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    • .net

    Generic top-level domainsIDNDNSSEC

    Overview

    • .net is a generic top-level domain (gTLD) whose name is derived from "network".
    • It was originally intended for organizations involved in networking technologies (for example, ISPs and infrastructure providers) but has become a general-purpose namespace without formal restrictions.
    • The registry is operated by Verisign; DNSSEC is supported.

    History

    • Introduced in January 1985 as one of the original top-level domains.
    • Intended use: network-related organizations; actual use broadened over time to miscellaneous sites and as an alternative when .com names are unavailable.
    • Verisign became the operator after acquiring Network Solutions and has held the registry contract through successive renewals; ICANN oversees the registry agreements and renewal process.
    • Key milestones noted in sources:
      • First .net domains created on 1 January 1985 (nordu.net is recorded as the earliest .net domain).
      • Verisign retained the .net operations contract through renewals, including automatic renewals contingent on meeting ICANN requirements.

    Usage and Audience

    • Typical users:
      • Internet service providers and network/infrastructure companies (original target audience).
      • General businesses and individuals using .net as an alternative to .com.
    • Common patterns:
      • Used by a wide range of sites; often chosen when the desired .com name is taken.
    • Scale and popularity:
      • Total registered .net names: reported as 13.0 million (Q2 2024).
      • Ranked among the top gTLDs globally (noted as fourth-most popular in 2024 in the provided material).

    Registration Rules

    • No special eligibility restrictions; registrations are available to the general public.
    • Registrations are permitted at the second level (example: example.net).
    • Registrations are processed through accredited domain name registrars.
    • Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs) are accepted.
    • Dispute policy: UDRP (Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy).

    SEO and Brand Impact

    • .net is a long-established, widely recognized gTLD and is commonly perceived as a standard alternative to .com.
    • Verisign's long-term operation and reported operational stability contribute to reliability and brand trust for registrants.
    • Because .net is a general-purpose TLD, adoption and SEO impact are similar to other generic TLDs: suitability depends on branding and content rather than intrinsic search-engine advantage.

    Notable Cases or Examples

    • nordu.net is recorded as the earliest .net domain, created on 1 January 1985.
    • U.S. government actions noted in the provided material:
      • The government has exercised authority to seize domain names at the registry level; sources referenced that by early 2012 roughly 750 domain names had been seized in such operations.
      • An enforcement example mentioned in the material is Bodog (Bodog.com), cited in the context of U.S. seizures of domains tied to illegal online gambling under U.S. law.

    Operator

    VeriSign Global Registry Services

    Whois

    % IANA WHOIS server
% for more information on IANA, visit http://www.iana.org
% This query returned 1 object

domain:       NET

organisation: VeriSign Global Registry Services
address:      12061 Bluemont Way
address:      Reston VA 20190
address:      United States of America (the)

contact:      administrative
name:         Registry Customer Service
organisation: VeriSign Global Registry Services
address:      12061 Bluemont Way
address:      Reston VA 20190
address:      United States of America (the)
phone:        +1 703 925-6999
fax-no:       +1 703 948 3978
e-mail:       info@verisign-grs.com

contact:      technical
name:         Registry Customer Service
organisation: VeriSign Global Registry Services
address:      12061 Bluemont Way
address:      Reston VA 20190
address:      United States of America (the)
phone:        +1 703 925-6999
fax-no:       +1 703 948 3978
e-mail:       info@verisign-grs.com

nserver:      A.GTLD-SERVERS.NET 192.5.6.30 2001:503:a83e:0:0:0:2:30
nserver:      B.GTLD-SERVERS.NET 192.33.14.30 2001:503:231d:0:0:0:2:30
nserver:      C.GTLD-SERVERS.NET 192.26.92.30 2001:503:83eb:0:0:0:0:30
nserver:      D.GTLD-SERVERS.NET 192.31.80.30 2001:500:856e:0:0:0:0:30
nserver:      E.GTLD-SERVERS.NET 192.12.94.30 2001:502:1ca1:0:0:0:0:30
nserver:      F.GTLD-SERVERS.NET 192.35.51.30 2001:503:d414:0:0:0:0:30
nserver:      G.GTLD-SERVERS.NET 192.42.93.30 2001:503:eea3:0:0:0:0:30
nserver:      H.GTLD-SERVERS.NET 192.54.112.30 2001:502:8cc:0:0:0:0:30
nserver:      I.GTLD-SERVERS.NET 192.43.172.30 2001:503:39c1:0:0:0:0:30
nserver:      J.GTLD-SERVERS.NET 192.48.79.30 2001:502:7094:0:0:0:0:30
nserver:      K.GTLD-SERVERS.NET 192.52.178.30 2001:503:d2d:0:0:0:0:30
nserver:      L.GTLD-SERVERS.NET 192.41.162.30 2001:500:d937:0:0:0:0:30
nserver:      M.GTLD-SERVERS.NET 192.55.83.30 2001:501:b1f9:0:0:0:0:30
ds-rdata:     37331 13 2 2f0bec2d6f79dfbd1d08fd21a3af92d0e39a4b9ef1e3f4111fff282490da453b

whois:        whois.verisign-grs.com

status:       ACTIVE
remarks:      Registration information: http://www.verisigninc.com

created:      1985-01-01
changed:      2023-11-08
source:       IANA

    Registrars