Webhosting & Hosting Reviews

A search on any GoDaddy-registered domain at our iWhois now only produces something like this:

Registrant:
Go Daddy Software, Inc.

Registered through: GoDaddy.com
Domain Name: GODADDY.COM

Domain servers in listed order:
CNS1.SECURESERVER.NET
CNS2.SECURESERVER.NET

For complete domain details go to:
http://whois.godaddy.com

So the searcher is being forced to visit GoDaddy’s website to view the complete record. Cheap trick - I’m unimpressed. They’re also providing only this basic information for names registered at their resellers’ sites, including our Namiac.com. Actually, unimpressed doesn’t quite cover this. I’d hate any of our clients to think we were anything to do with this.

Users of Access Whois, Allwhois, Better Whois, DNS Stuff, Whois.com, Whois.net and Whois-Search.com - among others - are being similarly denied access, while NetSol Whois and Whois Source are unaffected! Hmm.

(Uwhois was unreachable when I was writing this - will check later.)

24 Feb Update: Uwhois’ access is restricted too. So is Whois Source now. When I use a desktop whois program from an IP unknown to GoDaddy I get the full whois output - draw your own conclusions! More info soon - see comments on this post.

11 March Update: Whois.sc is again getting complete info from whois.godaddy.com, but EasyWhois.com is being restricted. I do hope Bob Parsons reads my opportunistic reply to his article on CircleID. His support and technical staff are still giving us the runaround on this, and a suitable response would mean that I don’t have to elevate the issue - obviously best for all concerned.

20 March update: GoDaddy just said: “The registry team said they have opened up your IP for limited access. I hope this resolves your issue.” So iWhois is displaying correct data again.
Source:
jottings.com/2005/02/12/godaddy-selectively-rationing-whois-data/