Have you ever searched for a domain name, only to find that it was taken already?  Now, Network Solutions has made it even easier to feel that disappointment.

According to the article, Network Solutions has decided that it would be a good idea for them to, um, help keep front-runners from snatching up sites by being even bigger front-runners.

What happens is this:  You, the hapless consumer, decide that you need a domain name.  The first logical step would be to search to see if the name you want has been taken.  You've heard of Network Solutions, and, even though you may not know where you've heard of them, you decide to choose that link from the Google search results.  On the NSI page, you type in the domain that you would like to have, and hit the seach button.

Hey, look!  It's available!  But wait a minute.  Maybe you should take a look around and see if you can get a better price through a different provider.  So, off you go to GoDaddy (or somewhere else that Google will give you.  I'm just using GoDaddy as an example, here.  I am in no way endorsing any particular registrar).

At GoDaddy, you see that the price is much better, so you decide to type in that domain name that you just typed in on the NSI page.

Wait a minute!  The domain is taken, now!

Network Solutions has decided to "taste" your domain.  Something that some bigger registrars get to do for free.  They registered your domain name for you.  Of course, it is registered in their name, and you will have to pay their price for it.  The "taste" will be over in five days, so you will have to wait that long to be able to get the domain registered through anyone else.

During that five days, there is nothing keeping anyone else from buying that domain through NSI

Whyever would Network Solutions do such a thing?

If you listen to their PR people, it is to keep "front runners" from grabbing domains.  "Front runners" are people or businesses who use different means to monitor which domain name(s) someone might want to buy.  They then go and register the domain name as quickly as possible, in order to extort money out of the person who was originally looking to buy it.

Wait.  What makes that any different from what Network Solutions is doing?

The head of PR for NSI has been quoted as saying that they believe that someone is selling lists of what domains are being "pinged".  Someone who doesn't work for Network Solutions.  Someone sinister.

Or something like that.  It all reeks of PR trying to clean up a mess caused by a moneygrab.  If NSI had ever really cared about your domains being picked up by front runners, they would have made some sort of noise about this.  It would be something that many people would have heard about, already, and something that ICANN would already be looking into.

The thing is, they aren't foiling anyone's front running.  Even if NSI has reserved the domain, front runners can still buy it.  They will just have to buy it from NSI, that's all. 

In fact, this whole fiasco has created an easier way for them to find out what domains have been searched for.   Apparently, if a front runner just monitors Network Solutions' reserve domain DNS for new domains, they will have a list of all the most recent searches.  I'll bet that route is a lot cheaper for the front runners that having to pay someone to monitor pings.  Just so you don't feel all warm and safe, there are webpages out there that allow you to easily monitor NSI's recently added domains.

So, where does this leave us?  In my opinion, Network Solutions is just trying to get a piece of the front runner pie.  It may be a case of "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em". If they really cared, and wanted it all stopped, they would have used their heft and well-know name to try to put a stop to front running.  Instead, they are now going to ensure that anyone who checks a domain name through them is going to have to buy it from them, or a front runner who bought it from them.

There isn't any law on the books about this, yet.  However, this has caused a big enough stink that ICANN will have to do something about it.  Either that, or enough people will hear about this, and stop using NSI, as it just increases your chances of being hit by a front runner. 

In the meantime, why don't you try somewhere else for your domain names?

Tags: domain names

This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 9th, 2008 at 8:55 pm and is filed under Domains and Hosting. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.