Since the introduction of internationalised domain names in 2003, Punycode has been ubiquitous on the internet. Internet addresses like look peculiar, but fulfil an important function: They encode non-ASCII characters into ASCII-compatible character strings and therefore ensure a smooth flow in the network. How does this work, and why is Punycode criticised so often? We’ll tell you.
If well-ranked sites suddenly disappear from the search machine index, it can be for a number of different reasons: In one case, the crawler could no longer check the pages in question, or in another case it could have identified duplicate content and removed one of the pages from the search results. Another reason, often unknown to the external developer, is so-called URL hijacking – a process in...
A fully qualified domain name (FQDN) is a domain name that specifies the unique and complete address of a website. It consists of several name parts called labels, each separated by a dot. The FQDN has a hierarchical structure set by the domain name system (DNS). The mandatory parts of an FQDN are the host name, domain name, and top level domain of the internet presence.
Are you fed up with your current hosting provider? If so, you should consider transferring your domain. But don’t let the idea scare you off! These days, transferring an existing domain to a new hosting provider is easier than ever before. Check out our guide to ensure you’re up to date with the ins and outs of domain transfers.
Temporary domain locks and other locking periods for internet addresses are usually only a term for domain traders. But website operators wishing to start a website on a newly-registered domain should read up on locking periods. This is because a resale or a change in provider is not often possible so soon after purchasing a domain. But what exactly are these locking periods and which domains are...
For years, a successor to the domain query protocol Whois has been in development. For several reasons the protocol, developed at the same time as the internet predecessor ARPANET, is no longer regarded as modern or up-to-date. But now the Registration Data Access Protocol (RDAP) is being hailed as a promising candidate to fill this gap. But in what way is this Whois alternative different to its...
Internationalised domain names (IDNs) significantly increase the number of potential combinations for domain registrations. With this system, Spanish speakers are finally able to use accents in words and names like México or Bogotá. Non-Latin characters are also now possible under this mechanism. These profound changes are made possible through a translation process defined in the internet...
Domain grabbing and cybersquatting are often used as synonyms, but there is a slight difference between the two. The former is a term for perfectly legitimate domain trading, whereas cybersquatting damages name rights and trademark laws and usually leads to disputes in court. We explain the difference and what trademark infringement can mean for you.
If you own a website, you should know that it needs to be continually maintained and adjusted. But in addition to normal tasks such as administration, maintaining content, and web design, sometimes radical, fundamental changes need to be made. These are especially necessary if you decide to rename your website, a process which is known as a domain change. But how exactly does a website operator go...
In so far as is possible, the communist state of North Korea has managed to shut itself off from the rest of the world. However, a western IT expert recently succeeded in sneaking a peek at their internet domains and as a result we now know that there are only 28 domains for the entire country. From recipes to maritime affairs, here you’ll find an insight into what a North Korean can find online. ...
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