Transferring Domain Names

Factual Questions
1

I’m in a position where I need to take over the administration of a Web site that was previously hosted and administered by someone that I no longer trust. I have the space to host the site, but I’m a bit clueless about transferring over the actual domain name.

The other admin has offered to change his DNS server to point the domain to my new IP address. Can someone confirm/deny the following?

  • Pointing the IP address to my new site does not give him any access to the site. It’s just an address. He has no power there.

  • The domain would still be registered in his name, correct? At any point, he could yank it and point it somewhere else. How do I FULLY transfer the address to MY name? Remember, I don’t trust this guy. I’d rather register a new domain name than not have full control over it.

<slightly different subject>

  • He’s asked me for the IP address to transfer over to. Currently the new site is a subdomain of another one of my sites. Does a subdomain have it’s own IP address? If so, how do I find it? If not, can he simply “point” his DNS server to the new site? My foggy understanding is that I need a script or something to redirect the queries to the new subdomain.

Thanks in advance!

2

  1. Right.

  2. To transfer the domain to your control he will have to instruct his registrar to release it to you, (or you will have to sue him to get it.)

  3. Subdomains may have their own IP or they may not. It depends on how you wish to set up the site. If you don’t know how it’s set up currently then you need to ask the person who maintains the site.

3
  1. Go to your favorite registrar (I like dotster). Open an account and put in a transfer request for the domain. The guy will first get an email from the registrar you chose. If he clicks the encrypted link, your registrar will then communicate with the existing registrar. He’ll get a second email from them. If he clicks the encrypted link, then the domain will be transferred to your account.