help forwarding email

December 22, 2003 5:39 AM

The provider of my main email account is shutting up shop, and ceasing to use the domain. Aside from hoping they don't re-register the domain, is there any method (service, etc.) that I can use to get my mail forwarded to a still-functioning address?
posted by armoured-ant to computers & internet (4 comments total)

Without the cooperation of those who own the domain name and the mail servers that use it (which could be you if they'll transfer it or you can register it later) there really isn't a way to do what you want.
posted by majick at 8:11 AM on December 22, 2003

armoured-ant, it looks like they won't have to re-register the domain -- according to whois it won't expire till 2007.
posted by IshmaelGraves at 8:31 AM on December 22, 2003

"Without the cooperation of those who own the domain name......"

And this may well be an easy option if the mail for that domain is being maintained by anyone. It's fairly trivial to set a forwarding rule for a particular email address. If game.net (or whoever) has taken over the barrysworld.com domain name they seem to be keeping the domain running. Maybe just for the redirect message. Depending on how they're handling email it may be easy for them to add a forward for you. Or not.

Or game.net may be a big faceless company that doesn't have time for you, or they might not want to open a can of worms where 10,000 people ask for email forwards.

Whoever ran barrysworld.com should be able to tell you whether this will be easy, hard, or way more trouble than it's worth.

The bottom line is that you can only get this done if someone is actively maintaining email for barrysworld.com (iffy) and they're willing to talk to you (iffy).
posted by y6y6y6 at 9:31 AM on December 22, 2003

Grrr. Thought so. Barrysworld used to be run by a couple of guys (TedTheDgo and DBs), but Game (big software retailer) took over, branding it as Game.net earlier this year. Now Game (who, I should add, I used to work for, until September) are giving up on multiplayer online gaming, and concentrating on online retail. So no more BW or G.net.

On the other hand, I know the phone numbers I have to call.
posted by armoured-ant at 9:38 AM on December 22, 2003