The Domain Name System (DNS) enables people to navigate their
way around the Internet. Every computer that is connected
to the internet is identifiable by a string of numbers called
an "IP address" (IP stands for "Internet Protocol"). As the
internet developed so did the DNS, so that now a string of
letters can correspond to a particular IP address. This means
that instead of using a complicated sequence of numbers you
can type www.adomianname.com, which is a lot easier to remember.
No matter what sort of site you are intending building,
you should consider getting yourself a domain name. Your
domain name is your personal web address and can reflect
anything you desire, including your own name or the subject
of your business.
There are several reasons why an internet business requires
its own domain name including:
• A domain name makes your site more credible and reliable
• The URL of a domain name will never change even if
you change you website hosting, so that customers are not
needed to be informed should you change hosting.
• Choosing a good domain name will make your site more
memorable to your clients, so that people will recall your
company easily which spells more profits.
• Advertisers and sponsors are more likely to sponsor
websites who have their own domain name.
• Your won domain name allows you to set up various
email addresses for specific uses, e.g. support@yourdomain.com
and sales@yourdomain.com
The organization that is responsible for maintaining and
co-ordinating the entire domain name system is called ICAAN.
TO register any domain name you need to use an ICAAN accredited
domain name registrar.
There are numerous domain name registrars and fees for domain
registration vary from $8.95 to $35+. Some web hosting companies
now offer a free domain name registration as part of their
hosting packages.
Registering your domain name is essentially a four step
process as follows:
Step 1: Carefully consider what domain name you would like,
try to make your domain name as concise as possible and specific
to the site you have in mind. Construct a list of alternative
domain names, in order of preference. This is because with
the huge number of websites in the Internet, some of your
ideas for the ideal domain name might have already been taken
already so the more names you can think of, the better.
When deciding on your domain name also consider the top
level domain TLD) extension you want. The TLD is the .com
part of the domain name domainname.com. There are a variety
of domain extensions, and the one you wish to use may well
affect the price you will have to pay.
The range of TLDs includes .com, .net, .org, .info and .name
(used with a personal name e.g. JezLacey.name). None of these
TLDs have specific requirements. In addition to these universal
TLDs there is also .biz, which is for commercial and business
use only. Finally, there are also country specific TLDs,
which can only be used by persons who are citizens and residents
of that country and by businesses and organizations present
in that country where domain extension is applicable, example
include .us (USA), .co.uk (UK) and .fr (France).
Step 2: Obtain the IP address or domain nameserver from
your hosting company. A nameserver is a special type of domain
that is used to identify a particular server. After registration
you will need this information in order to set up your domain
for use.
Step 3: Prepare for payment. The usual method of payment
with domain registrars is via a credit card.
Step 4: Apply for your domain name. You can use your web
hosting company to do this, or one of numerous accredited
domain registrars. Good examples include enom.com, the ever
popular GoDaddy.com, Dotster.com and many others.
When registering your domain name, ensure that you are the
registered domain owner. This important because a web host
can set themselves as the domain owner, and if they do, then
you have no say in what happens to the domain name. For example,
if you decide to transfer your domain to another registrar.
For this reason you should also ensure both the technical
and administrative contracts should be you.
When transferring a domain the new registrar will try contacting
the domain owner first, then if that fails the administrative
and then the technical contact. There have been cases where
the web host has registered itself as the administrative
and technical contact for a client. They can then make it
difficult for clients to move to other registrars by pending
the move or by even refusing. So, stay in better control
and avoid this kind of situation.
With these guidelines, you are now well equipped to register
your own domain name. As good domain names are getting more
and more difficult to find, if you already have an idea for
a great domain name, register them now before it’s
too late.
Jez Lacey is co-owner of 4-packs. Check out our latest release,
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