When we cannot check a domain ending

If you're watching a domain name in InfraNest and the ending's registry briefly stops responding to our checks, this article explains what happens and what, if anything, you need to do.

#Overview

• InfraNest checks whether a domain name is still taken by asking the registry in charge of its ending — .com, .at, .io, and so on.
• We choose which registry server to ask for each ending, and that choice applies to everyone using InfraNest — there's nothing for you to set up.
• Sometimes a registry stops answering us. This section explains what that means for your watch.

#What happens if a registry stops answering us

A registry can stop answering for a few reasons: it's busy, it asks us to slow down, or the server listed for that ending is wrong. When this happens:

1. You don't need to change anything — the watch page keeps showing Watching.
2. We're told right away, and we fix the source for that ending for every customer at once.
3. Your watch keeps its last known answer and its drop estimate. Once the registry answers again, checks pick back up automatically.

NoteA wrong registry server affects every customer, not just you, so when we fix it, it's fixed for everyone at once.

#Check a domain manually

If you don't want to wait, you can try checking the domain yourself:

1. Go to the watch for the domain name.
2. Select Check now to try the check again right away.
3. Hover over Watching on the watch page to see when we last checked the name.

#Register a domain that's dropping

If the registry isn't answering while a name is in the process of dropping, you don't have to just wait for us.

1. Go to the watch page for the domain name.
2. Look for the Try to register it now option, which appears while the name is dropping.
3. Select it to register the domain yourself rather than waiting for our checks to resume.

#Tips

• Domain pages always show the last answer we had, even while a registry is temporarily not responding, so you're never left with no information.

TipIf you're in a hurry during a drop window, use Check now first — if that doesn't help, Try to register it now is your backup option.