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Domain Registration/Renewal FAQs
 What is a domain name?
A domain name is the essence of your company's 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 yourdomain.com, to identify a numeric Internet Protocol (IP)
address. The purpose of domain names is to allow users connected to the
Internet the ability to find web sites without having to memorize the
long, numerical (IP) addresses that actually locate the web servers on
the Internet.
What does it mean to "register" a domain name?
There is a central registry of all domain names on the Internet. For
your domain name to become a part of the registry, your domain name
needs to be added to that registry.
"Registering" a domain name means you are associated
with that domain name for the period of the registration. "Registering" a
name means you own it, and no one else can register that exact same
name!
Who should register a domain name?
Anyone thinking about establishing a presence on the
Internet should register a domain name. You don't have to utilize it
right away, but you can reserve it for your future use. Domains are
being registered at the rate of more than several hundred thousand per
month - they go quickly!
How long does the registration process take?
The application process should only take a few minutes
to complete. All registrations take place in real time - once your
application has been processed and approved, your name is registered and
can be activated.
Is it possible for someone to register my domain name after I have registered it?
The availability of .com, .net, .org, .us, .biz, and .info domain names
is verified through a central registry system. This system prevents a
domain name that is successfully registered from being registered by
another person or entity.
Our registration and processing system updates the
central registry in real time. Sometimes the central registry system is
busy (many people registering domain names!) so please be patient when
accessing it. What's a few more seconds when you'll get the perfect
domain name for your company?
What methods of payment does LA Servers accept for domain name registration/renewal?
We accept Visa, MasterCard, and American Express only for domain name services. Checks are not an acceptable means of domain name registration/renewal with any domain registrar.
If a domain name is already registered, can I find out who owns the name?
Yes. If you check the availability of a domain name using our Whois Domain Search Tool.
I've got my domain name, now what?
There are many things you can do with your new domain.
Some people want to build a website for their company or personal use.
If this is the case, contact us! We offer Custom Web Hosting Plans!
I own a new domain, but when I type it into my browser, nothing comes up.
Again, a domain name is not a website, just a web
address for a website. If you want your new domain to be a web address
for a website for your company or personal use, contact us with your needs and we'll build a Custom Website for you! Or you can build the Website yourself.
Once your Website is ready, we can host it on our
servers for you or you can host it where ever you want. It is yours to
do with as you see fit.
I bought my domain with another registrar, can I renew it with you?
If your domain was registered with another registrar, you can transfer it to LA Servers,
and choose LA Servers as your new registrar. The cost to transfer a
domain is just $15.00, and this adds one year on to your registration
term.
For example, if your name expires in January of 2004,
you can transfer it to us and once the transfer is complete, the new
expiration date will be January of 2005.
To begin, click on the Transfer Domains link.
If you have an existing account with us, enter your username and
password. If you have never used our services before, click on the New
Users button, and set up an account with a username and password. This
is how you will get access to your domain once the transfer is complete.
You (or your domain's admin contact - if different) will receive
confirmation of your request immediately. Also, within 24-48 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 address is up-to-date before submitting a 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 MONTH 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 will become all the contacts
for your domain name and you may begin using our online management system to make any changes you like.
When I register a new domain name or transfer my domain name to LA
Servers, what eMail address should I use when I create my domain name
account?
Always use an eMail address @ Your Domain name in your domain name account. (known as your domain's NIC Record) DO NOT put the eMail address you have with your current ISP.
If you change ISP's, the eMail address in your NIC
Record will become inactive and you will not receive your domain name
renewal notice. ALWAYS use an eMail address @ Your Domain!
If your Domain Name expires because you did not receive
the renewal notice because of an outdated NIC Record eMail address, you
will have to recover it under the "Redemption" program. ($100 + 1 year renewal fee!)
What do I need to do to ensure that my website stays active on the Web?
- Make sure that your domain name has not expired with your domain name registrar. To find out when your domain name is up for renewal, use our Whois Domain Search Tool.
Towards the bottom of the search return, look at the line that says
"record expires on day/month/year." This is your domain name renewal
date. See our Domain Name Terms Of Service Policy.
- Make sure your domain name billing contact has a current eMail address
assigned to it or your registrar will not be able to reach you with the
domain name renewal notice and subsequently deactivate your domain
name. To find out what eMail address is listed with your current domain
registrar, use our Whois Domain Search Tool. See our Domain Name Terms Of Service Policy.
- Make sure your web hosting account is not overdue.
Since you have a web site and are active on the Internet, you will
receive web hosting renewal notices from LA Servers via eMail. If your
eMail address changes , please update it through your Web hosting control panel to ensure there will be no interruption of service because of an outdated eMail address for you.
I forgot my Domain Login. How do I retrieve it?
Click here. input the eMail address that you specified in your account into the "Forget
Your Password? Enter the email address that currently appears in your
account and we will email you your user name and password" box and click "Email It If you don't remember what eMail address you specified in your Domain name account, use our Whois Domain Search Tool to find out.
How do I active "automatic renewal" of my domain name(s) registered with LA Servers?
Login to our domain manager and click on "Renew Your Domains. Then click "Enable/Disable Auto Renewal " and check domains you want to be auto renewed.
I didn't renew my domain name and it expired. What do I do?
If your domain has expired and been released from our system, you have two options.
- Wait and re-register it as new after it has been dropped from the central registry. (dangerous)
- Recover it under the "Redemption" program. ($100 + 1 year renewal fee!)
DOMAIN REDEMPTION PROGRAM
The central registry has adopted a "Redemption" program in order to
assist with domains that are unintentionally deleted. All domains that
are deleted are placed into redemption status for 30 days prior to
becoming available for registration.
If, during that time, the previous owner of the domain wishes to regain ownership, it can be restored for the restoration price of $100 plus the price of a 1 year renewal.
To redeem your name now, go to our Domain Manager login, login, and click on the 'Restore Your Deleted Domains' link. This domain restoration process as well as regular domain renewal MUST BE done online using our Domain Manager - sending a check to us is not an acceptable form of payment for domain names. See our full Domain Name Terms Of Service Policy.
We STRONGLY recommend you do NOT wait to re-register your domain after it is dropped!
ANYONE may register your domain name after it has been dropped. There
are many companies that participate in what is called the "Secondary
Domain Market". The "Secondary Domain Market" is comprised of all types
of companies that attempt to purchase domain names that have expired at
the very instant they become available for registration.
In the situation where someone else registers your
domain, you only have a few options to get the name back and each can
take great lengths of time and will typically cost more than the
Redemption program fees. The central registry created the Redemption
program because of these reasons.
IF YOU ARE THE OWNER OF A DOMAIN ON REDEMPTION HOLD STATUS:
Your domain name most likely expired and was deleted as part of the
standard registration expiration policy. To redeem your name now, go to
our Domain Manager login and click on the 'Restore Your Deleted Domains' link. This domain restoration process as well as regular domain renewal MUST BE done online using our Domain Manager - sending a check to us IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.
Warning: Domain Registry of America DROA renewal scam!
We have discovered that a company called, "Domain Registry of America",
has been emailing our customers with deceptive messages about domain
transfers. The goal of the eMails is to trick our customers into
transferring their domain names away from LA Servers and other
registrars. The eMails falsely claim to be a response to a transfer
request made by our customers.
IF IT DOES NOT COME DIRECTLY FROM LA Servers or your CURRENT REGISTRAR, DO NOT PAY IT!
If you feel, as we do, that the Domain Registry of
America has acted deceptively, you can make your feelings known by
writing to the Federal Trade Commission and/or Buffalo Police fraud unit at 716-851-4440.
I already renewed my domain name - why are you sending me a web hosting renewal? Aren't they the same?
Your
domain name and your web hosting plan are two separate services! Your
domain name must remain active in order for it to be found on the
internet. It can be registered with one of many different domain
registrars including LA Servers and Network Solutions. You
must renew your domain name with the registrar you registered your
domain with. Your web hosting plan at LA Servers also needs to remain
active or your website files will not be found on the internet.
Even if your web hosting plan is active on our
network, your website and eMail will not be accessible if you let your
domain name expire. Also, if you renew your domain name and let your web hosting plan expire, your website and eMail will become inaccessible too.
What is the WHOIS Data Confirmation Email that I received and what do I do with it?
ICANN, the organization responsible for the stability of the Internet, requires that each domain name registrant be given the opportunity to correct any inaccurate contact data (WHOIS data) associated with a domain name registration.
This notice is simply sent as a convenience to give a domain registrant the opportunity to correct any outdated or inaccurate data (such as the contact Email address on file) so that a domain name doesn't expire because of registrant negligence to update their domain record.
So what do I do?
To review your WHOIS contact information:
- Look up your domain name using our Whois Tool
- If all of the information is accurate, you do not need to take any action.
- If any of the information is inaccurate, login to the Domain Manager and update the inaccurate information.
Please remember that under the terms of your domain
registration agreement, the provision of false WHOIS information can be
grounds for cancellation of your domain name registration.
If you have any questions or comments regarding ICANN's policy, please visit the Whois Data Reminder Policy.
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