How can a domain name be "not found" on Internic Whois but not available to register either?

November 22, 2005 10:14 AM

What explanation is there for a domain name to be "not found" on Internic Whois but not available to register either?
posted by nramsey to Computers & Internet (3 answers total)

There is a holding period after the registration expires where the domain is in limbo. This gives the original owner time to renew, but takes the domain out of service. Perhaps that's what has happened?
posted by sbutler at 10:21 AM on November 22, 2005

sbutler, typically those domain names can be found in the Whois and their status shows as REDEMPTIONPERIOD, and after that period is PENDINGDELETE.

Usually there are two reasons for this:

1. the domain name was just registered and the information has not filtered to all the whois databases.

2. the whois database you are using doing query the registry for the domain you are using.

Try a couple different whois databases. I usually have the most luck with Network Solutions query.

If you can't find it, drop the info here and I'll do a little research and see what I can find.
posted by FlamingBore at 12:11 PM on November 22, 2005

Increasingly, domain names that are in various limbo states are not searchable except via the whois of the registrar of record. I don't know why that is; it doesn't seem to be spelled out in ICANN policy, and it may reflect competitive activity by registrars.
posted by dhartung at 9:19 AM on November 23, 2005