The top-level domain .net is one of the largest domains in the world, ranking fourth overall. Originally, .net domains – short for "network" – were intended for network-oriented companies, but there are no registration restrictions. A .net domain can therefore also be registered by private individuals, clubs, associations or any other company.

Registering a domain ending in .net generally takes only a few minutes, and umlauts (ä, ö or ü) are possible with this type of domain. Whether that makes sense is up to each user to decide. In an international context in particular, umlaut domains are more likely to be a hindrance than a benefit.

.net domains are managed by Verisign, based in Virginia, USA. The company also manages .com domains and used to be responsible for .org domains as well. Around 13.4 million .net domains are registered worldwide today; only the extensions .com, .tk and .de have more.

At a glance: key facts about the .net domain

• The US company Verisign is responsible for managing .net domains; the Virginia-based company also manages .com domains
• More than 13 million .net domains are currently registered – by users from all over the world
• .net domains were once intended for network companies, but they have long been registered and used by other businesses, clubs, organisations and private individuals as well
• Switching providers is easy with .net domains; changes of owner are also possible, and .net domains can be deleted simply

Special features and more about the .net domain

A .net domain must have at least two characters. Domains such as b.net, 1.net or g.net are therefore not possible, but domains like xy.net or 1a.net are. A .net domain can have up to 63 characters, which makes .net domains suitable for keyword domains as well.

For a long time it was said that a .com domain was the first registered domain in the world, but it is now clear that it was nordu.net. The domain was registered manually, but on 1 January 1985 it was the first actively used domain in the world.