration Service Provider?
Technical issues are
best dealt with between you and your Registration
Service Provider; however, if you cannot contact your
Registration Service Provider, please review Question
9 of this FAQ.
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- I forgot my login
name and password.
Your login name and password
(used to make modifications to your domain name record)
can be obtained from your Registration Service Provider.
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- How do I resolve
a payment dispute with a Registration Service Provider?
As a wholesaler, OpenSRS
has very little to do with Registration Service Provider
billing issues. However, if you feel that unsavoury
business practices are at the root of the dispute
and that contacting OpenSRS is your only recourse,
please review Question 9 of this FAQ.
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- Who does a registered
name actually belong to, the end user or the Registration
Service Provider?
Domain names are not truly
owned -- they're leased out on a first-come, first-served
basis, and remain with the initial lessee until either
a) the lessee does not renew the name, or b) a business
with a trademark of the same name demonstrates a greater
claim to the name than the lessee can demonstrate.
The question is better phrased as 'who can control
the domain name'. With OpenSRS, the answer is the
domain's Administrative Contact. This is usually specified
by the registrant during the registration process;
however, as each Registration Service Provider may
have slightly different policies in this matter, please
consult individual Registration Service Provider's
websites for full details.
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- How much control
do domain owners have over their domain once they've
signed up through an OpenSRS Registration Service
Provider?
Domain owners, in general,
have full control over their OpenSRS registered domain
names. This means that the domain owner has the power
to:
a) Change admin/technical and billing contacts for
the domain.
b) Change ownership of the domain.
c) Change the nameservers that are authoritative for
the domain.
d) Create sub-users and enable them to change some/all
of the options in a, b and c above.
e) Change the password that enables a, b, c, and d
above.
As an end-user, it's unlikely you'll care to bother
with such details. If this is the case, there are
many Registration Service Providers opt to offer these
services as a 'value-add' to their registration service.
Please review individual Registration Service Provider
policy pages for information on how they deal with
domain authority. Access a list of Registration Service
Providers here. (link)
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- I heard the "WHOIS"
at Internic is not in real time. How is this different
from the WHOIS function at OpenSRS?
WHOIS is a tool that permits
people to access information about a particular domain
name. Internic updates their WHOIS data twice every
24 hrs. This means the data it presents isn't as up-to-date
as it could be. For example, if a domain name has
transferred ownership, it's possible this fact wouldn't
be available to you for up to twelve hours. In contrast,
with regard to names we host, OpenSRS WhoIS information
is updated in real time. If you need to be certain
that your domain name information is correct, we recommend
you use the OpenSRS WHOIS.
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- What's the difference
between .com, .net, .org domain names?
Originally, the three
letter extensions after the dot (or Top Level Domain/TLD)
were meant to denote whether the domain name was being
used for business (.com) charity/non-profit (.org)
or for a technology based company (.net). However,
with the explosion of the Internet (and specifically,
the world wide web) as a new business medium, the
lines were blurred, and companies and individuals
alike started cross-registering domains (ie. Me.com,
me.net, me.org) just to protect their interests. Now,
.com, .net, and .org names (the generic Top Level
Domains) can be used for any purpose.
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- Does OpenSRS register
in any other top level domains (.ca, .us, .co, .uk,
etc.)?
Currently, OpenSRS offers
registrations in the .com, .net, .org gTLDs, and the
.co.uk, .org.uk, and .ca ccTLDs through its Registration
Service Providers.
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- What's the difference
between a ccTLD and a gTLD?
A gTLD is a generic Top
Level Domain. These are top level domains that are
NOT affiliated with any country and can be registered
by anyone for a fee. Currently, these are .com, .net,
and .org. ccTLDs are Country Code Top Level Domains.These
are the two character top level domain names affiliated
with various countries around the world. Many ccTLDs
are closed or restricted, requiring proof of residency
in the country in question. Others are not restricted,
and can be purchased much like gTLDs.
Currently, OpenSRS offers
registrations in the .com, .net, .org gTLDs, and
the .co.uk and .org.uk ccTLDs through its Registration
Service Providers.
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- This is fascinating.
Where can I go for more information on the domain
name space?
For a detailed account
on the evolution of the domain space as a business
phenomenon, please visit http://www.icann.org.
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Last Updated: Monday, 18-Feb-2002
16:01:20 EST By: Ken
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