International Domain Names - IDNs [ watch video ]

The latest version of D.R.T. comes equipped with an IDN converter and with full support for scanning IDN domain names. These features have been requested by our customers and are now fully implemented.

Domains that require special characters such as "ß" or "?" are not directly compatible with most browsers or the domain name registry system. That is why all international domains that require such special characters are first converted to a standard format known as punycode. Punycode domains are easy to spot because they always start with "xn--". For example, the Arabic domain "?????????.com" (you must have Arabic text support installed) has a punycode equivalent of "xn--ngbiog3ffjve.com".

Updates to browsers such as Internet Explorer and others allow the use of IDNs by having the browser automatically convert the IDN to it's punycode equivalent before the domain is resolved. So, while the web user sees their native IDN, the actual domain resolved and accessed is the punycode value.

Normally, IDNs are converted during the scan session so you don't have to worry about using the built in converter. However, you may convert IDNs to punycode and back to UTF8 format by selecting Options->IDN Converter or click CTRL+SHIFT+I (shortcut key).

Once converted, the domains look something like this:

 

To enable support for international characters on your PC follow these steps:

1. Select Start Menu -> Control Panel
2. Double click on "Regional and Language Options"
3. Select the "Advanced" tab.
4. Place a checkmark next to each code page you wish to add support for.
5. Select "Apply all

IDNs are the new craze in the domain market. We strongly encourage you to invest wisely. We believe that in order to register quality IDNs it is necessary to understand the language of the particular IDN and the culture. It is usually not enough to use an online translator.