Domain Transfers

Currently I own a small bunch of domains, but it definitely is more annoying than before when I only had one domain [http://www.dragonsinn.net] to think about. Anyway, here’s a short ramble that will probably be a yawn for advanced folks, but which might turn out to be useful for somebody in the same spot that I was…

My current registrar (affiliate) for [http://www.thegaleon.com] is WebsiteSpot.com.

Auth Key

What I like about WebsiteSpot is the FACT (as seen in the above snapshot) that your authorization code is there for you at anytime you wish to retrieve it.

* What’s with this authorization key, and why’s it so important?

In recent years, there’s been a security addition regarding domain transfers. You have to obtain a unique number from both your gaining and losing registrar. In theory, this means that no one else but you (provided you are listed as the admin contact for your domain — I’ll get to that in a bit) can authorize a domain transfer.

* What’s this about admin contact details?

When the admin contact details are not in your name, this makes it extremely easy for (unscrupulous) webhosting companies to hijack your domain name and/or hold you hostage. This happened to me to a certain extent, with my previous webhosting last year.

My request for a domain transfer (out to the new registrar) was rejected three times — because the admin details were to my webhosting company, and not myself. FYI, I transferred from 3ix.org to AnHosting.com, which is now part of midPhase.com. All do not come highly recommended by me, lol.

After that, I finally learnt Why The Admin Details For Your Domain Have To Be In Your Name — no other alternative.

So it’s quite the same thing if the Auth Key is not there for you at any time, within your domain log-in account. You have to write to your losing registrar for the key. If they just so happen to decide to sit on it, you’re going to have to expend a lot of energy chasing them for it. Frankly, I’ve better things to do.

* Most Important Things to Note:

1. Make sure the admin contact for your domain, is in your name and contact details.

2. Find out whether the Auth Key is easily available to you. Preferably it should be on the account interface — or there should be an option to request it by e-mail.

3. It’s best to separate your hosting plan from the domain registration. It will be more expensive, but not excessively so, and it saves you a lot of headache. This way, you have greater control over the aspects of website management.

4. Transfer a domain several months in advance — you’ll be happy you did.

* End Note:

It IS your domain, and what you want to do with it / where you’d like to register it at, should be your choice and not your domain or webhosting company’s decision.

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