Tools To Use For Checking A Domain Names History
At this point, you should already understand that it is important to be aware of your domains history before you actually purchase and use it. The Internet leaves a trail that can easily be traced and you cannot hide anything online. The domain you may be interested in buying could have a history of its own, which may include sensitive content and malicious code. It may even have different owners before you.
Thankfully, it is possible for you to figure out the history of the domain you are using or any domain name that you may wish to buy. You can investigate whether it is worth your investment or not. Here are the best tools that will let you check the history of a domain:
Make Sure The Domain Is Registered
You wont know for sure if the domain youre interested in is registered until you check for yourself. The easiest way to check is to search for the domain name at a registrar like Name.com. That way, if the domain is available, or being resold as Premium Domain, you can easily purchase it directly from the registrar. If the domain is listed as unavailable, it is likely already registered and youll need to turn elsewhere for more details.
But before you resort to trying to buy a domain that is already registered , its worth looking into alternative options for domain names. You might find that by using a different or new domain extension, you can get the SLD you want for a fraction of the price.
Search For The Domain Name Youre Interested In
Now, simply type in the domain name you want to find out more information about into the search bar and press enter. Whenever a domain owner decides to register the domain, theyre required to include information such as their name, address, email, and phone number. A Whois lookup can also tell you which registrar the domain is at, when it was registered, when it could potentially expire, and more.
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Opportunities With Expiring Domains
In case you didnt know, there are hundreds of high quality domains expiring every day. Domains expire because individuals or businesses simply forget to renew or they decide to let the domain go. This represents a significant opportunity to purchase valuable domains at an extremely low price.
Use the Who.is tools to identify and register expiring domains and recently expired domains without spending all day doing it. You can view up to six expiring TLDs . Search a keyword phrase and filter the results by character count, include hyphens or numbers, and even view domains that have hundreds of existing backlinks which can be extremely valuable for your efforts with search engine optimization . You would be amazed at some of the domains you could register today!
Where Can I See Who Owns A Domain
In order to see who owns a domain you will need to do a whois search on the domain name you are interested in.
When you do a whois search it will display who is the owner of the domain name.
There are instances when the data of the owner will not display. This happens when the owner of the domain name does not want to make his contact details public and has purchased a domain whois privacy service.
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How Much Does It Cost To Get A Domain Name
The cost of a domain name can vary significantly, depending on several different factors. Here are a few things to consider when thinking about how much your domain name will cost:
Type of extension: The cost of acquiring a domain name can be heavily impacted by the TLD itself. For example, a promotionally priced .cyou domain may cost less than US $5.99/1st year, while a more exclusive TLD like a .inc can be priced in the thousands. Prices can also be impacted by the domain registry, any discounts at the time, along with the operator of the domain. The most popular and familiar domain extensions tend to fall somewhere within CA$20/year to CA$50/year.
Promos & Term: Domain names are sold as annual renewals, not dissimilar to subscriptions. If youre looking to get a domain over a multi-year term, be sure to consider the annual renewal price as well. Often domain names are sold at a discount for the first year, with the price of renewal being significantly higher. Consider the total cost of ownership when committing to a domain.
Availability: If youre looking to get a domain that is already taken, the cost of acquisition can vary significantly from seller to seller. In cases where youd like to acquire a domain thats been taken, enlist a domain broker to get an accurate valuation of any aftermarket domains youre hoping to acquire.
Can I Use My Domain That Is Registered At Webnames With Another Provider
If you need to move your domain to another registrar, you can obtain a transfer authentication code as well as unlock your domain by browsing to the following, once logged into your Webnames.ca account:
- Navigate to Account > Manage Domains
- Under Domain Actions > Transfer Domain, click on Auth Code
Proceed through the screens to obtain your Transfer Authorization Code and unlock your domain.
A new Transfer Authorization Code will be generated each time one is requested, and this Code will be updated after 90 days, provided a transfer of the domain is not currently in progress.
Please be aware that each domain Registry imposes a restriction on how frequently a domain can be transferred between Registrars. Typically, this frequency is every 60 calendar days.
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How Do I Find The Best Available Domain Name
If you have an idea for the name you want, start by searching for that. If the name isnt available, well show you our best recommendations for similar, available domain names. Or, if you dont have a specific domain name in mind, just type in keywords that describe your website or project, hit search, and check out the suggestions.
Purchase The Domain Name
When you have settled on the domain name and a suffix, you will pay to register the domain name with the domain registrar. This is not a one-time purchase, however. Typically, you will pay to own the domain name for one year, after which you can renew your registration for a fee. You can expect a registration fee of about $10 to $15.
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Finding Domain Name Through Domain To Ip Tool
If you do not want to go with lengthy process above we have an easy method too where you can check IP address of your domain name almost instantly through Domain to IP address or Hostname to IP tool.
Hostname to IP tool allows you to display IP address almost instantly as soon you press LOOKUP button after entring your domain name in the search form. It works both for main domain names and subdomain names.
If you are looking for full DNS information of a domain name such as IP address, MX record, Text record, NS records you can use DNS lookup tool for it.
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Why Should Registrants Still Utilize Whois Privacy Services
The WHOIS database lists information about each domain registration online and is open to the public. In regards to Registrant information, the amount that is displayed publicly may differ based on a number of factors, including:
- The specific domain extension
- The type of Registrant used for the registration
This means that malicious entities are still able to quickly access this public directory and survey for potential pieces of information to exploits. By replacing your information through a privacy service, your information is effectively blocked from public access.
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How Do I Check If The Domain I Want Is Available
There are few different ways to verify if the domain you want is available.
While all processes are kept secure and confidential, the most straightforward is the domain name search tool. Simply type your desired website domain name in the search bar, and youll be presented with a list of results.
The search results will show the domain you want along with its availability, as well as options in other extensions and related suggestions. If the domain is taken, youll be able to review the WHOIS record to see information on the current owner and when it is set to expire, along with a link to our domain brokering services in case youre interested in acquiring that domain.
In addition to Webnames domain search, you can also check out our domain wizard or our domain marketplace to discover more great options.
Negotiating With A Domain Name Owner
If youve consulted WHOIS databases or otherwise discovered the identity of the domain name owner, the next step for those looking to purchase a domain name is to negotiate with the owner.
Its important to remember that as long as an owners domain registration hasnt expired, they retain complete control over the name and can either sell it or keep it, as desired. Sometimes, even if youve discovered the perfect domain name, the owner might be unwilling to put it up for sale. Circumstances like these arise rather frequently for that reason, its important to keep an open mind and be willing to entertain the idea of registering an alternative name.
Send an email or otherwise get in contact with the owner by using the information youve acquired through research. Reach out with a positive attitude. Even if there wont be any face-to-face negotiations, its important to be friendly. Once you agree to the deal, exchange payment for ownership.
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Search Engines And Social Media
If current ownership information is not available through a WHOIS database or not directly shown on a site, it may be possible to track it down through other kinds of information, such as social media profiles or links to related sites. For example, a searcher might find the site owner through a Twitter account or LinkedIn profile, even if that information is not on the domain or in a WHOIS database. Even a Google search might turn up clues to a domain owners identity and contact information.
Check For Trademark Infringement
Both major and minor brands alike take issue with others using their trademarked names. Even if youve just made an innocent mistake, the legal hassle involved in a lawsuit and having to rearrange your web presence could be costly.
You can avoid these situations by using a trademark lookup tool before you finalize your choice.
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Two: Check The Whois Directory
Every time someone registers a domain name, the domain registrar that processes the sale is required to collect basic contact information. In some cases, that information then gets submitted to the WHOIS directory, so that theres a record of who runs each website online.
The WHOIS directory is therefore our next stop for seeking out a domain name owner.
Put in the name of the domain youre looking for and scroll down to find all the data the WHOIS directory lists for it. In a few cases, that may contain the owners contact information. If so, you can skip the next step.
Even if not though, it will always include at least their domain registrar and domain expiration date. That lets you know if the domain will be coming up for renewal soon. If so, you may be able to snap it up for cheaper when it expires than if you buy it from them directly. But that only works if they dont renew, so youre taking a chance.
Either way, knowing the domain registrar enables you to take the next step.
Add Domain Id Protection
When you register a domain name with ICANN, you must provide your contact information including your name, phone number, physical address, and email address.
As soon as your domain name is registered, this contact information becomes available to the public unless you pay for domain privacy through your domain registrar. This domain privacy will shield your information from view keeping your personal information safe from spammers or worse, identity thieves.
Once you’ve got the domain name in hand, you’re ready to find hosting and build your website. Consider a free CMS, like HubSpot, to design your website, strategize for SEO, and create a blog.
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What Is A Domain Name What Is A Tld And What Is A Ccltd
A domain name is how users on the internet identify your website. As opposed to memorizing and entering your sites IP address, users use your domain name to locate and access your website.
A top-level domain refers to the domain or URL extension. TLDs with no registration restrictions such as a .com may also be referred to as gTLDs .
TLDs can be a streamlined way of communicating the purpose of your website. There are more than 2,000 different TLD options available some have broad applicability , while others have narrower uses cases and in some cases, use requirements or restrictions .
A country code Top-Level Domain is a domain extension reserved for specific countries or territories. ccTLDs always appear as two letter extensions, and are often used to indicate the region and language that will be displayed while using a site.
Examples of ccTLDs include .ca, .us, .uk .
Purchase Your Domain Name And Complete Its Registration
Once you settle on a domain name, its time to purchase it. When you buy through Mailchimp, well let you know the annual cost of the domain name as well as any available discounts.
During the checkout process, youll be required to enter your contact information, including an email address, to register the domain.
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How Can I Buy A Domain Name That Is Already Registered
If you are interested in a domain name that is already purchased by someone else I would first check if the domain name has an active website.
If they have not got a website you can try to contact them using the contact details tha appeared on the whois database.
If no details are showing you can contact a domain broker company who can try to approach the owner of the website with your bid.
The cost of the purchase will depend on what the both parties agree.
We hope you have found this technote on how to check who has registered a domain name.
Thanks for reading and leave your questions below to keep the conversation going.