Hosting Problem

lostprophetsie

Hi,
Basically a website I run has been down for the past two weeks and I cannot get in contact with the host.

To give some background, the hosting package the site is run on was purchased several years ago when I first started developing websites and was new to the hosting scene. What I purchased at the time was a US hosting package from an Irish reseller. I decided I was going to move the site about 8 months ago now and tried to contact the host but my support tickets were all left unanswered and automatically closed. So at the time I decided to let the hosting run out and then move hosts but continue to pay for my domain through the original hosting company as I did not want the hassle of transferring it.

I'm not pushed about the hosting as I have several other packages with an Irish host at this stage, the problem is the domain name is up for renewal next month, it is a .com domain name.

I have tried contacting the host by email, phone and an emergency text number that was supplied on numerous occasions but no luck I just really need to know how easy it would be for me to transfer the domain name to a new hosting company, when I cannot get any details from my previous host?

Any ideas of what I can do?

**Mods can move this if I posted in the wrong place, I have this forum boomarked and forgot about the recent changeover to design/development. Sorry about that.

I suppose the obvious question is whether the hosting provider is still trading? Is the website up? Is there a contact phone number?

aidan_walsh

You will likely need to have the host release the name first, so you will need to contact them.

lostprophetsie

Deleted User wrote: »

I suppose the obvious question is whether the hosting provider is still trading? Is the website up? Is there a contact phone number?

Hi SBS,

Their website is still up but phones are unanswered, emails unanswered, and support tickets unanswered. Not really sure there is much else I can do to get in contact with them?

Thanks Aidan, was hoping there was a fallback way of getting the domain released. I'll just keep trying.

HandWS LTD

Hi Lostprophetsie

Can you please check your whois information. This can be viewed by typing in "whois lookup" into google or looking on our website. And follow the instructions:

1. Type in your domain name
2. Find the information described as "Registrar name", or "Registrar of Record"
3. Contact this company for information about retrieving your domain password.

You should then get a password referred to as an "Auth Info" password, or an "EPP" password you would need for the transfer.

lostprophetsie

Hi HandWS,

I had already checked this and all I can see is the name of the hosting company. As the domain is expiring next month, would it be a bad idea to just try renewing it through their site as it doesn't cost much and I can continue on my quest to contact the company without worrying about the domain expiring. Granted this would probably only work if their renewal process was completely automated.:(

HandWS LTD

Hi,

The situation sounds to me that they coould be a reseller. You will still need to have them unlock the domain (if it already is locked) so that you can transfer it. Also you will need to update the whois to all of your info before transfering it. Once done you can start it but you will still need to contact them.

There are 2 ways. If they are a reseller....try and find their nameservers to the hosting company and contact them. They may or maynot do something about it.

Or another way is to contact ICANN. icann.org/cgi/contact/. They usually sort problems with domain names. They may be your best chance.

Registering your domain again is probably what the company will want you to do.