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Frequently Asked Domain Questions

This Domain FAQ is intended to answer all possible domain-related technical and set-up questions. If there are topics you feel we have not covered, please contact us. For further information not technically related, please reference the Understanding Domains page.


DOMAIN NAMES

A domain name is the essence of your online identity. It is the address your customers use to find information about your products and services on the web. Domain names allow Internet users to type in a name, such as thewholeinternet.com, to identify a numeric Internet Protocol (ip) address such as 209.25.170.84. The purpose of domain names is to allow users connected to the Internet the ability to find websites without having to memorize the long, numerical ip addresses that actually locate the computers or servers on the Internet.

REGISTRATION

The cost to register a new domain name varies according to the selected TLD (Top-Level Domain · e.g., .com). It can be as low as $10.00 per year for a .net; renewal price is identical, except in cases where there is a first-year discount. Discounts on specific TLDs are run frequently, and can bring the first-year price below $5.00. We also offer a free domain if you purchase and also host the domain with us. As long as you continue to annually renew it, the domain remains your property.

To check a domain name for availability, enter it into the search-box on our Services or Domain Services page. If it is available, click / tap the checkout button and begin the registration process.

The first time you register a name with The Whole Internet you’ll need to create an account with a username and password using the Signup Form. This is how you will gain access to your domain(s) later. You may specify any username and password, provided it has not already been taken by another applicant. If your username has been taken, it will be necessary to specify another username.

Continue with the registration process, and your name will be duly processed. You will receive a confirmation email at the address you previously entered. You will also receive all correspondence regarding your account via that email address. For this reason, be sure to use your real email address. It will not be sold, traded, or used for any purpose whatsoever except to communicate with you regarding your account. Please refer to our Privacy Policy if you have any concerns, or contact us with other questions.
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RECEIPT

To keep our prices low, The Whole Internet does not do paper billing for domain name purchases. All domain and hosting transactions are conducted online.
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BILLING — Authorizations

When you attempt to purchase a domain, we initiate an authorization request against your credit card. This is not a charge, but a test to see if you have the funds available for the purchase. After the authorization returns a result of sufficient funds, we attempt to register the domain(s). If the domain registration fails for any reason, there will be a void that accompanies the attempted charge. The net result is that there will be no charge that posts to your account.

There is still that authorization on your credit card however. This authorization looks like a charge, and will reduce your available credit, but will expire on its own within a few days in most instances. Some card systems though, retain authorizations longer. You should contact your credit provider for their specific authorization policy.

It is for this reason that we recommend you contact us if you experience difficulty registering a domain. If you continue to repeatedly submit, you will rack up a large number of authorizations, and may run out of available credit or have your account funds frozen. You may even cause your credit card company to suspect fraud, resulting in them placing a hold on your card.
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BILLING — CVV2

CVV2 is a security measure we require for all transactions. Since a CVV2 number is listed on your credit card, but is not stored anywhere, the only way to know the correct CVV2 number for your credit card is to physically have possession of the card itself. All current US-issued MasterCard and Visa cards have a CVV2 number; Europe and Asia have recently adopted CVV2 well. American Express uses their own version of security code, known as CID.

How to find your card security code:

On a Visa or MasterCard, turn your card over and look in the signature strip. You will find (either the entire 16-digit string of your card number, OR just the last 4 digits), followed by a space, followed by a 3-digit number. That 3-digit number is your card security code (see below). The American Express CID is a 4-digit code which appears on the front of the card, just above and to the right of the main card number.

What is the card security code?

This is a security measure we require for all transactions.

NOTE: If your European or Asian card does not have a security code, enter 000 as your CVV2 number.

   Visa & MasterCard

back view of credit / debit card showing the security code (CVV) highlighted
This number is printed on your MasterCard and Visa cards in the signature area on the back of the card. (it is the last 3 digits after the credit card number in the signature area of the card). IF YOU CANNOT READ YOUR CARD SECURITY CODE, YOU WILL HAVE TO CONTACT THE ISSUING CREDITOR.


At this time it is not required to use the security code for American Express. If you have any other questions about your CVV2 number, please contact your bank or credit card issuer.
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HOSTING

Hosting plans are available, either separately or in combination with a domain name purchase. Please visit our hosting division site for further details.

Or, if you have a free site like the old AOL Hometown or current day WIX, you can point your domain to it by using our Domain Forwarding option.

Changing Hosts

You have several options to change the hosting of your domain. The first option is the most direct. You contact your hosting provider, and obtain your new host’s DNS (Domain Name Server) information. Once you have their DNS info, you may return to our Domain Services page and update your DNS records online. Access the Manage Your Domains area using your previously established username and password. Click/tap the appropriate Nameservers link (there will be one for each domain associated with your account), and then enter your new DNS information. Note that alternative public DNS is also available, some with enhanced security and other options. Search “non-ISP DNS” for further information.

Some hosts will not allow unique domains to point to your site. In that case, you’ll need the second option, our Domain Forwarding service… available for hosted or parked domains with any of our hosting plans, and included at no additional charge with any domain purchase.

You can use a domain-based URL: https://yourcompany.com/example.html, or a host URL (i.e., ip-address): http://12.34.567.89

Both options require 24–48 hours to take effect.

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Changing DNS

Your host should have provided you the primary and secondary DNS information. This information will usually take the following form:

Primary Hostname: ns1.examplehost.com
Primary IP: 123.45.67.8
Secondary Hostname: ns2.examplehost.com
Secondary IP: 123.45.67.9
There may be an ns3 and ns4 as well, each with a unique ip address.

Login to the Domain Management Control Panel using your previously established (at time of registration) email or username and password. If you have forgotten your password, click/tap Forgotten Password.

After you log in, you will see links to the actions you can perform. Click/tap the Nameservers link. You will be able to see the current nameserver info listed. On the next screen, you will be able to enter the hosting information your host has provided you. Replace the current servers with the new server info, and click/tap the “Save” button. Your new DNS information will be automatically entered once it is verified to be valid.

NOTE: It may take 24 to 48 hours for your change to propagate Internet-wide. If you have the luxury of time, best practice is set a low Time-to-Live (TTL) value (e.g., 300 seconds) a day or two prior to actually changing your nameserver. Once the change stabilizes you can set it back to a normal value (1 to 24 hours).

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DOMAIN FORWARDING

URL/Domain Forwarding is available as a service from The Whole Internet and is a function of the management control panel.

Access the Manage section through your Member Login with your username and password, and select the Domain Forwarding link. There is no additional charge, and no banners placed on your page as a result of using this service.

You can use a www URL: https://www.yourcompany.com/example.html, or a host URL (i.e., ip-address): http://12.34.567.89

It may take a couple of days for your change to propagate Internet-wide. Your domain will be hosted on our servers, and will pull up the webpage you specify. Therefore, you cannot specify Meta tags or other domain information. Your name will be in the address bar of the browser at all times (your “real” web address will be hidden).

You can change your forwarding destination at any time through the management control panel. Simply log back in to the Manage section, select the Domain Forwarding link, and update your web address. Click / tap “Save” to complete the update.
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TRANSFERS

If your domain was registered with another registrar, you can transfer it to us and select thewholeinternet.net as your new registrar.

The cost to transfer a domain varies according to the TLD but is similar in cost to a new registation for that domain. If there is a promo ongoing, the transfer cost could be less than $5.00/yr USD. Either way, we will add a free one year extension to your registration term. For example, if your domain name expires in August 2026, upon successful transfer, the new expiration date will be August 2027.

To begin, check the Domain Services options or go direct to our Transfer Domain page and select the Register or Transfer Domain link. If you have an existing account with us, enter your username and password. If you have never used our services before, go to the Signup form instead. There you can set up an account with a username and password. You will use the credentials you set here to gain access to your domain once the transfer is complete.

You will receive confirmation of your request immediately. Within 24 hours, the administrative contact listed in the WhoIs record will be asked to verify the transfer request. Please make sure that the admin contact’s email is up-to-date before submitting a domain name for transfer.

In the admin approval email, there will be a link to click on, and a code to cut and paste. Once you’ve approved the transfer, your prior registrar may email you their own confirmation letter. Read it carefully and follow the instructions. Once you’ve approved the transfer with them, your name should migrate to our system within 5–7 days. FOR THIS REASON, WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU BEGIN THE TRANSFER PROCEDURE AT LEAST ONE WEEK PRIOR TO THE EXPIRATION DATE.

The information currently contained in your domain will remain the same prior to, during, and after the transfer. Once the domain has successfully transferred to our system, you may begin using the online management system to make any desired changes.

Non-Transfer

If your domain will not transfer because it has expired, or if your registry has it locked until you renew it, you do have a couple of options. One is to pay the registrar their fee to renew it for a year, and then continue the transfer. The other is to allow the name to be released, and then try to re-register it. We do not recommend the second option, as it is entirely possible that someone else will get your domain before you have a chance to reserve it. Additionally, it is the policy of some registrars (most notably Network Solutions) to not release the domain no matter how long it has been expired. If you want the domain, you’ll have to pay them at some point. We therefore recommend that you do renew the name with your prior registrar for an additional year. Then you can continue the transfer process to our system. You lose nothing by doing both. You’ll get a 1-year renewal from your prior registrar, and then we will add one MORE year onto the end of your term.

If you have already paid for a domain transfer and it has been denied by your registrar, you can keep the transfer active, and as previously mentioned, continue the transfer after you have cleared your hold status at your prior registrar. Should you choose to cancel the transfer however, we’ll be happy to refund your money (though your credit card would only have been debited if you had already successfully completed the transfer confirmation, using your emailed Authorization Key). Contact Us… all we need is the domain name you’re trying to transfer.

eMail Link

If your link returns a value of “invalid key” after you paste the approval code in, this is most likely a result of multiple emails being sent out. The latest version of your admin approval email makes all older versions obsolete, and any key from these old emails will not function properly. If you receive an invalid key warning, check for a later email in your inbox. If not there, request a new one by clicking the “Re-send Admin Approval Email” button in the Domain Management Control Panel.

Check Transfer Status

You can use the Check Transfer Status tool to manage your domain transfer away from your previous registrar to our system.

Sign-in to the Domain Management Control Panel with your username and password, and select the Check Transfer Status link. Your domain transfers will appear. Some will require no intervention from you (marked in green). Others (marked in yellow) may require you to resubmit an admin approval email if the domain has not been approved for transfer with us. Or, you may resubmit a domain for transfer to your prior registrar if it has been approved on our end, but your prior registrar denied the transfer.

If a domain appears in red, its status cannot be determined automatically. Please contact us for help with these domains.

A domain that has successfully completed transfer will appear in blue.

Some of the most common reasons for your prior registrar denying the transfer include:


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LOST USERNAME / PASSWORD

If you have forgotten your username it is of little concern, as you can also log in with your email address. If you have forgotten your password, click / tap Forgotten Password.

Sign-in to the Domain Management Control Panel page and go to My Domains. There is a “Forgot Your Password?” section, where you may enter your email address. We will dispatch an email with further instructions immediately.

IMPORTANT: Depending on your mail system, it may take some time to receive, usually no longer than 15 minutes. You must use the email address you registered with. If you have forgotten the username and password, AND your email address is incorrect or out of date, you will have to provide the last 4 digits of the credit card used to register the name. Also provide the new, correct email address so that we can update your info and send further instructions.

If you have forgotten your username and password, AND your email address is incorrect or out of date, AND you cannot verify your credit card information, you will be asked to provide proof of ownership and identity.

Although this scenario is unlikely, in order to proceed further, we will first need a written request to provide access to the domain. Accompany this request with a valid photo ID (passport, drivers license, etc). If the domain is registered to a company, we will need the signatory page from the Articles of Incorporation (corporation), Statement of Information (LLC) or similar, depending upon company structure. All of this information is required for security reasons. If you cannot provide any or all of this information, you will not be able to obtain access to this domain. Open a service ticket from the control panel, requesting assistance and where to send the documentation. When you receive a response (in less than an hour), be sure to include your contact information (email and telephone) in your reply, so that we may verify the information’s validity.
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NAMESERVER MANAGEMENT

Login to the Account Manager using your previously established (at time of registration) email or username and password for the account containing the domain you wish to make a nameserver change on.

Click / tap My Domains > DNS Records and then select the appropriate domain name (if you have more than one). You will be able to create new nameservers, edit current nameservers, or delete current nameservers. Click / tap the ADD A NEW RECORD link or modify an existing entry, as appropriate, to create or change nameserver(s). Enter the server hostnames:
NS1.THEWHOLEINTERNET.NET
NS2.THEWHOLEINTERNET.NET
NS3.THEWHOLEINTERNET.NET
NS4.THEWHOLEINTERNET.NET

You may (optionally) fill in the IP addresses that you wish to associate with your new hostnames. You must use a unique static IP address for each nameserver address — no other servers may already use the IPs. After each nameserver submission, click / tap the ‘Add a New Record’ or ‘Modify’ button, as appropriate. If your information is valid, your nameservers will be sent to the central database. It may take 24–48 hours for your nameservers to propagate.
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RENEWALS

You can renew your domain you registered at or transferred to thewholeinternet.com for up to 10 years.

Login to the Domain Management Control Panel using your previously established (at time of registration) email or username and password. If you have forgotten your password, click / tap Forgotten Password.

You will initially be presented with a list of your registered domains, along with links to all of the actions that you can perform. Check the box next to each domain you wish to renew and then click / tap the “Set checked domains for renewal” button. Alternatively, you may toggle Auto Renew for all, none, or each domain individually.

Choose the renewal term for each domain as well as any other options desired. Remember, you can renew for up to 10 years; if your domain will expire in 3+ years, you will only be able to renew 6 additional years. Click / tap the Done button when you are satisfied with your selections.

If you have not previously established payment information, you will be asked for it at this time. Otherwise, you will be presented with a Summary page. Click / tap the “Buy Now” button to finalize the renewal.
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DISABLING RENEWALS

If you do not wish to renew any of your domains, and you do not want to receive renewal emails, you can stop the emails from being sent, and your domain will expire at the end of it’s term.

Login to the Domain Management Control Panel using your previously established (at time of registration) email or username and password. If you have forgotten your password, click / tap Forgotten Password. Next, click / tap Registered Domains and then toggle the state in the “Recurring” column. Do this for each domain you wish not to renew.

You will be prompted for confirmation, as this action means your domains will be released at the end of their term. Click / tap the “Yes” button to finalize the disabling of your chosen domain(s).
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REGISTRANT CHANGES

There are several reason for changing registrant info. Some people wish to update their address that has changed, or the company name, which has been bought out. Others want to remove their ownership information for security purposes. These are valid reason. However, be aware that changing the registrant information requires a higher level of security, since it affects the ownership of a domain. You should also be aware that it may affect your ownership adversely. For example, should someone file a WIPO claim for this domain, one of the ways ICANN will resolve the dispute is to immediately terminate a disputed domain if the information provided is found to be false (even if accidentally). For further information, please refer to the ICANN Registrant Rights and Responsibilities document.

Should you wish to go ahead with your proposed change(s), first login to the Domain Management Control Panel using your previously established (at time of registration) email or username and password. Next, click / tap Registered Domains > Change WHOIS and make the necessary changes.

Ownership Change>

This process is much simpler than it once was. It can now be initiated via the “Transfer Domain” function in the Domain Manager.

Change Contact Info

Changing the admin, billing and technical contact information can be accomplished via the 'Registered Domains' section of the Domain Manager. Go to My Domains > Registered Domains, then:

  Note that it may take 24–48 hours for the information to propagate Internet-wide.

Secure Contact Info

You may use contact information of your choice for a domain. Many people are reluctant to use their personal information, especially if the domain name may be objectionable to some. This is technically a violation of the Terms of Service, which state that correct contact information must be provided. However, we will not take action against you solely for that reason. We appreciate security concerns, and allow you to provide whatever information you like. Should your site be objected to though, we will attempt to contact you. If your information is false, and we cannot contact you to respond to any complaint, your domain may be deactivated.

A better alternative is to use our SecureWhois® service, accessible from the Domain Management Control Panel under “Services.” For a nominal additional cost, this service allows you to stay totally “within the rules” yet totally anonymous. For an example of how your listing would appear, perform a WhoIs lookup for thewholeinternet.net.

Change Account Info

Changing your default account information can be accomplished via the Domain Management Control Panel. To begin, enter your email or username and password. If you have forgotten your password, click / tap 'Forgotten Password'.

Once you’re in the Management system, if you wish to change your password, click / tap the Change Your Password link. You’ll be asked for your current password, as well as your new password twice. NOTE: Once you hit the “Change Password” button, your change is finalized.

If you wish to change the default account information click / tap the Update Account Information link. You’ll be able to update the email address for your account, your default registrant & contact info, your default nameservers, and default credit card information.

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NEW ACCOUNTS

The easiest way to create a new account is to go direct to our New User Registration page.
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MERGING ACCOUNTS

If you have multiple accounts, you can merge all of your domains into one account.

Simply contact us with the domain name, username and password for the current account, and the username of the account you want us to transfer the name to.

We will transfer all of your domains into the account with the name you have specified.
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INTERNIC UPDATES

It may take up to two business days for updates made online at The Whole Internet to be seen elsewhere on the web, including hosting information. This is standard Internet propagation time.

Additionally, some registrar’s WhoIs databases are not always compatible with others. You may wish to use a central WhoIs lookup, as one registrar may not carry another’s info. Your best bet is always to look up a domain at the registrar of record. You can also try the experimental RDAP lookup on our 'WhoIs' page.
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WHOIS DATABASES

WhoIs databases are specific to each registrar. It will show in the InterNIC central database 24–48 hours later, but might not ever display in another registrar’s database. That doesn’t mean someone else can register the name; the name record is still taken, but it might not show you as the owner. To solve these issues, an emerging replacement technology known as The Registration Data Access Protocol (RDAP) is being phased-in. There is a release-candidate RDAP lookup available on our WhoIs page that you are welcome to try. Any bugs or anomolies experienced should be reported on our Contact page using the 'Feedback' button.

NOTE: Country-specific WhoIs data is available from IANA.
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EXPIRED DOMAINS

Expiring domains at The Whole Internet are released for public availability upon expiration. Please remember when checking a domain’s expiration date that the format is Month/Day/Year (MM/DD/YYYY). Domains that expire at another registrar are subject to their own policies. Generally, you need to allow at least 30 days from the time of expiration before release. Some registrars have adopted the policy of not releasing domain names.

For a registrar’s specific release policy, you should contact the registrar that owns the name. You can find the registrar for a specific name by entering the name into the central database search engine at InterNIC.
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