Friday, January 1st, 2021
Please note that from 01/01/2021 we no longer accept cheques. At this point, on average we receive only one or two cheques per month, mostly for small amounts such as the renewal of a single domain name. Domains and hosting are a very low margin business, so the cost of taking the cheques to the bank and lodging them often defeats the purpose of the sale.
The best way to pay us is by credit card or PayPal, and you can choose either of these options on your invoice to pay. You can also pay by Bank Transfer, our bank details are available here..
Thursday, March 19th, 2020
I’m sure you’re tired of the words “Coronavirus” and “COVID-19” at this stage so I’ll keep this short:
If you need help communicating with your customers, taking payments or working remotely, please let us know. We can set up simple solutions like site notices about closures or payments quickly and easily, or we can implement more complex requirements, such as:
And those are just examples, there are thousands of online applications (see more examples) available to help run your business during this tough time, and they’re often less expensive to implement that you’d think. If you need help with something, just let us know by replying to this email.
As you probably know, our business is based in the CIX data centre in Cork, but the vast majority of our work is web/vpn-based and we generally only need to be on site to meet with customers, or physically work on servers. For the moment, we’re restricting ourselves to just emergency visits, we won’t be meeting customers in person until at least the start of next month. Support tickets and email are still the best way to contact us, but if you’d prefer to talk on the phone or in a chat, just let us know and we’ll arrange it.
As ever, if you have any questions or comments, do let me know.
Adam Beecher
Friday, February 21st, 2020
Eircom recently announced that they will begin charging €6 per month per email address on the 31st of March this year. We reviewed our customer accounts and found that many primary contacts that still use Eircom.net email addresses, so we thought we should explain that alternatives are available.
We would recommend against closing your Eircom.net email address immediately, because you may cut off active customers and potential business, however if you notify your customers about your new email address(es) as soon as they’re set up with us, and make sure your website is up to date, you should be able to cut your costs significantly.
If you’re unsure about anything in this post, or you have questions or comments, just open a support ticket on our customer portal and we’ll get back to you within 24 hours.
Friday, January 11th, 2019
If you receive an email from “DNS Ireland” claiming to have received a request to register an alternate of your domain name, well, they haven’t; and they’re not obligated register it for 10 years either (at twice the normal price). DNS Ireland is not a real company, and Liam Doyle is not a real person.
If you would actually like to register an alternate of your domain, let us know and we’ll organise it for you, at a very reasonable annual price.
An example email, from one of our customers that was worried:
Dear Sir/Madam,
We have received a request for the registration of the website www.REDACTED.eu Our system shows that you are the owner of www.REDACTED.net. This can have far-reaching consequences for you in the future. We are therefore under the obligation to contact you, in order to offer you the first right of registration. This means that we will reject the application of the third party and the website:
www.REDACTED.eu
After agreement we will link this website to:
www.REDACTED.net
This means that you will have the first option on the domain name, in order to avoid possible future problems.
We are usually under the obligation to register the domain name and to protect it for a period of 10 years. The annual price for the .EU extension is € 19.95 per year. This means a one-off payment of € 199.50. When the link has been completed, all the Internet traffic that goes to the .EU extension, will be automatically linked to your current extension and website. This process will take a maximum of 24 hours. This domain name will then have a worldwide reach. The third party will be rejected and can no longer use your domain name.
Important information:
– You will receive a one-off invoice of € 199.50, exclusive of VAT, for a term of 10 years.
– This contract can be cancelled at all times after the first term of one year. The paid amount for the remaining number of years will be refunded to your account.If you agree to our offer, please send an agreement by email within 48 hours after receipt of this email, stating your name, address and VAT number in a reply to this e-mail address.
The third party will subsequently be rejected by us, and we will then complete the link. You will receive a confirmation and all the information you need by email on the same day.
With kind regards,
Liam Doyle
DNS Ireland
Friday, July 13th, 2018
Just a quick post to let you know that later this month, all sites that aren’t currently using SSL / HTTPS will be marked as Not Secure by the Google Chrome browser. When Chrome 56 is released, the address bar will be adjusted as follows:
Firefox, Safari and other browser will follow their lead soon, and all browsers will in time move to more obvious highlighting, with red text and icons. This is already the case in several browsers when logins and data are about to be sent to the server over HTTP, as in the example from Firefox below:
We have recommended using HTTPS for any sort of data transfer for a couple of years now, including simple contact forms that could leak private data such as email addresses and phone numbers, and with the GDPR that is even more important now.
We now recommend that all sites use HTTPS at all times, primarily because of the upcoming change and the security / confidence HTTPS will provide, and because it will provide a minor boost to search engine results in your category.
We carry SSL certs from all of the major vendors, and we’re happy to advise you on the best type and brand of cert for your website. Our recommended certs are available to order directly from our website, or you can contact us to tell us about your current setup and future plans, and we’ll let you know if another cert would be more appropriate.
Wednesday, April 18th, 2018
As previously mentioned, IE domain registrations no longer require a “claim to the name”, however current IE domain holders should also know that a Fastpass process has been put in place to enable you to register new domains without any further documentation. All we need is the previous domain name, even if it’s with another registrar, and we can register your domain with no further details. Search here for your new domains!
A new .HEALTH top level domain name will go live in May, if you would like to pre-order yourcompany.health, please get in touch and we’ll handle that for you.
Thursday, March 8th, 2018
The rules for registering IE domain names are changing. From March 21, the need to explain why you want a particular name (the “claim to the name”) when registering an IE domain will be removed. This will make it faster and easier to get an IE domain. Anyone with a real connection to Ireland will be able to register any available IE domain they want.
In the meantime, it is important that you protect your brand and register any names you need before the rules change. The only way to ensure that no one registers a domain you want or need is to register it yourself. You can check availability by clicking here.
Disputes are handled using the IE Dispute Resolution Policy, however it can be a tedius and expensive process. Registering your names protectively is a much cheaper route.
Thursday, November 30th, 2017
From March 2018, the need to explain why you want a particular name (the “claim to the name”) when registering an IE domain name will be removed. All you will need to prove is a connection to Ireland, via a company number, driving licence, trademark, etc. Here’s the details from the registry:
IE Domain Registry to begin .ie domain liberalisation process
- IE Domain Registry gets the go-ahead for .ie domain liberalisation process following successful public consultation;
- Change will make it easier and faster for individuals and businesses to register a .ie domain name;
- All .ie registrants will still need to prove a tangible connection to the island of Ireland;
- The change expected to come into force in March 2018.
IE Domain Registry (IEDR), the company responsible for managing and maintaining Ireland’s national domain, is to begin the process of .ie liberalisation following the conclusion of the policy development process, which included a successful public consultation, it announced today.
Currently, to register a .ie domain name, an individual or business must prove that they have a valid claim to the desired name and a real, tangible connection to the island of Ireland.
IEDR’s change to the registration process retains the requirement for registrants to prove their connection to Ireland, but drops the need to prove a valid claim to the name. Going forward, any individual or business with a provable connection to Ireland will be able to register any available .ie domain name on a first-come, first-served basis.
For example, for Irish businesses, particularly new start-ups, the claim to a name requirement has proven a difficult administrative obstacle. Many new businesses are not registered with the CRO, may be VAT-exempt, and have no physical premises, meaning they also have no official documentation proving their business’s existence nor their claim to the business name.
By removing this claim requirement, IEDR says that registering a .ie address will be easier and faster, and will further open up the .ie domain namespace to enable citizens, clubs, communities, and businesses to build their online identity.
Last year, in a similar policy development process, there was consensus to remove the exclusive right of local authorities to Irish place names/geographic names, allowing local clubs, residents associations and other community organisations to register a .ie address with their local place name. More than one hundred geographic names have been registered since that policy change was introduced.
Commenting, David Curtin, Chief Executive of IEDR, said: “IEDR is pleased with the multi-stakeholder approach in achieving consensus for this change. Judging by the quality of the responses received during the public consultation phase, the policy change has received careful consideration.
“By simplifying the .ie registration process, it will be easier to get a preferred website address or email address which will have a clear, identifiably Irish connection. More people, organisations, communities and businesses across Ireland, and those around the world with Irish heritage or Irish operations, will be able to reach out to the wider internet community, communicate with their customers, and buy and sell online with e-commerce.”
IEDR’s PAC (Policy Advisory Committee) Working Group has carefully considered the comments received during the public consultation process, in particular those regarding concerns around the potential for ‘cybersquatting’, and the need for efficient dispute resolution.
Mr Curtin said: “It is important to distinguish between a cybersquatter, who intentionally registers a domain in bad faith, and a party that is simply the first to validly register a particular domain.
“In the latter case, .ie domains are registered on a first-come, first-served basis. All registrants must still meet IEDR’s terms and conditions for registration, and prove their link to Ireland. For individuals, this may include photo identification, like a passport, and proof of address. This information is then checked manually by IEDR. Ultimately, the only way to completely ensure that no one registers a domain name that is another party’s protected right is for that party to register their .ie domain, thereby making it unavailable for others.
“In instances where .ie domain applicants believe another party has improperly registered a .ie address, or is using it for criminal or other illegal purposes, there are a number of mechanisms available for dispute resolution. These include the formal Dispute Resolution Process independently operated by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), and supported by the legal registrant Terms of Service and the registration policies.
“These matters have been considered at great length by the PAC, and as such, it is currently considering an additional mechanism for a new ‘alternative dispute resolution process’ to handle disputes in a simpler, speedier manner.”
With approval from the PAC, key .ie stakeholders, the Board and now the public, the new policy change is expected to come into force within four months, by March 2018. Once live, parties registering a .ie address will no longer need to prove ‘a claim to the name’.
Thursday, March 9th, 2017
The following research comes from the IE Domain Registry via Ignite and confirms our advice to our customers — freemail and ISP email accounts don’t inspire confidence with end users. An email address using your own domain name should be mandatory, and will look better on your marketing and advertising. If you’re currently using a free email address for your business and you’d like to start using your own domain name, please get in touch with us today for advice.
A useful infographic summing up the information is at the foot of this post.
Almost two-thirds of Irish consumers have little to no trust in businesses that use free email addresses like Gmail and Eircom
- In contrast, more than three-quarters, 77 percent, have high trust in companies that use professional email addresses;
- IEDR research also found that consumers were four times more likely to trust a company with a website than one without;
- Companies that rely exclusively on social media to reach out to customers, rather than a website or a combination of both, are also not trusted by consumers;
- David Curtin, CEO of IEDR: “Consumers see professional email addresses and websites as indicators of trust and authenticity.”
Almost two-thirds of Irish consumers—64 percent—have little to no trust in businesses that use free email addresses like Gmail and Eircom, according to new research by the IE Domain Registry (IEDR), the company responsible for managing and maintaining Ireland’s country code domain name extension, .ie.
In contrast, 77 percent said they trust companies that use professional email addresses, like a .ie address registered to a business name (e.g. customerservice@localbusiness.ie).
The research, conducted by Ignite, polled 1,000 Irish consumers. It also found that consumers have four times more trust in a company that has a website (65 percent) versus one that does not (17 percent).
Companies that do not have a website but use social media, like a Facebook page or Twitter account, to connect to their customers are still seen as less trustworthy, with 63 percent of consumers saying they had low trust in them.
Commenting on the research, David Curtin, Chief Executive of IEDR, said: “Our research reveals that consumers see professional email addresses and websites as indicators of trust and authenticity. For sole traders and SMEs, this is particularly important. Anecdotal evidence suggests that first-time customers are far more likely to contact the plumber or electrician who has a web presence, rather than the one who just has a phone listing. Investing in a website that lists contact details, services and prices implies openness, accountability and trustworthiness.
“Setting up a website and an email address has never been easier. There are plenty of free and low-cost tools online, like Wix and Samm.ie, which allow even the most technophobic business owners to build a website and even incorporate e-commerce capability in a matter of hours.”
E-commerce—buying and selling goods and services online—is worth billions to the Irish economy and is growing rapidly at home and globally. For SMEs, e-commerce allows them to connect to local and international customers, selling to them 24 hours a day, 365 days a year regardless of physical location.
Allister Frost, award-winning former head of digital marketing at Microsoft and recent speaker at IEDR’s Internet Day, said that while websites are essential to get the most out of e-commerce, social networks can and should be used in conjunction with them to boost customer engagement.
“Every business owner should begin by creating a website to serve as their permanent home on the internet, under their control forever. And once that is established, many may also benefit from developing an active presence on relevant social networks like Facebook to reach a wider audience and ultimately convert them into happy, paying customers.”
Friday, March 11th, 2016
We’ve had a few complaints in the past that the fada isn’t available for IE domains, despite Internationalised Domain Names (IDNs) being available in many top-level domains for some time now. That should be about to change though, as the IE Domain Registry is currently running a consultation on adding the fada to domains, and it seems pretty unlikely anyone will object.
However there’s always a few nutters out there, so if the fada is important to you, please do review the consultation and send your comments in. We are of course accredited IE registrars, and will be offering domains with fadas as soon as they become available.
