How do i set up two-factor authentication (2fa)?

The recommended way of managing access to your Nominet Online Services is that contact logins are used by a single user only. 

You can use any of the devices associated with your contact login. The app on each one will generate a unique and valid 6-digit code for you to input into your Nominet Online Services account when you log in. 

Yes, you can use the same device for multiple contact logins. Make sure you title each account name within Google Authenticator or Authy app as something to help you identify the login it applies to, e.g. ‘Nominet OS john@mydomain.co.uk’. 

The passphrase will be removed as having a password and 2FA is sufficient security. 

RFC 6238 is a standard for implementing two-factor authentication (2FA). Nominet Online Services should work with apps using this implementation. Nominet has successfully tested the Google Authenticator and Authy apps, and these are therefore recommended to users. 

There are many third-party implementations of Google Authenticator, including applications for PalmOS, Chrome OS and Java. If you choose an alternative app to either Google Authenticator or Authy and you can successfully get the app to work with Nominet Online Services, then it is fine for you to use it. However, Nominet advisors cannot provide any support for these implementations, and we cannot vouch for their security. 

You will need to input a 6-digit passcode every time you login to your Nominet Online Services account. 

Please check that the characters have been inputted correctly. The 16-digit setup key will not contain the numbers ‘0’ or ‘1’. 

If you enter the wrong passcode 8 times you will be locked out of your account. If this happens, you will need to validate your identity with our Customer Service team on +44 (0)330 236 9470 or by emailing domainsupport@nominet.uk.  

If anyone else uses the same contact email address as you for Nominet Online Services, they may have been locked out of the account without your knowledge. An email confirming this will have been sent to the email address used for the account. 

The 2FA passcode is time sensitive so it could be a time-related issue. Ensure you are reading the passcode and immediately entering it into Nominet Online Services. Check that the date and time on your device is correct, and that you are using the correct time zone for where you are situated. 

It is recommended that your device is set to update the date, time & time zone automatically if this feature is available. 

If you have multiple contact logins, you need to make sure the 2FA passcode is the correct one for the contact login you are using.  

If you have another device associated with your contact login then you should: 

• Login to your Nominet Online Services account using the other device 
• Go to ‘Login Settings’ and ‘Manage two-factor (2FA) authentication devices’ 
• Delete the device that has been lost 
• If you don’t have another device, you will need to contact our Customer Service Team on +44 (0)330 236 9470 or by emailing domainsupport@nominet.uk. 

Once we can verify your identity we will delete the lost device from your contact login for you.