Home : Domain services - FAQ
- What is a DNS service and why do I need one?
- What characters can be used to form a domain name?
- What is the difference between TLD's and ccTLD's, for example .fi and .com?
- Where can I find out national registrars for different ccTLD's (country code top level domains), for example .se, .ie, .no etc.?
- Why own a domain name?
- Why secure my domain name in the .com Top-Level Domains (TLD) versus other Top-Level Domains?
- What are the .cc, .nu, and .tv domains?
- What is the difference between name investing and "cybersquatting"?
What is a DNS service and why do I need one?
Usually only bigger corporations have the technical knowledge to maintain their own name servers. Naturally it's more cost effective to purchase the necessary technique from an ISP, such as AXN Data. For TLD's (.com, .net, .org, .info, .biz, .ws, .tv, .nu, .cc) registered through AXN Data, the DNS service is included.
With name servers the domain name is located on the internet, as with them the domain name is resolved to a specific IP address. For each domain there must be at least two separate
nameservers, with AXN Data these can be ns.meritie.com and ns1.meritie.com or dns1.name-services.com etc., depending the service you have chosen.
What characters can be used to form a domain name?
The characters that can be used in a domain name are the twenty-six letters of the Latin alphabet (A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z), the ten Arabic numerals (1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0), and the hyphen (-). Domain names are not case sensitive; The Internet understands "a" and "A" as the same letter when it comes to domain names. Also, the one possible piece of punctuation, the hyphen, cannot be the first or last letter in a domain name.
What is the difference between TLD's and ccTLD's, for example .com and .fi?
The most significant difference is that anyone can register generic domains like .com and .net, but for ccTLD's there are some restrictions. These restrictions vary by country, but usually you have to prove that you practise official business in the specific country and you are entitled to register only your company name and trademark. These rules change now and then. Check the current rules from your specific national registrar (below).
Where can I find out national registrars for different ccTLD's (country code top level domains), for example .se, .ie, .no etc.?
Please see the IANA ccTLD Database
Why own a domain name?
Most high-quality names have already been registered. If you find one that has not been registered, it soon will be. Good names can be both the cornerstone of a new business as well as a wise investment in the future. Securing domain names protects your ownership over the names of your business and products on the Internet. Securing related domain names for you and your business can make you easier to locate on the Web.
Why secure my domain name in the .com Top-Level Domains (TLD) versus other Top-Level Domains?
The generic Top-Level Domain .com is the Park Avenue of Internet real estate. It is the most recognized "location" for e-commerce in the world. There are numerous other generic TLDs including the popular .net and .org. Though not as well known as .com, ownership of all three of these TLDs for one particular domain provides you protection from someone trying to register your domain name with a different TLD. Besides the various generic TLDs, there are also country code top-level domains (ccTLDs), like .ie, .fi, .de etc., that can give your presence in the various countries that they represent. Both generic and country-code TLDs provide a domain name with exposure to various specific Internet marketplaces. Currently, however, .com remains the best-recognized address to have worldwide.
What are the .cc, .nu, and .tv domains?
Though often used to simulate generic TLDs, the .cc (Cocos-Keeling Islands), .nu (Niue), and .TV (Tuvalu) domains are island-nations that register domain names to anyone. Web users are drawn to these TLDs because of their clever appearance in a domain name. For example, .nu means now in Dutch, Swedish, Danish, and Norwegian.
What is the difference between name investing and "cybersquatting"?
"Cybersquatters" are people who register trademarked names. For example, a certain individual registers waltdisney.fr, and then pushes Walt Disney in California to pay her a significant fee to transfer the name to Walt Disney's possession. Name investors are people who register names which do not have trademarks. For example, a certain individual registered loans.com, a name for which there is no trademark, back in 1995, and recently sold it for $US3 million to Bank of America.
AXN Data is firmly opposed to cybersquatting, does not engage in cybersquatting, and strongly discourages its clients from engaging in cybersquatting.