In 2024, Freename introduced NOTO, a project designed to make blockchain-based domain names easier for browsers, developers, and internet service providers to resolve.
The idea was straightforward: instead of requiring every application to understand multiple blockchains, a bridge could collect naming information and make it accessible through more familiar internet technologies.
Since then, Freename has expanded its services to include Web3 DNS, browser extensions, resolution APIs, and traditional DNS domains.
But one question remains important: Does a blockchain domain become a normal internet domain simply because a bridge can resolve it?
Not necessarily. A Web3 name may work through a compatible resolver while remaining inaccessible to users relying on ordinary DNS settings.
Building a website that customers should be able to open without installing special tools? Check the availability of a traditional DNS domain at NiceNIC before deciding whether a blockchain name can meet your requirements.
Understanding what Freename’s technology actually does—and what it doesn’t—helps explain the difference.
What Was Freename's NOTO Project Designed to Solve?
Traditional DNS and blockchain naming systems were built around different technical models.
In conventional DNS, domain names operate within a globally coordinated hierarchy.
A domain such as example.com is resolved through the public DNS infrastructure, including the root zone, the relevant top-level domain, and its authoritative nameservers.
Blockchain naming systems use other mechanisms.
A Web3 name might be registered through a smart contract, associated with a blockchain token, and configured to point to a wallet address or website.
Applications need to understand the relevant naming protocol to interpret those records.
That creates a compatibility problem.
A wallet supporting one Web3 naming service may not support another. A normal DNS resolver may not recognize either.
When Freename introduced NOTO in 2024, it described a system that could gather naming data from services such as ENS, Handshake, Unstoppable Domains, and Freename’s own platform.
The information could then be made available to developers through APIs and DNS-style zone files.
The goal was to make integrating blockchain names less complicated.
However, making blockchain naming data available in a DNS-compatible format is not the same as adding those names to the globally coordinated DNS root.
That distinction remains central to understanding Freename’s approach.
How Does Freename Resolve Web3 Domains Today?
Freename currently offers several tools that help compatible applications access blockchain-based names.
The most important are its Web3 DNS service, browser extension, and resolution API.
They solve related problems, but they don’t all work in the same way.
Freename Web3 DNS: Changing How Names Are Resolved
A conventional DNS lookup generally follows the established DNS hierarchy to locate the records associated with a domain.
Freename Web3 DNS provides another resolution path for supported blockchain names.
Instead of relying only on the default DNS resolver, the user’s device or network can be configured to use a resolver that understands the relevant Web3 naming systems.
For example, imagine a user trying to open a blockchain-native name registered under a custom Web3 extension.
With ordinary DNS settings, the browser may fail to locate it.
With a compatible Web3 DNS resolver configured, the request may be interpreted through Freename’s resolution infrastructure and directed to the associated website or resource.
From the user’s perspective, this can feel similar to opening an ordinary website.
But there’s an important limitation.
The alternative resolver has to be configured somewhere in the user’s access path.
If a visitor uses a different network or device without that configuration, the same name may not resolve.
Freename provides a Web3 DNS application and setup resources for supported environments.
Its documentation also explains how users can restore their original DNS settings after using the application.
Browser Extensions: Another Route to Web3 Names
Freename also offers a browser extension that supports access to Web3 naming features.
For supported names, the extension can help users navigate to associated websites or redirect a Web3 name to an ordinary web address.
This approach can be useful for users already participating in the Web3 ecosystem.
However, a browser extension introduces another dependency.
The visitor must use a compatible browser and install or enable the required software.
Browser extensions also have security and privacy implications. Users should check the publisher, requested permissions, and software updates before installing one.
For a public business website, requiring every customer to install an extension can create unnecessary friction.
Resolution APIs: Useful for Developers, Not Automatic Universal Support
Freename also publishes a Web3 domain resolution API.
A developer can submit a supported name and retrieve information such as its blockchain network, associated records, and configured wallet addresses or website destinations.
This makes the information easier to incorporate into compatible wallets, websites, or applications.
For example, a developer building a payment interface might use a supported resolver to retrieve the wallet address associated with a Web3 name.
But an API does not automatically change how every browser, email service, or operating system handles that name.
The developer still needs to integrate the resolution mechanism, validate its output, and handle potential errors or conflicts.
Freename is making Web3 names easier to integrate. That is different from making every Web3 name universally compatible.
Does Freename Make Blockchain Domains Work in Chrome and Firefox?
Yes, under supported configurations—but not necessarily by default.
This is one of the most important distinctions for anyone planning to use a Web3 name as a public website address.
Freename’s current instructions for connecting a Web3 domain to compatible website builders require Freename DNS to be enabled for browser resolution.
The documented setup also has limitations involving supported hosting platforms and HTTPS.
In its February 2026 Web3 website setup guide, Freename states that SSL is not currently supported for the Web3 domain configuration described there.
That does not mean every blockchain naming system is incapable of providing secure website access.
A conventional HTTPS gateway may provide access to certain Web3 resources through its own DNS hostname and certificate.
However, accessing content through an HTTPS gateway is not the same as having universal HTTPS support for the original Web3 name.
For a business handling customer logins, payments, or personal information, this difference is significant.
Before publishing a Web3 address as your official website, verify that customers can access the intended destination securely using their normal devices and browsers.
What About Regular Business Email?
Traditional email depends on DNS records, including MX records that identify the mail servers responsible for a domain.
A standard DNS domain such as yourbrand.com can be configured for conventional business email through an appropriate provider.
A blockchain-native name doesn’t automatically become compatible with ordinary email delivery merely because a browser can resolve it.
Freename offers Web3 messaging and identity-related capabilities, but those should not be confused with universal SMTP-based email compatibility.
If customers, suppliers, and employees need ordinary business email, maintaining a conventional DNS domain remains the more practical approach.
You can connect a traditional domain to NiceNIC's professional business email services when configuring standard domain-based addresses.
The Bigger Problem: What Happens When Two Naming Systems Use the Same Name?
Browser compatibility is only part of the challenge.
A more fundamental problem is name collision.
A name collision can occur when an identical-looking name exists in different naming environments and software resolves it in an unexpected way.
Imagine two independent blockchain naming providers allowing registrations under the same custom extension.
Each provider may recognize a different owner for what appears to be the same name.
One resolver could return records associated with the first provider.
Another could return records from the second.
The user might see a different website or wallet destination depending on which naming system their software uses.
This creates problems involving identity, security, and user expectations.
It becomes especially serious when names are used for cryptocurrency payments.
A user who assumes a familiar Web3 name always resolves to the same recipient could send funds to an unintended address if their application uses a different naming system.
Could a Future ICANN Domain Conflict With a Web3 Extension?
Potentially.
Blockchain naming providers can create custom naming extensions independently of ICANN’s DNS root delegation process.
If the same extension is later introduced into the officially coordinated DNS root, the two systems could recognize different names or owners.
ICANN defines name collisions as situations where a name intended for one naming environment is inadvertently resolved through another, producing unexpected behavior.
Its official name collision resources explain the risks associated with conflicting naming environments.
The ICANN New gTLD Program also includes procedures for evaluating name collision risks before new extensions are delegated.
But these safeguards do not automatically make every independently created Web3 extension globally unique.
Can Freename's Technology Resolve Those Conflicts?
Freename has developed a resolution approach intended to help software decide how conflicting names should be handled.
In 2025, the company obtained a U.S. patent covering a rules-based approach to coordinating and resolving names across DNS and blockchain naming environments.
Such a system can apply selection rules when more than one naming source recognizes the same string.
This may help compatible software manage conflicting records.
However, a resolver’s decision about which name to return is not the same as establishing one universally recognized owner across every naming system.
Other applications may apply different policies or may not use that resolver.
A patent also does not grant a blockchain extension ICANN root delegation or establish universal browser adoption.
For businesses, the practical lesson is simple: verify how your name resolves in the environments your customers actually use.
Does ICANN Accreditation Make Freename's Web3 Names Official DNS Domains?
No.
Freename has expanded its business to include traditional DNS domains and identifies itself as an ICANN-accredited registrar.
But operating an ICANN-accredited registrar business and operating an independent blockchain naming system are different activities.
A conventional .COM domain follows the applicable registry and registrar framework.
A blockchain-native name minted through Freename follows the relevant blockchain, smart-contract, platform, and naming-system rules.
Buying a custom Web3 TLD does not automatically establish it as an ICANN-approved DNS extension.
There are also differences in ownership and renewal.
Freename describes most of its Web3 domains as lifetime assets without standard annual renewal fees, but its .CHZ Web3 names use an annual renewal model.
Blockchain transactions and optional services can also involve additional charges.
Traditional DNS domains require continuing registration and renewal under their applicable registry rules.
For a Web3 name, control may also depend on whether it has actually been minted to a wallet, who controls the relevant keys, and whether a custody provider is involved.
No annual renewal fee does not guarantee permanent universal resolution, immunity from wallet compromise, or continued support from every third-party application.
These are separate considerations.
Before Relying on a Freename Web3 Domain, Test These Six Things
If you’re considering a blockchain name for a business, application, or public-facing project, test the actual user experience before committing.
1. Does the name work without special software?
Open the address on a device using its normal DNS settings, without a Web3 browser extension or custom resolver.
If it fails, identify what visitors would need to install or configure.
2. Does the website support the HTTPS setup you need?
Check that the address opens the intended destination securely.
If a gateway is involved, understand which hostname the HTTPS certificate protects and whether visitors will see a different address.
3. Does the name resolve consistently across supported services?
Test the relevant browser, wallet, and network environments.
If identical names exist in other naming systems, determine how the intended resolver handles conflicts.
4. Can the name support your required communication tools?
If you need ordinary email, verify that the actual domain can use conventional DNS mail records and your selected email provider.
Don’t assume that wallet-linked messaging is interchangeable with business email.
5. Who controls the name and its records?
Determine whether the name is held in your own wallet or through a custody arrangement.
Protect the relevant signing credentials and understand the process for changing ownership or recovery access.
6. What happens if a provider or integration changes?
Identify the services required for your name to remain accessible.
Consider whether you can export records, update destinations, or maintain an alternative conventional address if a particular Web3 integration becomes unavailable.
Testing these questions is more useful than relying on a general promise that blockchain domains are decentralized or permanent.
What Is the Most Practical Setup for Businesses Exploring Web3?
For most organizations, a sensible approach is to use a conventional DNS domain for the main website and ordinary email, then add blockchain naming capabilities where they serve a specific purpose.
For example, a Web3 company could maintain:
yourbrand.com for its official website, customer support, documentation, and business email.
It could separately use a supported blockchain name for wallet identification or compatible decentralized applications.
That approach avoids requiring every visitor to adopt a special naming system just to access the company.
A traditional DNS domain can also be configured with conventional website hosting, DNS records, and email services.
NiceNIC provides a guide to managing DNS records, including A, CNAME, MX, and TXT records for supported configurations.
If you're selecting a new primary domain, compare the registration and renewal costs through NiceNIC's domain pricing page.
This doesn’t prevent a business from adopting Freename or another Web3 naming service.
It simply keeps the public-facing infrastructure accessible while the business evaluates how much value blockchain naming adds.
Freename's DNS Bridge Is Progress, Not a Replacement for the DNS Root
Freename’s efforts address a genuine technical challenge: blockchain naming systems are difficult to use consistently when browsers, wallets, and internet infrastructure don’t share the same resolution methods.
NOTO and Freename’s later resolution tools offer ways to make Web3 naming information more accessible to compatible applications.
That could be useful for developers, wallet providers, network operators, and organizations experimenting with decentralized identities.
But compatibility has several layers.
A name can be recognized by a blockchain, supported by an API, accessible through a custom resolver, and still fail to work through ordinary DNS settings.
Name collisions, wallet security, HTTPS support, and dependence on particular software remain important practical limitations.
The real test of a domain name isn’t whether one system recognizes it. It’s whether the people who need to use it can reach the correct destination reliably and securely.
If you’re building a public website, start by making sure your main address works through the conventional internet infrastructure your audience already uses.
You can search available traditional DNS domains at NiceNIC and add compatible Web3 naming features as your project requires.
