Q.Why should I use Lock/Unlock?

A. Before a Domain Name is transferred from one Registrar to another the permission of the registrant must be obtained. This normally happens by email and is authenticated by the email address. But contact information can be old or inaccurate leading to errors. This means that there may be situations where a transfer may be approved by an unauthorized person.

As transfer communications are invariably by email, things can go wrong if the authorized person does not receive the email.

Lock/Unlock adds another layer of protection and means you must unlock a Domain Name through the WSM Domains Management interface, before you give permission to transfer to a another registrar.

By locking your Domains Name you can have additional peace of mind that your Domain Name will not be transferred to another Registrar. It may also provide added protection against your Domain Name being hijacked - taken over by another party who may use that control to alter content on your website or redirect your website to another site.

Q.How do I lock/unlock my Domain Name?

A. To place your Domain Name on Lock:

* Login to your Account Manager and choose "Domain Locking" from the left hand navigation.

The current lock status will be displayed by a (locked) padlock symbol. To unlock your domain click on the padlock.

To lock your domain, check the box and choose the lock domain icon.

Q. Can I Lock all my Domain Names?

A. Yes, you can lock/unlock all your domains at one time. If you have more then 10 domains, this feature may take a few minutes so be patient.

Q.I unlocked my domain to place an outbound transfer, however, the gaining registrar says the status still reflects "registrar lock".

A. Some registrars depend on the Verisign Global Registry whois database that only updates once per day. Even though your domain is unlocked, or in "ACTIVE" status, it may take 24 hour before you can place a transfer away.

- Check Whois at Tucows and Verisign Global.