Host and domain registration problem, what to do...

6thElement · 17 Jan 2011 at 14:19

I renewed my domain and host as normal at the end of last year having been with them since 2003. I only really use the hosting for photos and images.

But on Jan 11th the domain stopped working, the front page is now a generic website expired with a load of adverts. The host hasn't replied to my emails and I've been on hold for far too long to their support phone number.

A whois shows:
Current Registrar: ONLINENIC, INC.
IP Address: 193.22.xxx.xxx (ARIN & RIPE IP search) (xxx'd by me)
Record Type: Domain Name
Server Type: Other
Lock Status: clientDeleteProhibited
WebSite Status: Active

If the host is about to go bust, what can I do to rescue my domain name? I'll happily write off the cash I paid and move to someone else. In fact I'd happily do that even if they're not going bust...

Help!

6thElement · 17 Jan 2011 at 14:59

web mania

I'd hate to lose my domain after owning it for 8 years just because of what has slowly become a crappy host.

6thElement · 17 Jan 2011 at 15:51

My domain is a .net which I understand may make my task harder

6thElement · 18 Jan 2011 at 23:42

I've tried to initiate a transfer, I'm guessing that will fail. Apart from that I really don't know what to do

6thElement · 19 Jan 2011 at 03:32

Let me know how you get on, my problem is the domain expired a week ago despite my payment, another few weeks and the grace period expires and it's free for anyone to grab :/

6thElement · 19 Jan 2011 at 12:32

How did you contact them? I fired off an email to the EU support email address but I got an auto reply saying I need to register with them to raise a ticket.

6thElement · 19 Jan 2011 at 17:49

I got the same reply from "Steven".

6thElement · 21 Jan 2011 at 17:30

onlinenic have been very helpful

I just authorised my transfer, hopefully that goes through asap.

6thElement · 27 Jan 2011 at 13:44

You need the administrator email account to be changed on the whois to an email address you have access to. OnlineNIC did that for me, I requested my new registrar send the transfer email again, clicked on the link in that email sent from my new registrar, a couple of days later you get an email from OnlineNIC saying a transfer has been requested (you don't need to do anything with it), then 3 days later your transfer will go through.

Mine completed this morning \o/

6thElement · 27 Jan 2011 at 18:06

Almost fell off my chair at the latest in the saga which finally ends it.

As soon as my domain was transferred I got the record locked again and raised a paypal dispute, immediately raised it to a claim, within 3 hours the claim was found in my favour and my payment refunded \o/