[techtalk] Registering DNS servers

[jenn at simegen.com]

Mary Gardiner wrote:


>> The other company just handles it for you. (for a fee)
> 
> And Network Solutions would also charge me a fee.

I was meaning that the other company would charge you both Network 
Solutions' fee AND their own. Companies which aren't the official 
registrar for a domain lose money if they don't pass the official 
registrar's fees on. 
 
> In any case, Kath's mail suggested that the way to register a nameserver 
> is to *log on* to Network Solutions with my username and password. 
> Since they are in fact the root nameservers, they do know puzzling.org 
> exists, 

Only if they're the root nameservers for .org. They aren't actually
THE root nameservers - that's either InterNIC or ICANN. Network Solutions
only manages a few of the top level domains.

If they're not root for .org, their DNSes are no wiser than - say - 
simegen.com's DNSes as to whether or not puzzling.org exists.

> but in no way does this imply that I have a username and password 
> at www.networksolutions.com with which I can register a nameserver, 
> since they are not in fact my registrar.

Actually, IF they are the registrar for .org and IF you are the technical
or administrative contact for one of the domains they're registrars for, 
you do. Your logins are your officially registered details.

> This is why I wished to clarify Kath's instructions - since I couldn't 
> use them to register a nameserver without first registering a domain 
> through them, if folllwoing her instructions.

Correct. As the only reason to register a nameserver is to make the
nameserver authoritative for a domain, you have to have a domain to 
be authoritative FOR. And you register the nameserver with the same
place you registered the domain.

(As stated in a separate post, you can have as many UNregistered 
nameservers as you want. They're just not authoritative for a domain.)



Jenn V.
-- 
     "Do you ever wonder if there's a whole section of geek culture
             you miss out on by being a geek?" - Dancer.

jenn at simegen.com     Jenn Vesperman     http://www.simegen.com/~jenn/