I'd really appreciate some help from anyone experienced in using NSI's online forms to change domain details.

I have a domain that I am listed as both the administrative and technical contact. However, the actual handles listed are different for each, with different e-mail addresses, even though they both refer to me, and I have access to both e-mail accounts for both handles.

The technical contact handle is an e-mail address that will be deactivated shortly, I need to change the technical contact to be the same as the administrative contact so I can use the other e-mail address for authorization.

So I issue a "service agreement change" using the NSI online forms, the only amendment is to make the technical contact the same as the administrative contact. The form is sent from the same e-mail account as the administrative contact.

I then recieve a reply to my administrative e-mail acount saying the request needs to be authorized, then another e-mail requesting authorization, with the same e-mail sent to the technical contact. I reply from the administrative contact e-mail account authorizing the change, but then I get an e-mail back saying the the e-mail address cannot be verified and they can't make the change.

This is getting me worried, it seems like I cannot authorize changes using the e-mail address associated with the administrative contact.

I know I can use the technical contact e-mail to authorize, I actually successfully authorized changes previously using it, but that e-mail is to be discontinued, and very soon I will not have access to it.

The "bad" administrative e-mail address is actually an account I have with an ISP, I've tried using both Outlook Express and HTML to send the reply, and using different options, with no success. I have even copied the e-mail to another address to verify that it comes from the right e-mail account, it seems the automated NSI system is just not recognising that e-mail for what it is.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, I am getting rather desparate because the e-mail address must be changed before it dissappears and I no longer have access to it.

Thanks in advance.

The answer is right in front of you! Use the technical contact email address to make the changes NOW, before it's too late!

If you don't do it now, you'll have to fax them authorization which takes weeks, if not months.


If that is not your problem, then if it's a newly registered domain, you might of set the wrong authentication method, maybe you should be using plain text password and not mail-from.

1. Verify that the from address in your e-mail client is the exact same one as listed for the admin contact.

2. Waste no time in changing not only your technical contact, but in changing from e-mail verification to password verification. That alone can prevent and solve problems like those you are having.

3.. It is highly recommended that you trasnfer to another registrar, such as any RSP using the Open SRS Domain Manager system. You simply log in and make your changes online. Besides the ease and simplicity, it is almost a third of the price you are paying at NSI (at least at 000domains.com, at $13.50)

Are you sure you followed the directions in the verification e-mail correctly? You entered MAIL-FROM on line 0a and Y on line 1a?

Transfering the domain name to a registrar that's easier to use is a good suggestion. Dotster.com has a special right now, $11.95, which includes a year of registration.

Chris,

you beat me too it. I was just about to mention the Dotster special deal. :) I think it's due to run out pretty soon though, so if anyone's thinking of moving there they should probably do it lickety-split.

One thing with them is they seem to make moving from NetSol pretty simple. Maybe it's an agreement or something but I have less trouble with them than anyone else.

Greg Moore

Many thanks for your replies.

I had considered using the technical contact e-mail to change, but this exercise is mainly a verification that I can use the administrative contact e-mail successfully. If I were to change all contacts to using an e-mail address that can't be verified by NSI then I'd be stuck.

I have CC'd the e-mail to a hotmail account to confirm the "from" address is correct, from what I see the e-mail definitely comes from the e-mail address.

You mentioned Password authentication ? Does this mean I can use _any_ e-mail to change details just by using the correct Password ? Are there any pitfalls using this method ?

Finally, I was actually unaware you could shift registrars so easily. What timescale does this take, what are the costs and what do people suggest as good registrars or ones to avoid ? I'd consider this as a future option seeing as I've just about had enough with NSI online forms :/

I really appreciate all your answers, I only have a week or so to get this under control.

Argh ! I just tried changing the contact authentication method for the "bad" e-mail address to use Password, but again, the e-mail address cannot be verified by NSI :(

There is no cost associated with changing registrars. Most will have you pay at least one year's fees when you switch, but that adds a year to whenever your current registration expires.
At Dotster, you just fill everything out online and they sumbit the changes to NSI. They will send an email to the current registrant to make sure its a valid request.
I switched to Dotster initially to make it easier to make changes. You can change emails, address, etc all online on a form - no more filling out templates and emailing them. And as a plus, as stated above, they currently have an $11.95 special.

Good luck!

w00t ! Success !!! :) Apparently the current authentication method _was_ Crypt-PW not MAIL-FROM, I finally found this out talking to NSI Support. The administrative contact handle I was using was orginally set up from an NSI account for another domain, apparently they are set up using thr Crypt-PW authentication scheme with the same password as the account. You learn something new everyday ...

So thanks everyone for your replies and encouragement.

As regards the registrar, I was thinking of using a UK based one as the telephone support would be easier (and cheaper), looking at the ICANN list of operational ones I've seen Easyspace, Nominate, Virtual Internet and Total Web, are any of these just a "front" for NSI, would anyone not recommend any of them.

I've looked at Dotster and its tempting, can someone tell me how good their online modifications are :)

Online modifications are just a matter of logging into your account, selecting the domain in question and changing the information. Poke submit and your done.

Where it falls over a little is, I can't see any simple way to generate nameservers for a domain (though I'm sure it's an easy matter). Also they'll whack you $25 if you want to change the Registrant information. I think all the other areas are free of charge as they should be though. I'm happy with them from a purely easy to use point of view. As I have much better things to do than mess with domain settings they suit me to the ground :)

Greg Moore

Ian,

You just discovered one of the two pitfalls of the password verification method with NSI. One is forgetting you were using that method. The other is forgetting the password.

Be careful in your selection of a registrar. It is almost as important as selection of a host. Several of us use an Open SRS RSP like 000domains.com Their online Domain Manager (no e-mailing forms) allows you to change anything, even the registrant, at not additional charge. There is no departure fee if you should want to change to another registrar (you won't, though).

Look closely. Some registrars, like alldns.com (lousy service) have a hidden fee of $20 if you want to change to another registrar.

Personally, I think anything less than online registration indicates a system not designed for the importance of domain registrations and should not even be considered. You wouldn't host with someone running a 286 and 32 mb of RAM. Why register with someone just as antiquated?

I'm in the UK as well, but for domain name registration we always use directNIC ( http://www.directnic.com ). Its a US company, but its the best I've found from price, easy of use, and support.

Everything can be changed from the control panel, and they also have plans implementing .uk domains under the Tucows OpenSRS system.

Tried EasySpace, and hated it, but they still keep sending me junk email, luckily its just one every couple of weeks.

Rgds.

Gareth C. Fowler

Originally posted by akashik
...
Where it falls over a little is, I can't see any simple way to generate nameservers for a domain (though I'm sure it's an easy matter). Also they'll whack you $25 if you want to change the Registrant information. I think all the other areas are free of charge as they should be though. I'm happy with them from a purely easy to use point of view. As I have much better things to do than mess with domain settings they suit me to the ground :)

Greg Moore
Generating name servers for a domain name is *really* simple, you log on to your account, select the domain name you want to use, then you'll find a link that says "Name Server Registration."

The thing I don't like about Dotster (probably the only thing) is that they don't have telephone support. Their e-mail support is okay, it usually takes at least 24 hours before getting a response. On the other hand if you call NSI tech support you usually wind up waiting on hold for 24 hours, so it works out about the same. :D

Generating name servers for a domain name is *really* simple, you log on to your account, select the domain name you want to use, then you'll find a link that says "Name Server Registration."


Please tell me that's a recent addition to the site...

I'll grant I don't spend a lot of time in the control panel area but something like that is usually pretty obvious. If I've missed seeing that for close to a year now I think I might need to have my eyes checked :)

Greg Moore

i currently have ns.mydomain.com and ns2.mydomain.com. i have a bunch of clients using that also. what happens when i have to change the ips of those ns's? do all my clients have to do the same? my 2 ns's are registered through nsi. and most of my clients are over at dotster/enom.

I think my confusion came about because the handle was set up when I opened an account with NSI after registering another domain with them directly. The account system used for that domain is better because you login and make the changes direct, but obviously its been configured to use the Crypt-Password method underneath using the same password as the account.

The domain in question was not under any account, just a generic service level agreement set up when it was registered by my ISP, so I was forced to use the traditional method of e-mail requests and online forms. It was not that I'd forgotten the method or password, it was that I'd never actually specified Crypt-Password as a method to use, I sort of got lost :look: .

I'd consider moving to another registrar simply to unite the two domains under one account, obviously my experience has shown that the "control" element is very important.

ian54,

you won't regret the change. As I'm sure everyone else will agree having that higher level of control over your domains makes a world of difference (and a lot less grey hair). :) Another upside to places like Dotster etc, is just a cheaper way to get domains. It's an odd example of paying less for a better product *lol* NetSol is just a lumbering old warhorse now that a lot of people only use to a lack of knowing of better alternatives.

Greg Moore

You know, if you transfer to a new registrar - you can be done with Network Solution's hassle. I've found that it's actually usually easier to transfer to a new registrar than it is to get NetSol to help with problems.

If you do transfer - look for one with a domain control panel. Almost all registrars now have this.

--Tina