Tell HN: Freenom (the operator of .tk, .ml, .ga, .cf, .gq TLDs) is falling apart

#1

Post by peppermint_gum » Sat, Dec 31, 2022, 8:00 AM UTC

1. whois.freenom.com is currently down.

2. Their nameservers are unreliable: https://www.reddit.com/r/freenom/comments/vl71se/freenom_ser...

3. Their client area often doesn't work. I can't login right now, and it seems I'm not the only one having issues: https://www.reddit.com/r/freenom/comments/zwh7o8/an_unexpect...

4. Their email address (info@freenom.com) bounces because it forwards to their CEO's gmail and their SMTP server doesn't have a PTR record set:

    This is the mail system at host smtp06.freenom.net.
    
    I'm sorry to have to inform you that your message could not
    be delivered to one or more recipients. It's attached below.
    
    For further assistance, please send mail to postmaster.
    
    If you do so, please include this problem report. You can
    delete your own text from the attached returned message.

                       The mail system

     (expanded from ): host
        gmail-smtp-in.l.google.com[142.250.141.26] said: 550-5.7.25 [216.75.58.148]
        The IP address sending this message does not have a 550-5.7.25 PTR record
        setup, or the corresponding forward DNS entry does not 550-5.7.25 point to
        the sending IP. As a policy, Gmail does not accept messages 550-5.7.25 from
        IPs with missing PTR records. Please visit 550-5.7.25
        https://support.google.com/mail/answer/81126#ip-practices for more 550
        5.7.25 information.

Re: Tell HN: Freenom (the operator of .tk, .ml, .ga, .cf, .gq TLDs) is falling apart

#2

Post by teetertater » Sat, Dec 31, 2022, 9:43 AM UTC

I’m not surprised, their client area has been getting worse for years. It’s been nearly impossible to change DNS records through their web portal.

Re: Tell HN: Freenom (the operator of .tk, .ml, .ga, .cf, .gq TLDs) is falling apart

#3

Post by peanut-walrus » Sat, Dec 31, 2022, 10:00 AM UTC

Good.

Re: Tell HN: Freenom (the operator of .tk, .ml, .ga, .cf, .gq TLDs) is falling apart

#4

Post by kamil3141 » Sat, Dec 31, 2022, 10:11 AM UTC

peanut-walrus wrote: post #3

Good.

Why? Is there something inherently bad about free domains? I’m aware that they were used for scams and eventually some websites (like facebook) just blacklisted them but other TLD could be too.

Re: Tell HN: Freenom (the operator of .tk, .ml, .ga, .cf, .gq TLDs) is falling apart

#5

Post by midasuni » Sat, Dec 31, 2022, 10:51 AM UTC

kamil3141 wrote: post #4

peanut-walrus wrote: post #3

Good.

Why? Is there something inherently bad about free domains? I’m aware that they were used for scams and eventually some websites (like facebook) just blacklisted them but other TLD could be too.

Something bad about misusing country codes, but I guess that’s an argument long lost.

Re: Tell HN: Freenom (the operator of .tk, .ml, .ga, .cf, .gq TLDs) is falling apart

#6

Post by voytec » Sat, Dec 31, 2022, 11:02 AM UTC

> email (...) bounces because it forwards to their CEO's gmail and their SMTP server doesn't have a PTR record set

Also, this results in this person's address being leaked.

Re: Tell HN: Freenom (the operator of .tk, .ml, .ga, .cf, .gq TLDs) is falling apart

#7

Post by voytec » Sat, Dec 31, 2022, 11:06 AM UTC

kamil3141 wrote: post #4

peanut-walrus wrote: post #3

Good.

Why? Is there something inherently bad about free domains? I’m aware that they were used for scams and eventually some websites (like facebook) just blacklisted them but other TLD could be too.

> Why? Is there something inherently bad about free domains?

Not the person you've asked but I've seen many legitimate websites using free eu.org[1] (sub)domains but I believe I've never seen a legit use of tk/ml/ga/gq TLDs. I may have seen the cf one used for some configuration tools though.

[1] https://nic.eu.org/

Re: Tell HN: Freenom (the operator of .tk, .ml, .ga, .cf, .gq TLDs) is falling apart

#8

Post by YesThatTom2 » Sat, Dec 31, 2022, 11:28 AM UTC

They recently screwed up a transfer if a .to domain I own. They charged an extra $700 and then messed up the process.

The domain was useless for 24 hours. Luckily it was only used for non-revenue services.

I asked for a post Morten and to refund the $700 and after waiting weeks gave up on both.

I figured it was just a fluke.

Re: Tell HN: Freenom (the operator of .tk, .ml, .ga, .cf, .gq TLDs) is falling apart

#9

Post by psnehanshu » Sat, Dec 31, 2022, 11:28 AM UTC

.ml could have been a good contender for .ai

Re: Tell HN: Freenom (the operator of .tk, .ml, .ga, .cf, .gq TLDs) is falling apart

#10

Post by rippercushions » Sat, Dec 31, 2022, 11:32 AM UTC

voytec wrote: post #7

kamil3141 wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why? Is there something inherently bad about free domains? I’m aware that they were used for scams and eventually some websites (like facebook) just blacklisted them but other TLD could be too.

> Why? Is there something inherently bad about free domains? Not the person you've asked but I've seen many legitimate websites using free eu.org[1] (sub)domains but I believe I've never seen a legit use of tk/ml/ga/gq TLDs. I may have seen the cf one used for some configuration tools though. [1] https://nic.eu.org/

Tokelau, Mali, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and the Central African Republic are all actual countries with legitimate users, although admittedly they're also quite small and poor.