Domain Registrar

What is Domain Registrar?

ICANN says an accredited registrar is an entity that offers domain name registration services and has direct access to the registries for generic top-level domains such as .com. A business that wants to sell these registrations must receive ICANN approval and meet technical, operational and financial requirements. The person or business that registers the name is the registrant, and the relationship with the registrar is governed by a registration agreement.

Registering a name is separate from hosting a website or running email. See domain name and web hosting.

Many registrars also sell hosting, email and privacy protection for the contact details. Each of these is optional and billed separately, so read the cart carefully.

Why does it matter on a fixed wireless connection?

High Desert lists domain registration among its services, along with web hosting and email, and the terms and prices are not published on its site, so call 775-575-9593 for them. If your domain is registered somewhere else, the registrar is the place to renew it, change contacts and point it at new servers.

Fake renewal notices from look-alike companies are common. Read fake domain renewal notices before paying any bill you do not recognize.

What should I do about it?

Find out who your registrar is by looking up the domain in a public registration lookup, and write down the account login and the email address on file. Keep that email active, since renewal notices and transfer codes go there. Turn on a second sign-in step. See two-factor authentication.

Before you move a site, read moving a website to a new host, and see domain registration for the service.

Never share the transfer code with anyone who calls you. A genuine transfer starts from your own login.