Unlocking a domain...

How easy is it for the company?

[MClements]

I am currently trying to get my hosting company to unlock my domain but they are taking ages to do this for me.

How easy is it for them to unlock it?

[encyclo]

Technically, it is trivial, but sometimes companies are frustratingly slow in dealing with queries.

When you say that you've asked your hosting company, you need to bear in mind that the best way is to get access to the domain registrar's access code and password for your domain and do it yourself. This is one of the dangers of leaving a hosting company to look after a domain name: they keep a stranglehold on you.

Personally, I always keep my domain names separate from hosting, but even if you use the same supplier they should provide you with access to the domain management tools to make any changes yourself.

[davezan]

Don't expect to simply email them and say "Can you lock my domain name please?". No,
they'll most likely either instruct you how or ask you to contact them for more info.

MClements, can you confirm if the hosting company managing your domain name is a
domain registrar (the actual place to register domain names) or a reseller for a registrar?

If the hosting company is indeed a reseller, they should be able to lock your domain/s if
their registrar partner gave them the capability to do so. If your request has been
taking too long, you'd better find out if they're a reseller or an actual registrar.

Better yet, ask your hosting company which of the 2 they fall under. If they're a reseller,
ask them who their actual registrar partner is.

Let everyone know here how it goes.

[MClements]

I can't get any sort of reply from them. I can't get further than the shield on their 'live chat' who doesn't know anything. I have had no response to any of my e-mails.

If they were to say that they can't do it or we need to do this and that, then fine but we can't even get a decent answer at the moment.

We have had to unlock another domain with another hosting company. We e-mailed them and they had unlocked it within 3 hours. We've been waiting over a week on this one and we're none the wiser.

If they weren't able to do it, surely they would have told us by now?

I don't want to get into a discussion about the company though. I just wanted to verify that it was a simple task, which shouldn't take a week. The unlocking of our other domain and your kind replies prove that it is.

[davezan]

You can look up the list of accredited registrars at this link:

[icann.org...] .

If the company in question isn't listed there, your next step is to see where your
domain name is registered with.

Go to any of the following based on the extension of your domain name:

com/net - [registrar.verisign-grs.com...]
org - [pir.org...]
info - [afilias.info...]
biz - [whois.biz...]

Use the WHOIS of that registry and look at the line "registrar". Whoever is listed
there is where your domain name (and most likely the hosting company as well)
is registered with.

Then visit that registrar's site and use their contact info to ask them regarding
your domain name.

Good luck!