All the questions about domain name you wanted to ask but didn't know who to turn to.

Introduction
Buying a Domain 
Domain Speculation 
Finding information about domain names 
Registering Domain Names 
Selling Domain Names 
New top domains 
Domain Names and legal disputes 
About .com 
Miscellaneous

What is a domain name?
A domain name is a method of remembering specific web sites on the internet, usually a word or phrase that brings to mind one's person, business, service or product. Once a person or company pays the fees associated with registering a domain name, they "own" the domain until they give or sell it to someone else, or until they fail to pay the maintenance fee that is require after the initial registration period.

How long can a domain name be?
Until the Fall of 1999, a domain name was limited to 22 characters, but the rules have changed to allow domains with 63 characters.

What characters can I use in a domain?
You are limited to using alpha-numeric characters, and the hyphen (and the hyphen can't be the first or last character of the domain).

How does a domain with a hyphen compare to a domain without a domain?
It really depends on the domain. Some names and words lend themselves to hyphens, and some don't. A domain such as science-fiction.com lends itself to the hyphen, as people would be likely to type it that way anyway. A domain such as web-development.com would not be as valuable, as people would not be likely to type or remember the hyphen.

What about domains with the "e," "i" or "cyber" type prefixes?
Most domains with those common prefixes have been worn out, and are just overused and hard to remember. Unless you have a chance to use a domain like ecommerce.com," leave the cute prefixes alone.

What makes a domain valuable?
The value of a domain is determined by several factors:

Length - how long is the domain; is it short, sweet and memorable?

Characters - does the domain includes any numbers or hyphens?
Certain names work well with hyphens, such as science-fiction, and others do not, such as do-it-now.

Extension - .coms are the most valuable, with .net next, then .org.
Some country domains, such as .cc or .to, are increasing in value.

Brand - is the domain or anything similar to it already being used in the industry? Is the domain likely to confuse visitors?
A strong, clear domain free of ties to other sites/businesses is the most valuable.

Generic or specific - is the domain name generic, likely to appeal to a wide audience (music.com), or is it specific, and likely to only appeal to those interested in the subject/business (bodypiercing.com).

Can a domain name include so-called "vulgarities?"
Although the has still not been ed by the court, Network Solutions maintains that since they are a "publisher," they have the right to refuse to publish certain domain names, specifically those that include any of the "7 dirty words" made famous by comedian George Carlin in the early seventies. Other registrars, specifically those not located in the United States, have made their own policy, and allow registrations using those words.

When are the "new" TLDs (Top Level Domains) going to become available?
That's a good , and only ICAAN knows for sure. The process is on hold, but the rumor is that several of the new TLDs will become available in the year 2000. 

What are the new generic TLDs going to be?
.firm for businesses, or firms
.shop for businesses offering goods to purchase
.web for entities emphasizing activities related to the Web
.arts for entities emphasizing cultural and artistic activities
.rec for entities emphasizing recreation and entertainment activities
.info for entities providing information services
.nom for those wishing individual or personal nomenclature

How do a register myname.adomain.com?
That is called a subdomain. You have to contact your web host's administrator and have them add the subdomain name you want to their DNS table, and then point it to the IP address of the machine which will handle calls to that subdomain. If you're using Virtual Hosting, with multiple domains on the same machine/web server, the admin will have to add it to the web server's configuration. The bottom line is that you don't "buy" a subdomain in the same fashion as a domain.

How much does it cost to "buy" a domain?
The rate varies from registrar to registrar. For .com, .net and .org domains, the rate usually varies from $25 - $35 per year. For international domains, the rate is anywhere from $25 to $250 dollars (US) per year. For .us domains, the cost varies from free to $20, and is determined by the local registrar.

Once you buy a domain, do you own it forever?
No, you are basically "renting" the domain. Most registrars have a minimum two year registration period, though some are offering variable registration periods now. Once the initial period is over, you will pay a "maintenance fee" to keep the domain. If you fail to pay it, you relinquish the domain, and becomes available for others to buy.

How can I tell if a domain is available?
Use any of the popular whois tools that are available, such as the one present on the DomainNotes.com  home page. Most registrars and domain registration  companies have a lookup form available for your use. 

When I checked to see if a certain domain was available using a whois lookup tool, it said it was available, yet when I tried to register it, the domain came back as already being registered. What gives?
Since Network Solutions is no longer the only domain registrar, there are several domain name databases that must be updated each day. When you checked to see if the domain was taken, it may not have been added to the database yet, so it would appear to be available. 

What if the domain I want is already taken?
Unless the domain owner is in violation of your current copyright or trademark, then you have no choice but to offer to purchase the domain from the owner, and failing that, find a different domain name. Our Domain Wizard can help you locate a suitable domain name for your business.

If I buy a domain before the company that owns the trademark/copyright for that domain buys it, can I sell it to them?
No. The passage of an anti-cybersquatting law made this a criminal act. You must relinquish the domain to the rightful trademark/copyright owner upon their request. 

Doesn't interNIC or the company that registers the domain check to make sure that you're not violating anyone's trademark when you register the domain?
No, it's not their responsibility, it's the domain buyer's. There are places you can check for yourself for free, such as marksonline.com. 

Can I register a domain, and then hold it until I am ready to use it?
The is yes, but you will have to provide two distinct domain name servers (DNS) for your domain name when you register. If you do not have a host or server in mind for your domain, most registrars provide a "parking" service, some for free, some for an additional fee.

Do I have to pay for a domain up front, or can I be billed?
Until recently, interNIC allowed folks to be billed for domains, but that resulted in too much domain speculation. Now they, and most other registrars, have implimented a "pay up front" system of registration. 

How long does it take to register and own a domain?
If you are already working with a registrar or registration company, and are using the same NIC ID, the process usually takes about 10 minutes. If you are a new customer, a few days. 

What is a NIC ID?
If you register a domain name, and are listed as the Administrative, Technical, Zone or Billing Contact, you will be assigned a NIC ID that is associated with your information. Usually the next time you register a domain, you can use the NIC ID and you will not have to re-enter your personal information.

Can I register a domain myself, or do I have to go through an ISP or web host?
You can register the domain yourself, and save yourself some fees; just visit any domain registrar's site. You'll need to know several things, such as the primary and secondary DNS (Domain Name Server) name and IP address of the server you intend to host your domain on, and your host's NIC ID, if they are to be the technical or admin contacts for the domain. If you intend to be the admin, technical, billing and zone contact  for your domain, all you will need to know if the DNS info. If you don't know this info, use a whois to look up your host's domain name, and use the DNS entries from that domain name. Most registrars also provide domain "parking" services in which you can use their own DNS servers for your domain, although some may charge a fee for this service.

Once I register a domain, can anyone look up my registration information using whois? Should I use my personal address and phone number?
Yes, the public has access to that information, so you may want to use your business address or PO Box. Although most registrars do not verify your contact information, (other than your email address), it is a good idea to use a valid address for your contact info. 

Did it always cost $70 to register a domain name?
Until mid-1995 it was free to register a domain name. Although many domains were already taken, there were still a slew of valuable domains available back then. After 1995 the cost was $100 per 2-year registration period, and eventually the price dropped to the current $70 per 2-year period. Additionally, some registrars have 1-year registration periods, with fees as low as $15 per year.

How can I find out about domain names that have been recently released (i.e. are now available)?

You can visit whois.net and use their expired domains search. If you prefer a list of recently dropped domains, you can subscribe to the weekly UnclaimedDomains.com newsletter for $50 per year. I've heard that domains are placed on "hold" if they are not paid for, among other reasons. If they are not paid, they are released into the marketplace again. 

How can I find domains that are on hold so I can prepare to purchase them as soon as they are released? 
You can't tell by looking at the whois record. There is a service that lets you do this at MyMonitor. They will also let you place specific domains on monitoring status, whereupon they will be immediately purchased when they are released. It is in beta testing now. 

Can I get a list of all the domain names that are currently registered?
Not unless you are a domain registrar, and the process of  becoming a registrar costs approximately $20,000 dollars (US). The domain database is restricted to a select few. 

If I want to buy a domain from someone that currently owns it, how do I contact them?
You can look up their information using a whois service, which usually shows their email address and phone number. Of course you can always try to find their email address on their web site, if it is active. 

If someone wants to buy a domain I own, what do I have to do to transfer it?
You will have to follow the directions given by your domain registrar (i.e. register.com, networksolutions.com, etc.). Typically, you will submit a form to the registrar which has been signed and notarized by both the buyer and seller. The domain will be deleted and re-registered by the new owner, with a hold on the domain so that no third party can purchase it in the mean time. Network Solutions has a $199 express service in which the procedure takes only two business days.

Is there any software I can use on my computer to look up domain names?
There are a few utilities that you can use to search for domain names; you can find them listed on the DomainNotes.com software page. 

Do you have a that wasn't ed here? 
Join the free DomainNotes email-based Discussion List. It's a low traffic list that focuses specifically on domain-related issues; you can choose to receive each message as it is sent to the list, or you can get a single email with all of the day's messages!

1. Are there any tools to help me choose domain names? 
Sure there are. I recommend that you make use of the online thesaurus at http://www.thesaurus.com/  and then you cut and paste the words that sound interesting into a text file. You can use the list lookup facility at 123DomainMe's site to look up several hundred domain names in a single operation. Just cut and paste your list [one word per line, no suffixes required] into the input box, add your email address and name and the system will  return a list of all available .com, .net and .org names within 24 hours. It's a great free service, and I use it so often the webmaster of the site emailed me to find out my impressions of the service!

2. I have a long list of domain names to check. Is there any way of checking them easily?
One again, hats off to 123DomainMe. Their site offers a one-stop search form
that will return all the .com, .net and .org names that are available from your list. Just prepare your list in text file, one name per line, without suffixes, then visit their site and cut and paste the list into their search form. You will receive a reply by email within 24 hours.

3. How can I find all the domain names with a certain word in them?
Tricky. If someone knows a foolproof way, please let me know. However, one way to find at least some names is to enter the search string you are looking for [for instance "fish"] at a whois prompt. You will get back a list of domain names containing "fish", interspersed with companies and people whose names contain "fish".

4. How can I check information associated with my domain name, such as my contact details?
You can use a program called whois to access the InterNIC database; this database contains details of every domain name. There are many places around the Web where you can enter a query to search the database. For example, you can use the form on this site.

5.How can I find out who a given domain name is registered to?
Simple. Use "whois" to look up the name. You can use the lookup form on this site if you like. Type the whole domain name into the search box, and submit the search. If the domain name is registered, you will see the name and address of the person or company to whom the name is registered. Your best bet if you want to contact the owner of a name is to contact the person listed in the Administrative Contact section of the information returned by whois.

6. How can I find out all the names a given company or person owns?
You can have a shot at this by entering the person or company's name in the whois search box. Try and look up at least one domain name first to get the exact spelling of the name you want to search for. For instance, if you know that my igoldrush.com site is owned by Internet Gold-Rush, then just type Internet Gold-Rush into the whois box to see a list of the other domain names I own [note that you will only find a few, since I have registered under a couple of other names too... but you get the idea!]

7.How can I find out if a domain name has been taken? 
Simply use the form situated on this page. Fill in the complete name you want to check, including the extension such as ".com" or ".net" The form will either return the name of the company or individual owning the domain name, or an indication that the domain name has not yet been taken.

1. I want to register a domain name in country X. What procedure do I have to follow, and how much will it cost?
To that in detail would take more space than this entire FAQ. Every country has its own rules and peculiarities. Costs range from free to hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars. The best source of information on Country domains is undoubtedly NetNamesUSA. I heartily recommend that you take a look at their comprehensive list of filing requirements for around 200 countries. That's after bookmarking this site first, of course! 

2. What should I beware of when using a registration service to register a domain name?
There are enough registration companies out there that you really shouldn't need to go to one that charges an annual or monthly maintenance fee to "reserve" or "hold" your domain names for you. I am not talking about the mandatory InterNIC fee here, that is a separate issue entirely. Here are some tips to check when choosing a registrar. The registrar should offer unlimited "reservation" and DNS services for domain names purchased through their site. Beware of sites that offer reservation services for a limited time only, typically 90 days. After that period is up, you'll have to find some other way to keep your domain name. Since all domain names are created equal, you shouldn't need to pay more than $50 for a basic registration. Companies that charge much more than this are either offering additional services [check their site carefully] or simply charging over the odds. This is a simple demand and supply issue: there are dozens of registrars who will get you your name for $50 or less. Be wary of registrars who ask to "point" the domain name at their own site. In other words, avoid registrars who make"www.YOURNEWNAME.com " an alternative address for THEIR own site while they are holding the name for you. Better to point to a standard under construction notice or simply to not point the name anywhere. Otherwise, there is a risk of confusing visitors as to who owns a given name. You can find more information on this subject in this feature.

3.How much should a domain registration service cost?
Whatever you are willing to pay. However, in view of the wide choice when selecting a registrar, $50 seems to be about the reasonable ceiling for a simple domain name registration. Expect to pay more for additional services.

4.What extra services can I get when I register a domain name?
These will depend on the registrar. Possible services include:-
email forwarding : Any email sent to YOU@YOURNEWNAME.com is automatically forwarded to your current email address. This is a viable alternative to a vanity email address. 
Website forwarding : This comes in two flavours: pointing your website at a given IP address, and pointing your website at a directory. The latter is great for anyone hosting a site on an ISP's site, as you will not need to move the site. The name will automatically be resolved to point to the correct directory. under construction page : depending on your personal preference, you may prefer to have www.YOURNEWNAME.com point at a standard "under construction" page rather than not point at anything at all. sample page : some registrars allow a single free "sample" page so that visitors to the site www.YOURNEWNAME.com would see your company name and address and maybe a phone number or a simple description of the services your company provides. 

5. How much can I expect to pay for these extra services?
This varies, depending on the registrar. A little market research never hurts, so I suggest you visit several registrars before making a decision. You'll find plenty of registrars in the Links section of this site. 

6. Can you recommend a particular registrar?
No, I will leave the choice of registrar up to you. However, I have tried on the Links pages to highlight any special services or special problems presented by particular registrars. Also, note that the companies sponsoring this site are all reputable firms.

7. How much should I pay for domain name "XYZ"?
I assume you're asking because the domain name is already registered to someone else. If not, the standard $100 fee should do the trick! This is a very difficult issue, and it is impossible to give specific guidelines. Here are a few tips. First, remember that you have to give the owner an incentive to sell.  Frankly I would be insulted if somebody emailed me out of the blue and offered me a couple of hundred dollars for a domain name. This is infinitely more valid if the domain name is in use for an existing site, instead of merely reserved. Then you have to think in terms of tens of thousands of dollars or more. The best advice is: "Be Realistic!" If the domain name is fairly obscure, and is merely reserved, an offer of a thousand dollars seems like a good starting point. But premium names will fetch much more. internet.com sold for over $100,000 and business.com sold for $150,000. Negotiations will end before they even get going if you make a "joke" offer for a valuable name. I am sorry, but I CANNOT provide detailed information for pricing individual names.

8. Somebody has registered the domain name I want. What can I do?
You can either offer to buy the name off them, or look for an alternative name. If the domain name is a trademark that your company owns, you can also consult with a lawyer with a view to starting proceedings to recover the name.

9. Hey, I had a really clever idea. I'm going to register "XYZ.org" as lots and lots of people visit "XYZ.com" and some of them might visit my site by accident. Clever, heh? 
As the recent case of the multiple Nasa sites showed [nasa.org is the official site; nasa.com and nasa.net were registered and pointed at porn sites] such tactics can generate a lot of traffic. However, InterNIC did not hesitate to act and suspend the two "rogue" names upon request of the real Nasa. So you be the judge... 

10. I wanted a very good domain name but it has been taken, so I thought I would register a similar domain name but misspell a word. Clever, heh?
Hmmm. This may work, but the larger companies at least are girding for such new battles in the continuing war to protect their trademarks. On the other hand, typo.com is making a living out of such misspelled domain names. Take a look!

11. I want to buy a domain name, but I don't want to pay to move my site from its current location at [long directory URL] Is there anything I can do?
Yes, you need to choose a registrar that offers a website forwarding service. That will ensure that visitors can enter your new domain name and be sent invisibly to your current site, no matter where it is hosted.

12. I want to receive email at my new domain name, but I don't have a site yet. What can I do?
Simple: register your name via a registrar that offers email forwarding. That way, any email sent to your new domain name will be redirected to your current email account.

13. I want to register a domain name to have a cool address for people to send mail to. What can I do?
Choose a registrar that offers to forward email for you from your new domain name to an existing email account..

14.I want to point more than one domain name at my site. Is that possible?
Absolutely, though it may cost quite a lot. Charges range from $10++ per month to point several domain names at one site. There are several alternatives here: if you have a site with an IP address, you can just point a number of  domain names at that IP address; if your site is hosted in a subdirectory of a web hosting service, you'll need to choose a registrar that offers website forwarding.

15.I noticed that a hot domain name is "on hold". How can I buy it?
If the name is on hold because it has not been paid for, it will generally become available 90 days after payment became overdue. If you are really keen to acquire the name, keep searching the InterNIC database EVERY day!  If you find that the name is on hold for over 90 days, it is very likely the focus  of a trademark or other dispute, and you will have to forget that name and try another.

16. What are the "hidden costs" of domain name ownership?
One hidden cost is the requirement to maintain a domain name server, or an arrangement with a company that provides a domain name server service. Some companies offer a once-off fee, others charge every year. Go for the former. The other hidden cost is not really hidden. However, it is easy to forget in the excitement of registering domain names, putting them on the market, promoting them etc. that in two years' time they will have to be paid for again. If you own 10 domain names, and you fail to sell any of them, you will have to pay an extra $500 every year you hold on to them. 

17. Why should I buy domain names now, when so many are already for sale?
Although the domain name market is quite quiet now, it is bound to grow in the future. The supply of good domain names is limited. Many of the best names have already gone. If you get in now, it is only going to cost you $100. 

18. I can't think of any good domain names. What shall I do?
Try and think of domain names associated with current or future growth areas. For instance, the year 2000 problem is a hot topic right now, so many companies will require domain names relating to the year 2000. Other good topics include electronic money, travel, shopping, investment, entertainment and more. A quick look at the front page of many search engines will give you a good idea of what is popular. A good way to think up names is to sit down in front of a clean sheet of paper and let your mind wander. Jot down any ideas that you get, no matter how strange they may be. Once you have a list of 20 names, you can then start working on these to find alternative spellings, similar names, synonyms etc.

19. I can't think of any good domain names. Can you help me?
In the past, I have made suggestions to various individuals who approached me. I will continue to do so providing that there is some form of return for me. I maintain a list of around 200 unregistered domain names in various categories; this list takes a great deal of time to compile and keep up to date. Hence I would suggest some kind of small contribution to the upkeep of this website, either in cash or in kind, would be in order if I help you to find your dream domain name. The list is also available for sale in its entirety. Please contact me for further details.

20. Is there any way that I can speed up the process of hunting for domain names?
Yes, there is. 123DomainMe offers a service whereby you can specify keywords you would like to have appear in a domain name; within a short time it will send you a list of all the permutations of these keywords that have not yet been registered with InterNIC. This can prove to save a great deal of time. For example, you want to think of some kind of domain name related to travel. You could run a search on the keywords travel, fly, flight, package, tour, ticket, holiday and vacation. You will receive by email a list of hundreds of permutations of these keywords; most of these will be useless, indeed laughable, but you may well spot a few gems you had not yet thought of. Of course, this service can only work with the keywords you give it, as it does not include synonyms. Maybe this is a future opening for an enterprising company?

21. A service to make up domain names for me? Sounds good! Must be expensive, though.
It is completely free. Not only that, it also offers a list of all related domain names that have already been registered with InterNIC. Great if you want to avoid buying a domain name too close to one belonging to another company. A good way to think up names is to sit down in front of a clean sheet of paper and let your mind wander. Jot down any ideas that you get, no matter how strange they may be. Once you have a list of 20 names, you can then start working on these to find alternative spellings, similar names, synonyms etc.

22. I bought a domain name.
If you mean that you bought a domain name off another party, please tell me all about it. If you are referring to registering a domain name with InterNIC, then I would like to wish you the best of luck with your new name, but please don't tell me about it. With tens of thousands of new names being registered every month, my mailbox would explode.

23. What happens if someone else has applied for the same domain as me, and their application is pending?
Bad luck. Although the domain name will not show up in the InterNIC database, once an application is in the processing queue at InterNIC, it cannot be overtaken by another application. Your application will eventually be rejected after the other application for the same domain name has been processed, and the domain name has been registered in the system. 

24. What can I put in the "Company name" field of the registration template if I do not have a company?
Pretty much anything you like, really. I would recommend either repeating your
name, or making up an interesting-sounding organization name. Note that the invoice InterNIC will send you will be addressed to the contents of the Company name field on the registration template. 

25. I registered XYZ.com last week, but I changed my mind. What can I do?
If InterNIC has not yet billed you, or if you have not yet sent off payment, then there is something you can do... just grit your teeth, and ignore the payment demands, final demands and men with baseball bats at midnight -- just kidding about the latter, folks! Anyway, if you fail to pay for long enough, InterNIC will void your registration and your domain name will become available again. 

26. Can I register an all-numeric domain name?
"Yes" is the short . It seems we all have Nick Lawrence of 911.com to thank for making this possible. He nagged IANA until they changed the rules to allow this type of domain name to be registered. 

1.I own domain name abcd.com -- how much is it worth?
The harsh reality is that if you are not already aware of a domain name's worth, it is probably not worth as much as you would like. In other words, if nobody has beaten a path to your door to buy it, you probably won't be able to give up your job after a single sale. Domain names have sold for anything between $200 and $150,000+. The price you can get depends on how quickly you want to sell, as well as how much interest you can generate in the name. Current domain names are priced at anything up to $7,000,000! It is inconceivable to imagine any company spending that kind of money on a single domain name. Better to go for realism rather than madness. I suggest that you price your domain name between $500 and $10,000 unless there is an exceptional case for pricing it higher. Don't waste your time selling a domain name for much less than $500, as the effort will not justify the reward.

2.Please tell me how much you think "abcd.com" is worth?
In the past, I have ed a very large number of such requests. Regrettably, I no longer have the time to do so, and such requests will be ignored. Instead, here are a few tips to get you started:-

See what price similar names are being offered at by looking at the lists on the various broker sites. 
Price realistically -- although it is possible to make a real fortune, as the recent case of "business.com" ($150,000) shows, this is very much the exception rather than the rule.
Price to sell -- your pricing scheme should be very different if you are trying to sell a name in three weeks, three months or three years. 

3. I heard that an offer of $50,000 was refused for Television.com. That's a lot of money. Is it true?
Yes it is. And yes, it is. The offer was made by CNET, the owner refused thinking he would get more... You can find more details of the domain name, and why the owner refused to sell it, at television.com

4. What is the highest price a domain name has sold for?
Two domain names have sold recently for very large sums of money. internet.com was sold for a sum rumoured to be around the $100,000 mark. And topping even that princely sum, a couple of weeks later business.com was sold for a staggering $150,000. 

5. What is the highest price a domain name is being offered for?
The asking price for some domain names has been reaching out of this world proportions, although with no sign of corresponding sales. Some names have been listed for sale by their hopeful owners for several million dollars! Greed is a powerful motivator, but one that will not help the owners when they have to renew their names again... and again... and again... with InterNIC when no buyers appear!

6.Are domain names going to make me rich?
No. These high-price sales are the tip of a very large iceberg. Most transactions take place somewhere in the depths of the 'berg, well below the water line. You may make some money if you pick a good domain name, but you are not going to get rich by selling domain names. There's more potential in leveraging domain names into another business, like starting a mailing service such as "MailBank" or "iName", or becoming a domain name broker. Some people may be able to make good money from selling domain names, but don't approach them as a get-rich-quick scheme; that kind of luck only happens to a very few people.

7. What is your view on the current state of the domain name market? 
Difficult to tell. On the one hand, there have been a number of high-profile sales recently. However, a survey carried out by Internet Gold-Rush in late April found that 11 domain brokers had clocked up a total of only $287,000 in sales, corresponding to the sale of 68 names. It would appear that there are many more sales being transacted on a 1-2-1 basis, but it is difficult to get precise figures for such sales 

8. Which domain broker is best?
Ah, you're not going to draw me on that one. Their services are broadly similar, although it is clear that some brokers are larger than others, BestDomains for instance. Some brokers provide extra services such as virtual domain name hosting, e-mail addresses, even license plates of your domain name [DomainMart].Be careful -- some of the sites advertising themselves as brokers actually provide a domain name listing service only, similar to the Domain Showcase on this site. Once you find a client, the actual sale will be up to you. Other brokers take care of every stage of the transaction. 

9. How can I choose which broker to use?
Check out the cost of doing business with each broker. Find out if the broker has a track record of sales completions. The domain name market is still very new, and many of the brokers are less than a year old. There is a lot of information on the different domain name brokers on this site. You will also want to visit each site to compare features.I would suggest that you pay attention to the following:-
Their commission rate. This seems to vary quite widely between brokers.

Does the broker charge buyers for placing bids? This could hinder their business. 
Does the broker have a track record of sales? Since the business is relatively new, most brokers have sold a couple of names, at best. Don't be afraid to ask s.
How many names are listed on the site? There are two conflicting factors here: your name will stand out more prominently if the site only lists a few names; on the other hand, you may prefer to go with the perceived "security" of a larger site.
How easy will it be for buyers to navigate around the site to find your name? If the site is badly laid out or difficult to navigate, buyers are likely to go elsewhere. After all, there are plenty of choices. How much are the domain names that are already listed at the site? Are there some in your prospective price range, or are they all above or below that range. Does the site quote prices for domain names, or only "make offers"?
Remember, you can often do business with more than one broker.Increase your exposure as much as possible. H) Finally, don't be greedy. Even a cursory glance at the brokerage sites will show you that thousands of domain names are on sale. Don't price yourself out of the market.

10. I had a good experience with "Broker X".
Please tell me about it. The domain name market is still very young, and any criteria for distinguishing the various brokers would be very useful.

11. I had a bad experience with "Broker Y".
Please give me as many details as you can. I will try and get to the bottom of the incident, and if necessary post an advisory on this site. Please note that I will not fight legal or other battles on your behalf, but simply collect information. 

12. Somebody wants to buy my domain name, and I want to sell it, but I am worried about them cheating me. What can I do? 
Although I have not used their services, I know that Multimedia Realty offers a $250 escrow service whereby they take care of all the payment and domain name exchange details.

13. I want to sell my domain name privately, but I don't want the hassle of changing my registration at InterNIC and making sure the money gets to me. What can I do?
Multimedia Realty offers a $250 escrow service. They will collect the money from the buyer, hold it until the domain name has been transferred, and then release it to you. This service may be worth it if you feel you can get quite a high price for a domain name. The commission you would pay most brokers is much higher than $250. 

14. I sold a domain name.
I would like to hear from anyone who has sold a domain name, either privately or via a broker. I am interested in how easy it was to sell the name, how you promoted the name, etc. 

15. How can I increase my chances of selling a domain name?
Here are some things you can do to improve your chance of making a sale:- Read the "5 Golden Rules" of domain name selection. Some domain name brokers accept multiple listing of domain names i.e. you can post the same domain name with several brokers. Current information about domain name brokers can be found here. Post your sales notice with as many brokers as you can. The increased coverage can only prove beneficial. Quantity is important. This is not so relevant if you can only afford one or two domain names. If you are thinking of buying a number of domain names, try and build up a small portfolio of names. Don't choose all your names from the same "target market", such as travel or entertainment. Instead try and be as diverse as possible. Consider an example:
Person A buys one domain name and puts it on the market for $2,000.
Person B buys 19 domain names and puts them on the market for $2,000 each.
Assuming that person A and person B are equally adept at choosing domain names, then person B has 19 times as many chances to sell a name as person A. Person A can make a tidy profit by selling the one domain name. However, person B is guaranteed to make back the outlay all 19 names with the very first sale.
NOTE: Naturally, there is more exposure to risk when purchasing more domain names. Remember that the value of a domain name tends towards $0 as the expiry date of the contract approaches. Finally, if you have registered a once-in-a lifetime domain name, try approaching a company in your prospective market directly. After all, if the domain name really is that good, they will be glad to have the chance to buy it off you. 

16. What do you mean, "expiry date"?
Remember that a domain name is yours to do what you like with, but only for a limited period of time. During that time period you can use it, buy it, sell it or do whatever you like with it. At the end of the time period you have to pay again. Current pricing is $100 for the first two years of ownership [payable in advance] plus $50 per year after the two years are up. 

17. I've been trying to sell my domain name for X months, and there has been no interest at all. What can I do?
Keep waiting. The domain name market is growing from a base of zero only a few months ago. Currently, by far the most active aspect of the market is the registration of new names. There are thousands of domain names for sale, and only a few buyers. As more companies are coming onto the Internet every day, the demand for good domain names can only increase. 

18. Do you have a sample contract I could use to sell my names?
Not yet, this is something I am working on. Please be patient, and come back to this site often... 

1. I've heard there will be seven new top level domains. What are they?
The sever new top domains will be:-
.firm : for businesses, or firms
.store : for businesses offering goods to purchase
.web: for entities emphasizing activities related to the WWW
.arts : for entities emphasizing cultural and entertainment activities
.rec : for entities emphasizing recreation/entertainment activities
.info : for entities providing information services
.nom : for those wishing individual or personal nomenclature
Here is my first reaction to the announced changes, and comments from several domain brokers. Finally, if you want to really follow all the changes, arguments and counter-arguments behind the proposals, the Domain Threads section of this site contains extensive coverage of the new top domains.

2. Who decided on the new top level domains?
The IAHC, an organization thrown together from various bodies and interest groups related to domain names.

3. Why is there a need for new top domains?
Frankly, there isn't. For my detailed analysis of why the proposal is flawed, look at this feature.

4. When will the new top level domains be available?
Sometime between soon and never. Earliest projections show the names becoming available around the end of 1997. However, with everyone and their cat coming out against the proposals, the new domains may NEVER see the light of day. 

5. I want to buy a domain name under one of the new top level domains TODAY! How?
Short you can't. However, you can buy .web names [which may or may not become "legal" -- read the disclaimers carefully!] at webtld.com; several brokers are taking "advanced reservations" on the new top domains, but this is really just so much whistling in the wind since nobody knows what will happen to the proposal.

1. Somebody has registered a domain name that is the same as a trademark I own. What can I do?
First, talk to a lawyer! Second, don't expect that you automatically have the rights to that name. The issue is a very grey area at the moment. DON'T fire off angry letters to the owner threatening all manner of retribution unless they hand over the name. Get legal advice instead. One more thing: InterNIC has a procedure for filing complaints. Use it.

2. I own a domain name that is a trademark of a large company. Can I sell it to them?
No! NO! and nO! If you approach a company with the intention of selling them a domain name that infringes on one of their trademarks, you are basically admitting that you registered the domain name for that purpose i.e. to profit from a trademark infringement. This is one of the easiest ways to lose a legal battle before it has even started. Better to wait until the company comes to you. Best not to get involved in trademark disputes at all.

3. I want to register a domain name that I know is the trademark of a large company. Is this going to make me rich? 
No. This is going to make you the target of a lawsuit. The problem is that two or three years ago, when the domain market was much smaller and companies were just feeling their way tentatively, it was indeed possible to turn a quick profit by selling an unwary company its own name back. Now companies have wised up, precedent has been set, and you are likely, though not certain, to lose any ensuing legal action. Don't waste your time and money, find safer names.

4. A company has sent me a polite/insistent/threatening letter claiming that my domain name infringes their trademark. What should I do?
First, talk to a lawyer! Second, don't expect that they automatically have the rights to that name. The issue is a very grey area at the moment. DON'T fire off angry letters of your own threatening all manner of retribution unless they stop hassling you about the name. Get legal advice instead. 

5. Where can I find more information about domain name disputes?
The Domain Threads section of this site contains lots of information about domain name disputes. You may also find some useful information in the Links section of this site. A great site to visit is ReignYourDomain -- it is packed full of information about dubious practices in the domain name industry. 

1. Why are .com names more valuable?
.com names have several benefits over other types of domain name:-They are  recognised as standard, as even after a few days online newcomers to the web will learn that most site addresses are of the form "\www.SITENAME.com". They offer "instant" search possibilities; type the domain name into Netscape Navigator 3.0 or greater, and Internet Explorer 4.0 or greater, and the "www" prefix and ".com" suffix are added automatically by the browser software. You can try this for yourself if you have one of these browsers: just type "igoldrush" into the location bar and you will be taken to the top page of this site. They are recognized as the top domain for business. Just like a web site with its own domain name, rightly or wrongly [this is a can of worms I would prefer to leave firmly in the cupboard], has more cachet than a site hosted by a provider, a business site hosted on a .com domain is somehow more desirable than one under a .net, .org or other domain name.

2. Why should I want a .com name?
For all the reasons outlined in the to the previous , .com names represent the premium real estate of the Internet. If you are lucky enough to find an available .com name that you like, buy it immediately as they are being registered at a furious rate. 

3. What is the .com "trick" that you can play with web browsers?
I discussed this in an to a previous . If you simply type the domain name into the location bar, Netscape 3+ and Explorer 4+ will automatically fill in the "www." prefix and the ".com" suffix. This speeds up finding sites that you visit often. Of course, this is no good if the address of your target site has a different form, such as search.SITENAME.com. It  can be interesting to type random words into the location bar and see what sites pop up.

4. Can I buy a .com domain even if I am not in the US?
Definitely! .com domains are available in any country, even though the registration process takes place through InterNIC in the US. Note that you will be billed in US$ for any transactions carried out by InterNIC. 

5. Which top domain should I choose for my company, ".com" or ".country"?
That's up to you. My view is that .com is more international, and can often prove cheaper than a ".country" domain. This is especially true for countries such as Japan, where a ".jp" top domain costs nearly twice as much as an equivalent ".com" top domain. On the other hand, some companies in more inward-looking countries may actually prefer to have a "local" top domain. At the end of the day it does not really matter very much as your company will  still be accessible from anywhere in the world no matter what top domain you chose. 

6. Do I have to own a company to register a .com name?
Absolutely not. Anyone prepared to pay $100 is welcome to register a .com name 

1. "whois" indicates that a domain name is "on hold". What does that mean?
If a domain name is "on hold", this means that the name is not currently in the DNS database. This in turn means that it is not possible to connect to a website whose domain name is "on hold". There are two main reasons why a given domain name may be put "on hold". Either the domain name has not been paid for, or somebody has raised a dispute over the legal ownership of that name. InterNIC's current policy is to put domain names on hold if there is any doubt over the legal validity of the name, and then let the organizations concerned fight it out. If you find that your domain name has been put on hold, check that it is paid for. If so, then maybe someone has filed a complaint about your name -- InterNIC is not required to let you know of such an occurrence. Check with them for more information.

2. Why are so many domain names being registered?
Because the supply of domain names is allegedly running out. However, see the to the next , as well as my rebuttal to this idea. 

3. I heard that domain names are running out. Why? 
This represents a popular misconception that is not helped by the media. The statement "domain names are running out" really means "GOOD domain names are running out." There are zillions of possible domain names, but nobody is interested in naming their site www.foie443sddjj.com Part of the problem seems to lie in a failure of imagination. I recently drew up a list of 600 unused .com domains and over 5,000 unused .net and .org domains. The list took a total of about 5 hours to compile. With the right tools, finding available domain names is a very straightforward process.

4. How can the supply of domain names be running out when they can contains up to 22 alphanumeric characters, plus the "." and the suffix?
We need to distinguish domain names and good domain names. The supply of domain names is close to infinite. For purists, there are 1075911801979990000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 possible domain names. However, since domain names are unique, the number of good domain names is much much less than this. For example, there can only be one "internet.com" and so that name has scarcity value. There is no point in registering a domain name like "2-ds1ccds3internet.com" for a company, or as an investment. 

5. Can I register a domain name even if I don't have a website?
No problem. Most domain registrars offer a free "holding service" for domain names whereby they make all the arrangements you need to ensure that the domain name is reserved for you. At a future date you can "point" the domain name at a website by submitting a simple template to InterNIC and making the necessary arrangements with the company hosting your website. 

6. I heard that the right domain name can help my position in the search engines. Is this true, and if so, how can I take advantage of it? 
It is partially true. A domain name will help your position on 2 out of 8 major search engines and directories. Read all the details in this feature. To take advantage of this, make sure your domain name contains one or more keywords that you would like associated with your site. Incidentally, directory names can also help.

7. Can you send me information about the XYZ Gold Rush?
I get these messages every month or so, and it is rather depressing. It shows that the sender has not bothered to read even the most basic information on this site. This site has NOTHING, I repeat NOTHING to do with any real-world gold rush, about prospecting for gold, investing in gold, things coloured gold, the goose that laid the golden egg etc. I chose the name "Internet Gold-Rush" because the current scramble for domain names is very reminiscent of the California gold rush and similar incidents. That's all. Thank you. 

8. How many domain names have been registered to date? 
Hard to say exactly, but over 1,200,000. This is up from less than 500,000 a year ago. 

9.What happens to a domain name before it is registered for the first time?
Domain names do not exist until the first time they are registered. Domain names are concepts.

10. You mean I'm paying $100 for something that doesn't exist?
Yes. In the same way, you have to pay to register trademarks, which are often new words that never existed before. What you are really doing is paying $100to bring the domain name into existence. Domain name registration is a nice business to be in! 

11.How can I change my domain name registration information?
If you just want to change details such as the technical or administrative contact, you can simply fill out a form on the InterNIC site and the change will be made in a few days. This change is free. If you want to change the owner of a domain name, the new owner will have to pay $100 to InterNIC to make the change. You cannot change the domain name itself; you will have to register a new name instead.

12. What can I do with whois?
You can use whois to find out details of a domain name, or to find a domain name based on details about it. For example, you can find out the details of this site by entering "igoldrush.com" in the whois query box. You can find out what domain names I own by entering "Edwin Hayward" in the query box. 

13. I can't find my domain name on the Web. Where is it?
When you register a domain name for the first time, it only exists in the InterNIC computer database. You can use the whois program to check that the database contains your domain name. You have to go through a separate  process to associate the domain name with an actual web site. If you register via an intermediary company, you may find that they have set up an "empty" page at www.youraddress.com. 

14. How can I use my domain name for my web site?
You will probably need to use something called "virtual domain hosting." This is a service provided by many Web hosting services, whereby your domain name is mapped to an IP address inside their server. Without getting technical, this process allows your domain name to be used as if you were running your site on a dedicated server. For instance, when your page was hosted on a server, it might have been located at an address like:-
http://www.providercompany.com/myname/rootdir/otherlongdirname/main.htm  

A virtual domain host will enable your site to appear like this:-
http://www.mynewdomain.com/ 
Follow this link for a list of companies offering virtual domain hosting services.

15. What is a top level domain?
A top level domain, also known as a top domain, is the rightmost portion of a domain name. For example, this site is at www.igoldrush.com, and ".com" is the top domain. You can think of top domains like countries. All domains must have a top domain, just like all people must live in a country. Furthermore, there are a limited number of top domains [countries] available to live in. At the  moment, the international top domains include ".com" [commercial sites] ".net" and ".org" [until recently the preserve of service providers and non-profit organisations; the rules have become much looser recently] 
".edu" [educational sites]
".mil" [military sites]
".gov" [government sites]
There are top domains for most countries too, such as ".us", ".jp", ".uk" etc. Most are administered separately from the international top domains listed earlier.

16.How long does it take to register a domain name with InterNIC?
The exact registration time varies, depending on the demand. Some registrars have signed special priority agreements. In practice, it can take anything between 5 minutes and 10 days, so don't dispair if your registration is not processed instantly!  

17.How much will a domain name cost?
$100 for the first two years, then $50 a year after that, in the case of .com, .net and .org names. Country domain name costs vary.

18.How long do I have to wait for InterNIC to bill me?
Again, as with the of processing applications, this depends on their workload. Isuggest that if you do not hear anything from them within four weeks of your domain being registered, you should send them a short email note querying the current status of your bill. 

19.What happens if I don't pay for my domain name?
You will lose the rights to your domain name. The domain name will be put on hold for 60 days, indicating that it cannot be accessed in the normal way, but it is still reserved in your name. After 60 days it goes back into the "pot" of unclaimed domain names and can be bought by someone else. 

20.Would InterNIC notice if I don't pay? 
After all, they are very busy...YES. In summer 1995, several tens of thousands of people lost the rights to their domain names because they did not pay their InterNIC fees in time. With the whole process computerised, it is very difficult to slip through the Internic net.

21. Isn't InterNIC making rather a lot of money? Are they a monopoly?
In short: yes and almost, respectively. This issue has been discussed  practically to death on the 'Net.

22.Why is InterNIC so busy?
Hey, people are going crazy registering domain names. Several tens of thousand are being snapped up every month. That means that by the time you finish reading this paragraph, another domain name will be gone.

23.How dare people make money selling domain names?
They should be public property and... mumble grumble... 
Why should people make money selling ANYTHING? 
I agree that it might not be considered very "nice" to register domain names and resell them for 100s of times the purchase price, but if a market exists, why not?
I strongly disagree with sites that whine and complain about people ripping off names, cornering the market etc. We have a word for this sort of behaviour: capitalism. Like any market, the domain name market is beginning to regulate itself and the worst excesses are already history. 

Adapted from articles by Scott Clark.