- WHOIS is a query and response protocol is widely used for querying database that store the registered of an internet resource such as domain name, an IP address block, or an autonomous system but is also used for a wider range of other information.
- The protocol stores and delivers database content in a human readable format.
- The WHOIS protocol is documented in RFC3912.
Uses:
- WHOIS is a public database which allows you to find out information about a specific domain name.
- You can find out who registered it, who the registrar is, and who you can contact about the domain name.
- Searching the WHOIS is also a useful way to check whether a domain name has been registered.
Working:
- The WHOIS database contains contact and registration information for every domain registered with a particular registrar.
- WHOIS database are maintained by individual registrars not by the central registrary.
- For this reason they are not always fully up-to-date.
- Most of the systems are updated every 24 hours, which means the results that they return can be up to 47 hours out of date.
- When you register a domain name with us, we pass on the contact details to the WHOIS.
- These will then be publicly available through WHOIS services.
- A useful site for checking WHOIS information is www. whois.net.
More examples:
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