=======VisualRoute (tm) 4.2a========

File date: 7 January 2000

=== Licensed users of VisualRoute may upgrade to 4.2a at no charge ===

Changes from VisualRoute 4.1b: 

The VisualRoute 4.2a updates contain important new handling of the whois database information, due to changes in the structure of the whois databases. 

A recent change occurred in the whois database structure so that domain names in the .com, .net, and .org domains can now be registered with many different competing registrars. The whois server that was previously used in VisualRoute (whois.internic.net) stopped reporting accurate whois information and referred you to the domain registrars whois database. 

Network Solutions provides whois information for all com, net and org domains accessing the Shared Registry and the whois service of remote Registrars to satisfy a domain name search. 

The increased number of registrars is due to the US Government set-up up The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) (www.icann.org). This was set up as a non-profit corporation to take over responsibility for the IP address space allocation, protocol parameter assignment, domain name system management, and root server system management functions previously performed under U.S. Government contract by IANA and other entities. 

ICANN are responsible for Accrediting Domain Name Registrars who are allowed to sell domain names in the .com, .net and .org domains. 

With VisualRoute 4.2a, we have pointed whois lookups to whois.networksolutions.net for US domains, and have also updated the whois servers for other world domains. 

Other changes include: updated geographical database, and minor bug fixes.

