sharedNIC - Domain Name Registration

Frequently Asked Questions

Similar to how your house address indicates where you live in the world, a domain name indicates where your computer's location is on the Internet. Organizations that do business over the Internet want domain names (addresses) that are easy to remember and that are closely related to their company's trademark, so that customers can locate their web site very easily.

The actual domain name is a simplified, easier to read translation of an IP (Internet Protocol) address. The Internet is composed of a vast number of interconnected computers. Each of these computers is assigned a numeric value of the form XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX. This numeric value is called an IP address. If each computer on the Internet were identifiable only through its IP address, people would have a lot of difficulty when trying to locate each other and having to memorize each other's addresses. Domain names simplify IP addresses into an easy to remember combination of words and numbers.

2. What does it mean to 'register a domain name'?

There is a central registry of all domain names on the Internet. For you or your company to use one, the domain name needs to be registered in that registry. 'Registering a domain name' means you are associated with that domain name for the period of the registration. That is the service we provide at sharedNIC for individuals, companies and large corporations all over the world.

3. Why should people register domain name(s)?

Domain names are designed for people, IP addresses are designed for computers. If a company wants people to find their web site easily, they will need a domain name.

Domain names are registered on a first-come first-served basis. The fact that someone may have incorporated under a name or even that they have filed a trademark application does not automatically permit them to use that name. All parties who have legitimate use for a name, share the same rights to a name.

4. Who should register a domain name?

Anyone trying to establish a presence on the Internet should register a domain name. Domains can be brand names, trademarks, service marks, company names, products, services, family names, your name, organizations, interests, etc.

If a company conducts business over the Internet, or even if that company plans to do so in the future, they should register their domain name(s) now. Once a name is taken, it's gone.

5. What is the difference between .com, .net, and .org domain names?

The domain suffixes are intended to differentiate between various types of organizations on the Internet. Generally, the following rules apply:

.com -- businesses and commercial enterprises
.net -- network-related organizations and enterprises
.org -- charitable or non-profit organizations

The domain suffix type itself has no bearing on accessibility on the Internet from a technical standpoint, but over time the .com domain type has become the most popular and recognizable on the Internet.

6. What are the valid characters for a domain name and how long can a domain name be?

A domain name can be up to 63 characters (letters, numbers or combination) long plus the 4 characters used to identify the domain extension (.com, .net, .org). The only symbol character domain names can include is a hyphen (-) although the domain name cannot start or end with a hyphen. Common symbols such as asterisks (*), under scores (_), and exclamation points (!) are not allowed.

7. How much does sharedNIC charge for new registrations?

The total cost for a new domain name registration through sharedNIC Registration Services is US$15.00 per doamin per year. You can have the option of registering a .com, .net, .org domain name from 1 to 10 years.

8. Are there any hidden fees I need to be aware of?

No. there are no hidden fees, charges, or other "catches". If you want to register a domain name for one year with sharedNIC, then you pay US$15 and that's all. You are not required to host your site on our servers or pay any additional fees. There are no tricks or gimmicks involved. Plain and simple.

9. Do I receive some kind of verification, or documentation of my domain name registration?

Yes, after you register a domain name you will automatically receive an email confirmation. This email will contain the domain name you registered through sharedNIC; as well as additional information to tell you how to manage your domain.

10. I registered my domain name, now what? Why can't I find my web page?

A domain name tells visitors where you can be found on the Internet. Should you want to associate your domain name with a web page/website, which will allow visitors to find your website, you must find a web hosting company or internet service provider to host your website for you. Some good areas to start: your local ISP or choose one of the many free web hosting sites available. Some people wish to only reserve their domain name for future use. In that case you need not find an ISP or hosting company.

We provide domain name parking and web/email forwarding services which are free of charge. These functions can be found in the Manage My Account area.

11. Once I register a domain with sharedNIC, how long does it take to become active?

After registering a domain, it typically takes the world up to 48 hours for your domain to show up in the WHOIS database and for the information on the new domain to propagate to all the root DNS servers. If you check for the availability of the domain name using WHOIS, it may indicate that the domain is available when it is not. If you believe it's taking unusually long for your domain to show up as active, do not hesitate to contact us at:

12. Why should I transfer my domain to sharedNIC?

The advantage of transferring domain to sharedNIC is of course is that you can benefit from the services and pricing that we offer. You will still be the official registrant of the domain name with full authority to modify any records such as DNS information.

13. I have accidentally registered the wrong domain name. What can I do? Will the fee apply again to register the correct name?

Unfortunately, once you have registered a domain, the process cannot be undone. If you wish to register another one, you must pay for each subsequent domain you successfully register.

14. Can I make changes to my information like I can with Network Solutions? How do I do it?

Just go to http://www.sharednic.com/manage/, or click on the "My Account" option on the menu bar, login to your account, and you can do whatever you like to manage your domain. You can change your password, change your contact information, set up web/email forwarding, modify DNS, transfer ownership ...

15. Can I use my own nameservers?

You can use your own nameservers. After you successfully register a domain name with sharedNIC, go to http://www.sharednic.com/manage/, or click on the "My Account" option on the menu bar, and login to your account, you can make changes to your information just like you can with Network Solutions. You fully control the information related to your new domain. You may use your own nameservers, and use your own facilities to host the site. We do not impose any restrictions on the use of your domain name.

16. How can I forward my domain name to my existing web page? And how can I do the email forwarding?

Once you login to your domain account, select the web/email forwarding option. Follow the instructions and you'll have web/email forwarding set up within 24 hours.

17. Does managing the domain, modifying contacts, or nameservers cost anything?

Modifications to all records through the use of sharedNIC interfaces are a free service.

18. How do I transfer my domain to sharedNIC?

Click on the "Register" option on the menu bar, then use the form "Move Your Domain to sharedNIC" and follow the steps to transfer your domain to sharedNIC. Please read our Domain Transfer Guide carefully before attempting a transfer.

19. What is the cost to transfer my domain to sharedNIC?

The domain transfer itself doesn't cost anything, but US$15 registration fee is charged to register the domain for a year with sharedNIC. This one year is added on top of whatever time is remaining on the domain from the other registrar. E.g., if you registered your domain name with Network Solutions, and it has 2 years remaining on the registration, then after a successful transfer it will expire in 3 years.

If your transfer order meets the preconditions mentioned in our Domain Transfer Guide and the transfer is unsuccessful for some reason, the payment for this transfer order will be fully refunded. However, if a transfer order does not meet the preconditions and the transfer is unsuccessful, we may charge $5.00 for the handling.

20. How do I change my domain name's ownership?

It is quite simple and easy to change your domain name's ownership with sharedNIC. Just go to http://www.sharednic.com/manage/, or click on the "My Account" option on the menu bar. After you login to your account, click on the first item "Manage Profile", and then click on the item "Change Ownership of Domain". On the following page, type in a new username and password, then press "Change Owner" button. Now, you have just created a new profile for the new owner of the domain name. Then pass the new username and password to the new owner. The new owner can change the password after he/she login to his/her account. You can also change the contact and DNS information for the new owner, or the new owner can do it by himself/herself.
Important: You shall require the new owner to agree to be bound by all the terms and conditions of our Domain Name Registration Agreement.

21. Does it cost anything to change my domain name's ownership?

It costs $0.

22. How to renew my domain?

If you renew your domain before it expires, you can do it within your domain account. If your domain is already expired and the account is deactivated, you may not be able to log into your domain account and then you may need to click here to renew your domain. Once the domain is renewed, the account will be activated and then you will be able to log into the account to manage your domain.

23. How to lock/unlock my domain?

To lock/unlock a domain name, please go to http://www.sharednic.com/registryrocket, use your domain/password to login. Your domain locking status can be updated there.

24. I'm having technical difficulties, or my question wasn't answered here -- where do I turn for help?

Please email us at:

We will answer your question promptly and do everything we can to make sure you are a satisfied customer.