VeriSign Inc. said Thursday it would sell 85 percent of Network Solutions Inc., which sells domain names, the Internet equivalent of real estate.

But the company will retain full ownership of the master databases for ".com" and ".net," including the controversial Site Finder search service that it recently agreed under pressure to temporarily suspend.

The databases represent all names registered, while Network Solutions and rivals feed those databases with information on the domain names they sell.

In addition to serving as the Internet's traffic police by running key domain name computers, VeriSign offers Internet authentication and security services, along with billing and routing services for phone calls.

VeriSign purchased Lacey-based Illuminet in a $1.2 billion stock deal in 2001. What was formerly Illuminet is now part of VeriSign's telecom division.

Network Solutions has seen its market share drop to 28 percent in the quarter ending June 30, from 62 percent in 2000 when VeriSign bought both the database and the registration units for $19.6 billion in stock.

Pivotal Private Equity, a Phoenix-based venture capital firm, is buying Network Solutions for about $100 million.

The deal, expected to close later this year, comes just two years after VeriSign renegotiated its contract with Internet regulators to avoid having to split the two halves into independent companies. As part of that deal, VeriSign agreed to cede control of ".org" names.

VeriSign's stock closed Thursday at $15.46, up 66 cents, or 4.5 percent.