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How To Determine Who Owns A Domain Name

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Litigation May Be Appropriate When A Registrant Acts With An Ulterior Non

How to Find Out Who Owns a Domain Name

Some registrants can be greedy or have an ulterior, non-monetary purpose behind registering the domain name. These registrants are not generally receptive to legal demands and do not typically accept monetary offers to sell the domain, no matter how enticing the amount.

Many early cybersquatting cases involved internet squatters who simply purchased domain names of big companies and then offered to sell the name to those companies at an enormous profit. However, this often backfired and landed the squatter in hot water, resulting in sizable monetary penalties for some. Thanks to these early cases, this practice is now less common.

Attempts to purchase and then resell domain names for significant profits have significantly declined over the years, but domain name squatting does still occur now with different motives in mind.

Now, cybersquatting is more likely to be based on a personal grudge, where someone is trying to make another persons life more difficult. Cybersquatting can sometimes occur between ex-spouses during a divorce or custody dispute. Despite the non-monetary motivations behind cybersquatting, it is still possible to purchase the domain name from an individual acting with malice or ill-will.

Identify Your Hosting Provider

To identify your hosting provider, perform the following actions:

  • Navigate to Digital.coms WHOIS Tool. This website allows you to search for a domain names hosting provider.Note:While this article uses Digital.coms WHOIS Tool, other similar search sites also exist, such as Webbiums webhostingdetector.com. cPanel, L.L.C. is not affiliated with either of these third-party sites.
  • Search for your domain name. Enter your websites domain in the Search text box, and then click Search. A new page will appear.Note:
  • If you do not know your domain name, search your billing records. If you see a Site not registered message, you either have not registered the domain, or the domain is not hosted anywhere. If you receive that result, use icann.org to check whether the domain is registered.
  • You can search for any domain, regardless of whether you own that domain.
  • Identify your hosting provider. The list of hosting information should include the following information:
  • Hosted by The name of the hosting provider. This link might not point directly to the hosting companys website. Use your favorite search engine to search for the company website.
  • Country The websites country of origin.
  • WHOIS A link to access domain registration information. Most website owners often use their hosting companies to register domains. However, it is also possible to register domains through a separate company from the company that hosts the website.
  • Additional Documentation

    Use An Email Finder Tool

    Whats an email finder tool, you ask?

    An email finder lets users find email addresses that are connected to a web page. This is a strategy that marketers use to find new leads for their companies. But theres no reason why you could use the same technique to find out who owns a domain name.

    How does it work?

    An email finder would usually come in the form of either a web app or a browser extension. If youre using the former, all you need to do is enter the domain name and wait for the tool to finish processing it. The latter method is slightly easier because you can find out everything you need to know just by activating the extension while youre on the target website.

    So if you use an email finder on a site like Disney.com, you should find the names and email addresses of some people who work at the company.

    While a site like Disney might be too big of a company to show the information of its top brass, this strategy will most definitely work on smaller sites.

    Theres no shortage of email finder tools online. But Hunter.io and Find That Lead are two of the most prominent names in the game.

    Most email finder tools arent free. But since you only need information for one website, a free trial might be enough.

    Again, the person you might end up talking to may have nothing to do with the domain name registration. The owner of the company could have relegated the task of registering the domain to someone else and havent thought about it since.

    Recommended Reading: How Do I Forward A Domain To Another Website

    Find The Information You Need In Whois Records

    If the domain owner is interested in selling their domain, their contact information is typically available in the Whois records. However, youll sometimes find that the information youre looking for has been blocked by the domain provider for privacy reasons.

    If the domain that youre interested in is being sold by someone who is looking for a willing buyer, the steps outlined above is the easiest way to start negotiating a purchase. But if the seller has hidden their contact information or is not interested in selling their domain, dont despair! There are workarounds for those who are interested in a domain that has already been registered.

    How To Find Out Who The Domain Owner Is

    How To Find Out Who Owns a Domain Name  Web Knowledge Free

    Youve spent time brainstorming domain names. Youve tried different domain suggestion tools. And youve finally figured out the perfect name.

    But when you go to register the domain name youre set on, you find that someone has already claimed it. What a disappointment.

    Before you give up on that perfect name and start the whole process again from scratch, know there might still be hope.

    Registered domain names are sometimes still availableif you know how to find the owner.

    People invest in domain names for a number of different reasons. Sometimes, its to start their own website at that domain. Sometimes its purely for investment purposes. And in a few cases, it may be for a website idea that either never comes to fruition, or that falls off the owners radar over time.

    If the website youre interested in isnt being actively used and updated, then the owner may be happy to hear from an interested buyer. And even if the owner is clearly using the domain name right now, if youre willing to spend enough to make a sale worth it to them you may still have a chance.

    In both cases, you should anticipate spending more for the domain name than if you went with something no one else owns yet. But if youre really set on that domain name, its worth trying your chances.

    Also Check: How To Own A Web Domain

    Go Around The Whois Protection

    Some domain owners decide to hide their information by using domain protection services. Such services use methods to protect the privacy of their clients by providing their own contact details instead.

    The best way to go around this kind of privacy protection is to reach out to the third-party company and ask them to pass on the email to the owner. While there are no guarantees that this method will work, it will increase your chances.

    How To Find Domain Name Owner In 3 Effective Ways

    If you want to develop a website, you have to register the domain name. You are reserving the address on the internet for some time. When you register a domain, you are added to the domain registration history.

    If you want to learn how to find domain name owner, there are many online resources to help you out. In this article, well tell you how to find the owner of a website, step by step.

    Read Also: How To Choose A Good Domain Name

    Do I Need To Buy A Domain Name To Have A Website

    To build a website you will need both a domain name and web hosting account. Buying a domain name alone only gives you right to use that particular domain name for a specific period . You need web hosting to store your websiteâs files. You can also buy both the domain and hosting from the same company.

    How Do I Stop Someone From Using My Domain Name

    How to Find Out Who Owns a Domain – HostGator

    If you are using a domain name that is registered with a third party such as GoDaddy, you may be able to stop someone from using it by contacting the registrar and asking them to remove the name from their system. If you have your own domain name, you may also be able to take action against someone who has used it without your permission.

    Read Also: How Do You Find Your Domain Name

    Register A New Domain Name

    Your domain name is the name of your website and acts as your address on the web. Viewers will use your domain to find your website, which is why its also a good idea to register your domain name along with common misspellings and various other domain extensions just in case. If you own johnsphotography.com, see if johnsphotos.com and johns. Photos are available to catch users who misspell your domain name. We make it easy to see which domain names are available for registration.

    Shorter domains are typically better since they are easier to type out and remember. If your business name is long, you might try registering one domain for your website and a shorter version of the domain name just for email. Email addresses should be simple enough to be written out and spoken aloud without too much effort.

    Your domain should be unique so you wont be confused about another website or business, but simple so its easy to remember. Avoid things like hyphens or unusual spelling so people can still find you online.

    You can also set up redirects on your hosting account so that if someone visits a misspelled or short version of your domain, they can be redirected to the correct site.

    Why Do Some Whois Queries Have More Information Than Others

    With WHOIS now in a state of change due in part to privacy laws such as GDPR, the data displayed in a WHOIS lookup can vary to some degree as each of the Registrant, Registrar and Registry have a jurisdictional nexus with such laws.

    Where a nexus with the EU’s GDPR is present, Personally Identifiable Information will often be removed or redacted from WHOIS output.

    Also Check: How To Get Free Domain For Minecraft Server

    Buying From A Marketplace

    Buying a pre-owned domain name from the marketplace is often considered a safer option than buying from an individual. There are fewer chances that the seller will scam you & run away with your money.

    Step 1: Visit a domain marketplace

    There are various domain marketplaces online that you can use to find your perfect domain. Some popular domain marketplaces are: BigRock, Sedo and Flippa.

    Step 2: Make your offer

    Once you have found the domain name that you like, make an offer to its owner. You can also check the current bid for the domain name of your choice. If the seller likes your offer, they will contact you for further negotiations.

    Step 3: Complete the purchase

    If your negotiations are successful, you simply pay for the domain name & become the new owner. If you dont know how to negotiate, you can always hire a professional to negotiate for you.

    When you buy a domain from the marketplace, there are nil to very few complications as compared to buying from an individual. All you need to do is simply choose a domain, place a bid, and once your bid is accepted you buy the domain.

    What Is The Difference Between A Domain And A Website Owner

    Who owns a domain? Find it out in a minute!  Domain Tips

    In many cases, the owner of the website is also the owner of the websites domain, but that is not necessarily true. In some ways, domains are very much like real estate. Think of a domain as of a street address, and of a website as of a business running from that same address. The business might own their own premises, but they could also be renting them.

    The same goes for domain names: the owner of a website might have very little to do with the owner of the domain. They could be business partners, or it may be the case of the domain registrar retaining ownership of the domains they are leasing out. Maybe the website operator used an intermediary to register a website in their own name, or in the name of someone on the operators staff.

    All this is to say that, while it is often the case that the website and the domain owner are one and the same, this is not necessarily so. If you want to know who owns any particular domain name, going after the website owners contact information can lead you down the wrong path.

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    What To Do If The Domain Name Registrar Does Not Respond To The Disclosure Order

    You will need to follow up with the court if the domain registrar does not respond to the disclosure order or subpoena Once your disclosure order or subpoena is sent to the domain registrar, you should follow up with the court if you do not get a response.

    You should also contact the registrar directly if the registrar does not respond to the court. If the domain registrar does not respond to either the court or to you directly, your next step would be to take legal action. If the domain registrar is uncooperative, you may need to take further legal action, such as filing a lawsuit against the domain registrar or seeking an injunction against them. Ultimately, it is important to follow up with the court and the domain registrar to ensure that the disclosure order or subpoena is enforced.

    How To Hide Your Information From Whois Lookups

    Online privacy is incredibly important and some people do not want their contact details publicly available on the internet. For anyone who does not want to sell their domain or be contacted by those browsing the Whois directory, we highly recommend purchasing Advanced Security for all of your domains, which includes Whois Privacy, Domain Lock Plus, and a free SSL certificate. It masks your contact information and prevents spammers and telemarketers from using your information for no good.

    Don’t Miss: How Do I Get An Email Address For My Domain

    How To Domesticate The Disclosure Order In The Relevant Local Usa Court

    Obtaining a disclosure order or a subpoena from the relevant local USA court is a key step to finding out who owns a domain name. This legal order will require the domain name registrar, where the domain name registrar is located in the USA to accept the UK court order. In order to apply for your UK disclosure order to be domesticated in a court in the USA, you must provide the court with evidence of your UK High Court claim and follow the prescribed procedure for out-of-state domestication of court orders which applies to the relevant US state.

    Each state has its own rules so make could be obtained from the court clerk. The court in the USA will then consider the evidence and decide whether to grant the order on the basis of domestication. Once granted, the domain name registrar or registry will have to comply with the courts order as if it was given by their own local court and provide you with the information you need.

    Why Is Whois Important And Who Can Use It

    How To Find The Owner Of A Domain Name

    The Whois database makes it easy to find a website owner. This may be useful if you need to contact the domain name holder, or if youre a legal team wanting to clarify ownership for a trademark dispute.

    Domain buyers and sellers can also benefit by using Whois to view site ownership details fast, which helps the domain purchasing process go smoothly.

    If youre interested in acquiring a domain and want to find out if its already been registered, you can use our Whois search tool to check its availability.

    You May Like: How To Choose A Domain Name For Affiliate Marketing

    Can I Look Up Org Info Biz Us Or Tel Domains

  • For .org domain name WHOIS information, please visit:
  • For .info domain name WHOIS information, please visit:
  • For .biz domain name WHOIS information, please visit:
  • For .us domain name WHOIS information, please visit:
  • For .tel domain name WHOIS information, please visit:
  • DOMAINS

    How To Find The Domain Name Of A Server

    Iâm having trouble finding the domain name of my schoolâs server, I read another question similar to this but their commands didnât work.

    I tried to use nslookup and then when I was prompted I entered server. I get the following output. I donât understand where the domain name is stored. Iâm using a wired LAN connection from my university.

    Default Server: 127.0.01Address: 127.0.0.1#53Default Server: ::1Address: ::1#53 
    • please would you clarify and then when I was prompted I entered server , you do know the server ip right? thxJan 21 â16 at 0:28
    • yes I do know the serverâs ip

    You should nslookup the IP. It will return. Example.

    $ nslookup>    bro-ns-01Server:         10.100.1.2Address:        10.100.1.2#53Name:   bro-ns-01.angelsofclockwork.netAddress: 10.100.1.2>    10.100.1.2Server:         10.100.1.2Address:        10.100.1.2#532.1.100.10.in-addr.arpa name = bro-ns-01.angelsofclockwork.net.> 

    Iâm assuming youâre using dnsmasq or otherwise, because your server address is set to your localhost. If thatâs the case, it should still be transparent enough to pull the information.

    You could also look at /etc/resolve.conf if youâre on the same network. Youâre more than likely being given a reverse DNS entry that has the same domain suffix of static servers.

    $ cat /etc/resolv.conf   generated by /usr/sbin/dhclient-scriptsearch angelsofclockwork.net.nameserver 10.100.1.2

    Also Check: How To Increase Domain Rank

    What Is A Whois Ip Lookup

    An IP is a unique address of a server on the internet. Similar to how a telephone number allows you to connect to a specific phone on the telecom network, similarly, an IP address allows your computer to connect to a specific server on the internet.

    Domain names and IP numbers are the framework upon which the entire world wide web is built.

    IP numbers are assigned to networking organisations with a record maintained by governing bodies for each IP number and the organisation to which it has been assigned. A whois IP lookup allows you track the above mentioned details for a domain.

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