A domain name is a website address, like aplus.net or hostpapa.com. Servers on the internet identify websites and other services with IP addresses (e.g. 192.168.0.1); in order to make it easier for people to find websites, we developed the Domain Name System, mapping the IP address to a domain name which is much easier for people to remember than a string of numbers.

A Registrar is a company that is accredited through ICANN (International Committee of Assigned Names and Numbers) to sell domain name registrations. Aplus.net is an ICANN-accredited Registrar under the June 2013 version of the Registrar Accreditation Agreement.

All registered domain names have a record in the public WhoIs database, indicating who owns the domain (called the “Registrant”), what Registrar it is registered with, the domain status and other details such as the initial registration date, expiration date, and NameServers. This WhoIs record is required by ICANN policy; you can find all ICANN’s WhoIs-related policies at https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/whois-policies-provisions-2013-04-15-en.

You can do a WhoIs lookup on any domain at https://whois.web.com/.

You can find an explanation of the different domain statuses at https://icann.org/epp.

Please do a WhoIs lookup at https://whois.web.com/ to find the Registrar for your domain(s).

All registered domain names have a record in the public WhoIs database, indicating the full contact information of the domain Registrant, Administrative, and Technical contacts (name, address, phone number, email address.) This WhoIs record is required by ICANN policy; you can find all ICANN’s WhoIs-related policies at https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/whois-policies-provisions-2013-04-15-en.

In order to protect the privacy of your personal contact information, you can use our Domain Privacy Service. When you purchase and enable this service, we will mask the contact information that is publicly displayed on the WhoIs record; instead of showing your info, it shows our privacy provider information. Any emails that are sent to the privacy email address displayed in the public WhoIs record will be automatically forwarded to your real domain contact email address, but the sender will not see your info unless you choose to respond to their email.

You can read more about Domain Privacy and add it on to your domain name at any time by visiting https://www.aplus.net/domains/domain-privacy or going to the “Add Services” section of your Aplus Control Panel.

A domain lock is a status set on a domain to prevent unauthorized updates or Registrar transfer.

When you register your domain name with Aplus.net, we enable the lock by default. You can unlock your domain by going to the “Manage Domain Name” tab of the Domain Manager App, removing the checkmark from the “Domain Lock” column and then clicking Apply at the bottom right to save your changes.

To manage your domain, simply log into the Aplus Control Panel at https://my.aplus.net, select My Services and select the Domain Manager App from within the Domain Management section.

Within the Domain Manager App, you can view the domain status, expiration date and verification status, enable or disable auto-renewal and select the renewal term for auto-renewal, and enable or disable the domain lock. You can update the NameServers and WhoIs Privacy settings, update the WhoIs contact information, and retrieve your EPP code if you need to transfer the domain to another Registrar.

We can assist you with renewing the domain, but updates to the WhoIs record must be done by the domain owner or their authorized person only.

If you are not sure how to navigate through the Domain Manager App to update your domain information, please don’t hesitate to contact us at 1-855-791-8966 or by email at dns@cs.aplus.net and we’ll be glad to walk you through it.

Domain names are always registered on an annual basis, for a minimum of one year and a maximum of ten years.

Domains that are not renewed go into a “renewal grace period” (also called “expiry grace period”) as of the expiry date, and remain in this status for 30 days. During this time, the domain still belongs to the pre-expiry owner, but the website and any related services will stop working. The domain can be renewed for the standard rate; instructions for renewal can be found below

For more information on the post-expiry statuses for domains, please see “What happens if I don’t renew my domain?” below.

Our Domain Name Services Agreement can be found at Aplus Terms and Conditions.

DNS stands for Domain Name Services or Domain Name Servers, depending on the context. Your domain name is the address of your website, such as “aplus.net”, this address is mapped to IP addresses (DNS) which represent where your hosting, email, etc., is located in the server.

Our NameServers are:

ns1.aplus.net
ns2.aplus.net
ns3.aplus.net

If you are managing your own DNS or are using a 3rd party DNS server, you will need to change your mail and web records to point to the IPs below. This works for all package types.

(blank) IN A 64.29.151.221

www IN A 64.29.151.221

ftp IN A 64.29.151.221

mail IN A 64.29.151.235

pop IN A 64.29.151.235

smtp IN A 64.29.151.235

webmail IN A 64.29.151.250

autodiscover IN A 64.29.151.217

10 IN MX mx1c40.carrierzone.com.

100 IN MX mx2c40.carrierzone.com.

110 IN MX mx3c40.carrierzone.com.

120 IN MX mx4c40.carrierzone.com.

If your domain name is registered with us at Aplus.net, you can use our Domain Manager App to change the Name Servers.

1. Log in to the Aplus Control Panel at https://my.aplus.net
2. Select Domain Management
3. Click “Launch” on the Domain Manager App
4. Click the “Manage Domain Name” tab
5. Select the domain you want to update by clicking the checkbox on the left side of the domain where it appears in the list
6. Click the “Update NameServers” tab
7. Modify the NameServers listed and click “Apply” to save the changes

If you get an error when trying to update the NameServers, this may be because your domain name is locked. Please use the “Manage Domain Name” tab of the Domain Manager App to unlock the domain, and then try the NameServer update again.

If you have registered your domain name elsewhere but would like to host your website with Aplus, please change your domain’s NameServers to the following:

ns1.aplus.net
ns2.aplus.net
ns3.aplus.net

The Aplus DNS Manager allows you to modify the zone file for your domain.

1. Log in at https://my.aplus.net.
2. Select My Services.
3. Select Domain Management and then select the DNS Manager application.
4. Edit your zone file as required.
5. Click the "Next" button to complete the operation.
6. Allow 24 - 72 hours for DNS propagation.

While the DNS Manager is convenient and easy to use, it is extremely powerful. Problems may occur with your website and email if the zone file is modified incorrectly.

IP (Internet Protocol) addresses are a string of numbers that a computer/server understands as a specific location on the Internet. Domain names are how we as humans understand and remember those website locations. Through the power of DNS, a computer translates these domain names into IP addresses to display websites and provide other services such as email.

Propagation is the time it takes for NameServers around the world to update DNS settings based on changes made to your domain name. Servers have different time frames in which they allow updates; for example every 24 hours is a common setting. It takes approximately 24-48 hours for NameServers around the world to update domain server information that has been changed.

Our Domain Name Renewal and Redemption Policy can be found at Aplus Terms and Conditions.

To renew your domain, simply log into the Control Panel at https://my.aplus.net, click on Add Services at the top, and then click Renew Domain and follow the prompts to select which domain to renew and the number of years to add on to the registration term.

If you are already in the Domain Manager App, the Manage Domain Name tab has a Renew Now button which you can click after selecting a domain (by clicking the checkbox to the left of the domain you want to renew), and that will also take you to the domain renewal part of the Add Services section of the Control Panel.

Domains can be renewed for one or more years; that time will be added on to the existing registration term. For example, if your domain is due for renewal on July 1 2018, and you renew it for two years, the updated expiry date will be July 1 2020.

Yes, we do offer automatic domain renewal! This is a great way to make sure that your domain name is renewed before the expiry date, without having to remember to renew it yourself.

To enable auto-renewal, launch the Domain Manager App within the My Services section of your Aplus Control Panel (https://my.aplus.net), and go to the Manage Domain Name tab. All your domains registered with Aplus.net are listed there, and in the Auto Renew column you will see checkboxes. Just fill in the checkbox for any domains you want to auto-renew, and be sure to click “Apply” at the bottom right to save your changes.

Please note that auto-renewal needs to be enabled more than one day prior to the domain expiry date in order for it to take effect.

You can definitely choose to auto-renew your domain for more than one year! In the “Manage Domain Name” tab of the Domain Manager App there is a “Renewal Length” column just to the right of the “Auto Renew” column; you can select the number of years from the drop-down menu. Be sure to click “Apply” at the bottom right to save your changes.

When your domain has auto-renewal enabled, our system will process the payment 30 days before the expiry date, and renew the domain on the expiry date. This way if there is a problem with the payment there will be plenty of time to get it sorted out before the domain reaches that expiry date. We will send you a notice by email if there is a problem with the payment, be sure that you have valid contact information listed on your account.

Domain name registration, renewal and transfer all follow the prices laid out at https://www.aplus.net/domains/new-domain-extensions/pricing.

We send domain renewal reminder emails to both the domain owner and account holder (if they are different) several times before and after the domain expires. These notices will indicate if the domain is set up to automatically renew or will expire unless it is proactively renewed.

When a domain expires, it goes into a 30-day “Renewal Grace Period.” During this time, the domain can only be renewed by the original Registrant, but the WhoIs information is masked and will not display the original Registrant’s information until it is renewed. See “How do I renew my domain?” for more information on how to renew your expired domain.

During the Renewal Grace Period, the NameServers may be updated to point the domain to a parking or under construction page, but after it is renewed it will point to your NameServers again. If you do not renew your domain name during the Renewal Grace Period your domain name may be made available to other parties for purchase. If another party submits a purchase request during this time, and the original Registrant does not renew the domain, the sale to that other party will be completed following the end of the Renewal Grace Period.

If the domain is not renewed during the Renewal Grace Period, and no other parties submit a purchase request during that time, the domain then goes into a 30-day Redemption period. During the Redemption period the original owner may still renew the domain, but there is an extra fee of $89 plus the cost of the domain renewal.

If your domain name is currently in Redemption status, we ask that you contact one of our Domain Services Representatives immediately at dns@aplus.net to help you renew the domain. Domain Services can be reached from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm Eastern seven days a week at 855-791-8966, Option 4.

If the domain is not renewed during the Renewal Grace Period or Redemption Period, it then goes into a 5-day “Pending Delete” status. During the Pending Delete period the expired domain name cannot be renewed or redeemed. Following the Pending Delete Status period, the expired domain is then released from the Registry and made available to the general public for registration.

If your domains are with Aplus or Names4ever.com/Abacus, then you do not need to transfer them. If they are with another Registrar and you wish to consolidate, you may initiate a Registrar transfer of your domains to Aplus.

To transfer a domain from one Registrar to another, first you must prepare the domain for transfer. Using the current Registrar system, make sure that the domain is unlocked, that the contact information listed on the WhoIs record is valid, and that you have the Transfer Authorization (EPP) code. Please note that changing the domain contact information may lock the domain against transfer to another Registrar; please work with your current Registrar to avoid that before making any changes to the WhoIs record.

You can submit a transfer request on our website at aplus.net or in the “Add Services” section of your Control Panel.

To use the website, please visit https://www.aplus.net/domains and type the domain you wish to transfer into the domain search box. Include the extension (like .com or .net) but do not include http:// or www. Our system will check that the domain is available for transfer and prompt you to enter the EPP code; if you don’t yet have the code, you can continue without it and work with our Customer Service team to add it to the transfer later on. Continue through the checkout process, either by signing into your existing account or creating a new one.

Within your account, click on the “My Services” shopping cart icon at the top of the page, and then select “Transfer Domain”. Enter the domain you wish to transfer into the search box, including the extension (like .com or .net) but not including http:// or www. Our system will check that the domain is available for transfer and prompt you to enter the EPP code; if you don’t yet have the code, you can continue without it and work with our Customer Service team to add it to the transfer later on. Continue through the checkout process.

When a domain is transferred from one Registrar to another, one year is added on to the registration term. The fee charged for a transfer is for this domain renewal year.

Once the transfer is submitted, our automated system will send a Form of Authorization to the domain owner (Registrant) by email. The domain owner must follow the link within that Form of Authorization to our website, where they must select to either approve or cancel the transfer request. If this transfer approval is not completed within seven days, the transfer will “time out” and no longer be available to approve; at that point, we can resubmit the transfer request for you if needed.

After the transfer has been approved, the losing Registrar may send a second Form of Authorization to the domain owner. This second Form of Authorizations is optional – the domain owner may use it to confirm or cancel the transfer, or they may ignore it. If the transfer is confirmed or cancelled now, then this action will take effect immediately. If the second email is ignored, the transfer will be held in a Pending status for five days and then will be completed.

Remember, the first Form of Authorization must be approved in order for the transfer to be completed, but the second one is optional; the losing Registrar system might not send it at all.

The “WhoIs Accuracy Program Specification” section of ICANN’s 2013 Registrar Accreditation Agreement requires Registrars to Verify that the WhoIs information provided for each registered domain is accurate and up to date. As a domain owner, you are responsible for maintaining accurate information on your domain WhoIs record.

WhoIs Verification is triggered when:

• A new domain is registered with new (never before Verified) Registrant information
• A domain is transferred to a new Registrar
• Change of Registrant contact information (any part of the Registrant contact info)
• Change of Ownership (name of Registrant)
• Notification of Inaccuracy (e.g. automated annual WhoIs reminder email sent to Registrant bounces)

You have 15 days from the date of the FIRST notice to complete the Verification.

If you do not complete the Verification before the end of the 15 days, the domain will be suspended and all services related to the domain will stop working. It will still be registered and owned by you, the expiry date will not change, and once the Verification is completed the domain will work again.

EMAIL - Aplus.net will send a Verification request email to the Registrant (Owner) email address listed on the domain’s WhoIs record. Click the link in the email, this will take you to a website which displays the WhoIs information for the domain and has a “VERIFY” button. You must click the “VERIFY” button on the website to complete the Verification. If the email address on the domain is invalid, please use the Domain Manager App to update it and a new Verification email will be sent to you automatically at the new email address.

CONTROL PANEL – Once the Verification process is initiated, there will be a button in the Domain Contacts section of the Domain Manager App in your Control Panel which allows you to re-send the Verification email to the domain owner contact.

PHONE – See “Can I Verify by phone?” below

If the Verification is still pending (the 15 days have not passed), the domain owner will receive a daily email asking them to complete the Verification.

If the contact email address on the domain name is valid, you can use the button in the Domain Contacts section of the Domain Manager App to re-send the email.

If the Registrant contact email address on the domain is wrong, first log into your Control Panel and use the Domain Manager App to update the incorrect information. This update will trigger a new Verification email to be sent to that new email contact.

Yes, we can assist with a “manual” Verification by telephone.

First, find your phone Verification code. To do so, log in to the Control Panel and go into the Domain Manager App, open the Domain Contacts tab and select the domain you need to Verify from the drop-down menu. In the “Domain Verification Status” bar at the top you will see a 5-digit “Domain Verification Code”.

Then, call our Domain Services team at 1-855-791-8966, option 4, and let them know that you want to do a phone Verification for your domain. The Domain Services agent will then call you back at the phone number listed as the Registrant contact in the WhoIs record and ask you to provide that phone Verification code as confirmation. Once this has been completed, the Domain Services agent can mark the domain as Verified.

We do make automated calls to some of our clients who have an invalid email address listed on the domain name WhoIs record. The purpose of this call is to notify the domain owner that they must update their WhoIs record and Verify the domain in order to ensure that there is no interruption in their website or related services.

To check the current WhoIs information for your domain name, please visit https://whois.web.com/.

If you need to update your domain name WhoIs information, login at https://my.aplus.net/ and then use the Domain Manager App to make the required changes.

There will be no refunds offered for lost time due to non-Verification.

Domains that have WhoIs privacy protection still go through the standard Verification process, the only difference is that the WhoIs information is not displayed to the public.

As of January 2017, ICANN has expanded the Domain Transfer policy found at https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/transfer-policy-2016-06-01-en to include a new section on transfers between Registrants (owners).

Any update to the domain Registrant (owner) contact information is now considered to be a transfer of ownership. As result, when that Registrant information is updated, the domain is put on a 60-day lock status, during which time it cannot be transferred to another Registrar.

Our Domain Services team is always happy to help you understand the status of your domain; please don’t hesitate to contact us at 1-855-791-8966 or by email at dns@aplus.net.

If you want to give ICANN feedback regarding this policy, please use the form found at https://forms.icann.org/en/contact (scroll about halfway down the page).

Our Domain Services team is well trained and happy to assist with any questions or concerns that you have regarding your Aplus.net domain services! We can be reached by phone at 1-855-791-8966 or by email at dns@aplus.net.