FAQ
Test service
Is there a WHOIS or DNS server for the test service?
No WHOIS or DNS server currently operates on the information from the test database. |
WHOIS is a service to look up domain name registration data for a given zone. It includes essential information for contacting the owner of a name in case of technical or other problems.
Why does my code work as it should on the test server but not on the production server?
- If you can use the RFC3734 transport protocol, this is due to the XML formatting that is active only on the test server. It automatically adds a line break after the closing tag '</epp>', which is not interpreted on the production server. So when you move the line containing that closing tag to the production server, be sure to delete the '>' symbol at the end.
- If you've programmed your EPP client using the language specially developed by and for the .lu registry, check that there are no spaces before the header ‘<?xml’.
In general, consider deleting the spaces at the start and end of each message before sending them to your XML parser.
Why does the EPP work correctly on the test server but not the production server?
It's likely you missed the important detail of assigning ports on the production server, which is different from the test server.
- If you are using the RFC3734 transport protocol, port 1701 used on the test system must be replaced with port 1700 on the production server.
- If you programmed your EPP client in the language specially developed by and for the .lu registry, port 1700 used on the test system must be replaced with port 1701 on the production server.
Your EPP software might also be too sensitive for XML formatting. To find out if it is, see the question "Why does my code work as it should on the test server but not on the production server?"
EPP server
How should I set my time zone?
Make sure the hour specified for your tasks is given in 00:00:00 format. If it isn't, the time zone fields might not be interpreted correctly in the interface for registrars.
What transport protocols does the EPP server use?
The EPP server handles two variants of EPP-over-TCP:
- the transport protocol RFC3734 ‘Extensible Provisioning Protocol (EPP) Transport Over TCP’
- a TCP flow encoded in UTF-9, specially developed by and for the .lu registry
You can therefore program your EPP client in either of these two languages.
Why does my code work as it should on the test server but not on the production server?
- If you can use the RFC3734 transport protocol, this is due to the XML formatting that is active only on the test server. It automatically adds a line break after the closing tag '</epp>', which is not interpreted on the production server. So when you move the line containing that closing tag to the production server, be sure to delete the '>' symbol at the end.
- If you've programmed your EPP client using the language specially developed by and for the .lu registry, check that there are no spaces before the header ‘<?xml’.
In general, consider deleting the spaces at the start and end of each message before sending them to your XML parser.
Why can't I log in to the Web interface or the EPP server?
There are several reasons why you may be having trouble logging in:
- You entered the wrong password: Check that your password is correctly entered, and bear in mind that if you have recently changed it via the EPP server, you will need to use that new password for the Web interface.
- Your account is locked: Either your account has not yet been unlocked, or it was locked due to inappropriate behaviour.
- Your IP address is not authorized: You're attempting to log in from a computer whose IP address is not authorised to communicate with the interface and EPP server. Log in from another device.
I just received 'registrar' access; what should I do to get domain names?
Congratulations, your registrar has been accredited for .lu!
You can now add to your account by creating all the contacts, name servers, and domain objects you need.
To retrieve domain names previously registered with another accredited registrar and bring them under your name, contact the Restena Foundation to determine the correct transfer procedure to follow.
Why does the EPP work correctly on the test server but not the production server?
It's likely you missed the important detail of assigning ports on the production server, which is different from the test server.
- If you are using the RFC3734 transport protocol, port 1701 used on the test system must be replaced with port 1700 on the production server.
- If you programmed your EPP client in the language specially developed by and for the .lu registry, port 1700 used on the test system must be replaced with port 1701 on the production server.
Your EPP software might also be too sensitive for XML formatting. To find out if it is, see the question "Why does my code work as it should on the test server but not on the production server?"
My registrar is accredited for .lu; how can I check whether a domain name is available?
To find out if a domain name is available, including domains in quarantine or those pending creation, use the EPP command ‘domain:check’ from the EPP server.
- If the domain name is not available, the reason why it isn't is stated.
- If the domain name is already registered, run the command ‘domain:info’ to learn both which registrar it is registered at, and which ‘TransferProhibited’ or ‘TradeProhibited’ restriction(s) apply.
You can also use the DAS, which operates on port 4343, but then you won't have access to the domain names in quarantine, or pending creation.
Why can't a domain unknown to WHOIS be registered?
You are trying to register a domain name listed as temporarily unavailable or in quarantine. To determine which exact case you're dealing with, send the EPP command ‘domain:check’ to the EPP server and check the ‘reason’ field.
What does the failure ’Billing error’ mean for EPP commands?
On the EPP server, the ’Billing error’ failure occurs when you don't have enough credit to perform the following tasks: creation, restoration, transfer, transfer-trade, transfer-restoration, and trade.
If so, you must recharge your account from your web interface, before you can try again.
To avoid such problems, from your registrar web interface:
- Regularly monitor your credit balance and recharge your account in good time, as money transfers are not instantly credited.
- Estimate the costs of renewal that you have to deal with over the next 7 days, based on the number of domains to be renewed as shown in ’View Summary’, ’Coming renewals (7 days)’.
How frequently should ’poll’ messages be requested?
All the tasks requested via the EPP server are automatically processed once every five minutes by the registry's back-end system. Consequently, you should not query the registry more than once every five minutes.
Except when the creation or updating of a domain is pending confirmation, even less frequent querying is sufficient.
Web interface
Why can't I log in to the Web interface or the EPP server?
There are several reasons why you may be having trouble logging in:
- You entered the wrong password: Check that your password is correctly entered, and bear in mind that if you have recently changed it via the EPP server, you will need to use that new password for the Web interface.
- Your account is locked: Either your account has not yet been unlocked, or it was locked due to inappropriate behaviour.
- Your IP address is not authorized: You're attempting to log in from a computer whose IP address is not authorised to communicate with the interface and EPP server. Log in from another device.
I just received 'registrar' access; what should I do to get domain names?
Congratulations, your registrar has been accredited for .lu!
You can now add to your account by creating all the contacts, name servers, and domain objects you need.
To retrieve domain names previously registered with another accredited registrar and bring them under your name, contact the Restena Foundation to determine the correct transfer procedure to follow.
Can I create domains using the Web interface for registrars?
No. Only hosts and contacts can be managed via the Web interface.
Domain names can only be created via the EPP server, which is the only system that can edit the contents of the registry database.
Domain management
Can I create domains using the Web interface for registrars?
No. Only hosts and contacts can be managed via the Web interface.
Domain names can only be created via the EPP server, which is the only system that can edit the contents of the registry database.
My registrar is accredited for .lu; how can I check whether a domain name is available?
To find out if a domain name is available, including domains in quarantine or those pending creation, use the EPP command ‘domain:check’ from the EPP server.
- If the domain name is not available, the reason why it isn't is stated.
- If the domain name is already registered, run the command ‘domain:info’ to learn both which registrar it is registered at, and which ‘TransferProhibited’ or ‘TradeProhibited’ restriction(s) apply.
You can also use the DAS, which operates on port 4343, but then you won't have access to the domain names in quarantine, or pending creation.
I've reserved a domain name. How do I make it active?
- To activate a domain name, its name servers must be operational and correctly configured. You can check if your information is properly configured using our name server test.
- Request a domain update by deleting the status 'inactive'.
- The update will take effect in a few minutes. A ‘poll’ message informs you that the update results have been added to the page, along with the reason for failure if one occurred.
WHOIS lookup
Why can't a domain unknown to WHOIS be registered?
You are trying to register a domain name listed as temporarily unavailable or in quarantine. To determine which exact case you're dealing with, send the EPP command ‘domain:check’ to the EPP server and check the ‘reason’ field.
I'm using WHOIS and I was blocked due to a large number of queries, why was this?
The number of queries per unit of time is limited for WHOIS. The service is intended for end users and is not meant to be queried by registrars that need to verify a large quantity of domain names. If that applies to you, see the question ‘My registrar is accredited for .lu; how can I check whether a domain name is available?’.
WHOIS is a service to look up domain name registration data for a given zone. It includes essential information for contacting the owner of a name in case of technical or other problems.
Domain transfer
I recently requested a transfer but it's still pending. What's going on?
Transfers and trades require approval from the domain name's administrative contact before they can be processed. Depending on how responsive that contact is to emails from the Registry requesting approval of the request, the time taken may vary.