The registry for .forever names is deployed on Ethereum and unowned by anyone, so it is completely decentralized. Each .forever domain is an NFT because it’s issued as an ERC-721 token.
There are already decentralized second-level domains on the internet. Ethereum Name Service allows users to register second-level domains under the .eth TLD. Other services like Unstoppable Domains (.crypto) and Namecoin (.bit) are similar in theory. But there are no integrations for traditional DNS records on .eth and .crypto, so you can’t view them in a browser or with https. The best you can do is redirect the name to a traditional domain or to a static IPFS page. The .eth, .crypto and .bit TLDs are also orphaned — they are not anchored in any root zone.
We made the decision to anchor .forever in the decentralized root zone Handshake, which is built on a proof of work blockchain (a fork of Bitcoin). An advantage of Handshake is that it removes the need to trust Certificate Authorities (CAs). Currently, when you visit an https website, you have to trust the CA that issued the certificate. With Handshake, you can set up DANE, so that internet traffic to the domain can be encrypted using only DNS. We have added support for https on .forever and you can use this easy 2-step process to generate an SSL certificate and TLSA record to set this up for your .forever domain.
Note: due to wildly fluctuating gas prices, we may not process your domain until prices come down. This may mean a 24-48 hour hold on your domain registration.
We support your domain needs from start to finish.
There are many internet browsers that support Handshake domains such as Opera and various Chrome plugins.
Please visit our Handshake helpdesk article for more options on how to view your Handshake domains
NextDNS is one of the most popular methods for accessing Handshake domain names. Install NextDNS. You can click “try it now” on nextdns.io to connect your device and resolve Handshake domains. Scroll to the Setup Guide at NextDNS to select the option for your device, confirm with the green button at the top of the page, and then go to the “settings” tab to “resolve Handshake domains.”
Install the Resolvr add-on to view Handshake names directly in the search bar of your Firefox browser.
Try searching your site with the HNS.to gateway, which allows you to access Handshake names without downloading software or modifying your DNS settings. You may also conduct searches directly by prefixing Handshake domains with “hns.to/,” such as “hns.to/welcome.nb/.”
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Please send support requests to support@encirca.com.