If you do not know exactly who is the owner of a domain, you can find out via a Whois query. However, the guidelines have changed since May 25, 2018. For reasons of data protection, it is no longer possible to access complete address data and information about the domain owner, but only two contact email addresses. To do this, simply use the Whois domain query at DMTwebhosting and enter the appropriate domain.
This gives you information about the host and owner. In this way, you can contact the owner and request precise information.
Domain move
Terms like provider change, domain move, domain transfer and change of ownership are often confused in common usage. It is therefore important to understand the differences.
A change of ownership (domain transfer) is necessary if the owner – i.e. the owner – of the domain is to be changed. The current owner gives up his legal position and transfers the domain to a new owner using an authentication code. This is accompanied by a termination of the existing domain contract. A new domain contract then arises between the future provider (if it is changed) and Domain Registry. If a domain has been registered with DMTwebhosting. If only the owner changes, the contract between DMTwebhosting and Domain Registry remains. However, if a change of provider goes hand in hand with the change of owner, the new provider signs a new contract with Domain Registry for the corresponding domain.
The following types of change of ownership are available:
Change of ownership without changing providers
A domain move, on the other hand, means a change of provider. The contractual partner at Domain Registry always changes. For example, if a domain is currently hosted by DMTwebhosting and is to be managed by any other company in the future, the new provider must be informed that the change has been approved by both sides.
If the owner of the remains unchanged, i.e. he is both a contractual partner with the old provider and the new provider, he can carry out all the steps himself. All you have to do is generate an authentication code that can be entered at the new provider. If the change of domain is also accompanied by a change of ownership, only the old owner can terminate the contract with the old provider and create the authentication key. This will then be communicated to the new owner, who can use it to order the change from the new provider.
The following types of domain relocation or provider change therefore exist:
Change of provider without change of owner
Change of provider with simultaneous change of ownership
This results in three possible scenarios, which we would like to explain to you in more detail below.
Change of ownership without changing providers
The new owner is transferred directly via the provider, i.e. the hosting provider. To do this, the provider (for example DMTwebhosting) receives an order to change owners from both the previous owner and the new owner.
A new contract only has to be concluded between the new owner and the provider. Therefore, changing the owner at the same provider is very easy, quick and uncomplicated.
Such a change can usually be ordered directly from the customer centre at the provider. At DMTwebhosting, this item in the menu is called, for example, “Internal domain move (split)”. Since both parties have to agree to the move, the provider requires a signature from both the old owner and the new owner. No further authentication is required.
Change of provider without change of owner
If the owner of the domain is to remain unchanged, but the domain is to be moved to another provider, this is also very easy, because all you have to do is create an authentication code for the old provider and enter it for the new provider. Depending on the provider, the move can then be carried out very quickly.
In practice, the procedure is such that the owner cancels the contract from the current provider and requests a so-called AuthCode. This AuthCode is then simply entered when registering the existing domain with the new provider. That’s it. Since the owner remains the same, no further signature or the like is necessary.
Change of provider with the change of ownership
If the owner and provider are to change, only the old owner can generate the authentication code with the old provider. The new owner must then enter the code at the new provider if he wants to register the existing domain there.
In this way, the new owner notifies the new provider of the change, whereupon the provider uses the authentication code to check whether the change has been legitimized. In order to make such a change, both the old contract with the provider must be terminated and a new contract must be concluded with the new provider. A new contract is also concluded between DMTWebhosting and the new provider. However, this can only take place if the termination is legally valid at the old provider. Direct contact between the old provider and the new owner does not usually have to take place.
Relocation via Auth Info in practice
In theory, the change certainly sounds quite complicated for one or the other. In practice, however, it is very easy in the end, because the domain owner can simply generate a password to change providers using the current provider. This password is then used for authentication with the new provider, that the move is approved and that both new and old owners agree to it.
This password for changing providers is the so-called Auth Info for the domain. It is nothing more than an alphanumeric security code that serves as an authorization code and thus as confirmation for the new provider. There is usually a separate menu item at the provider for generating the Auth Info.
The old owner then only has to transmit the generated password to the new owner. In this way, he can credibly confirm with the new provider that the change has been approved by the old owner. The new provider then compares the password with the old provider and simultaneously registers the change with Domain registry. At the request from DMTwebhosting, the old provider then gives the OK and the move is completed.
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