Domain Availability Checker Tool
Free Domain Availability Checker Tool
Domain Name Registration Basics
by Joe Duchesne
Domain Name Registration Basics
The domain name registration process can be confusing to first time buyers. There are a number of terms to worry about. Hopefully, with the information below, you'll be able to successfully register domain names while avoiding the pain that can sometimes come from the domain registration process.
What the heck is a nameserver anyway? Nameservers refer to a service that runs on servers belonging to a web hosting company that hosts the account that the domain name will point to. Every domain name on the internet must point to an IP address but each IP address can have multiple domain names on it thanks to shared hosting. Entering the nameservers of the hosting company you have for the domain name you are registering lets the big DNS nameservers on the internet know where to find the hosting account for the domain name in question. Without this service, it would be impossible for any computer to find any web page. This is all usually done very quickly – in a fraction of a second.
Whois information is another thing to get knowledgeable about. Whois refers to the owner of the domain name. This information is provided by you when you register a domain name. This information in turn is offered to anyone who cares to search for it. For this reason, it is important to consider privacy issues when entering your information for a domain name. It is not advisable to falsify domain name information. At the same time, you may use the most generic information you can when entering your domain. If you have a work address and home address, use the work address. If you have a post office box number and a street address, include the post office box number only.
How many years should you consider registering your domain name? I would argue that it depends what you are going to use the domain for. If it is your business name and you intend to be in business for at least the next five years, I would register it for five years. That way, you don't have to worry about it for a long time. In fact, you can register domain names for up to ten years. If you register your domain for that long, you won't have to worry about it for a decade. Maintenance and stress free.
Make sure you lock your domain. After you've registered your domain name, log into the control panel for your domain name and confirm that it is locked. What does locking do for you? It prevents anyone from transferring your domain name to another registrar without your authorization. Most registrars require you to approve the transfer by clicking on a link but some registrars may simply allow the transfer if you don't expressly forbid it. Miss an email and you could lose your domain name. Don't take a chance. Lock your domain name right away.
========================================================================
Domain Name Registration Information and Tips
by By Joshua Miller
Domain Name Registration Information and Tips
For the average internet user, the term “domain name” probably doesn’t mean much, but without it, people would have a very hard time getting around on the internet. The Domain Name System (or DNS) is used in much the same way that the telephone system is used – except that it’s electronically based. If you’re surfing the web, then you’re making use of the DNS without even realizing it – or, at least, without knowing the technical terminology behind what’s taking place.
When you order telephone service for your home or business, the particular carrier that you use assigns a specific – and unique – phone number to you. The same is true for computers. The series of numbers, which are actually much longer than a standard telephone number, is unique to your particular PC. The numbers that are assigned to your computer are referred to as the IP Address (short for Internet Protocol Address). Since the memorization of these can become a bit taxing, the DNS allows those numbers to be converted into letters, or domain names, such as www.americanahost.com. If you can imagine how hard it would be to remember specific numbers for every site that you wanted to visit rather than simply recalling the domain name, then you’ll see why this is such a helpful technological tool.
The owners of sites that are created on the internet will then need to complete the process of domain name registration. This allows the owner of the site to insert their domain name into a directory along with others who have registered their own domain names. Depending upon the particular type of business that you’re registering, you might use the suffixes of .org, .net, .name, .info, .coop, .museum or some other commonly used tag at the end of such a name.
Companies who actually accept the registration of a domain name are referred to as Registrars, and a list of these is available through a Registrar Directory which can be found online. Part of the registration process includes providing the Registrar with contact information, as well as any technical information that may be pertinent to your registration. In order to make your site – or e-mail address – available to others on the internet, your domain name must be received and approved by one of these Registrars. Of course, just as in the case of anything other agreement, you’ll need to accept the terms of whatever contract the Registrar provides if you hope to go “live”.
Although most sensitive information is never shared with others on the internet, Registrars are required to provide the names of those who own particular domain names within a specific site on the internet, meaning that the information will be accessible to the public. This is done so that there will be no outstanding problems in a variety of legal areas – such as trademarking and consumer protection – as well as in the case of technical problems needing to be addressed regarding a certain site.
The name that’s attached to the domain name at the time of registration is the person who’s responsible for maintaining it, addressing technical issues and fielding any other problems, such as consumer complaints, etc. In some cases, people choose to register their domain to a third party. This is perfectly legal, on the condition that the person of the third party agrees to take responsibility for the site, as well as any problems or repercussions that come about as a result of the site’s operation.
Typically, a domain name registration contract expires at the end of a year, with the option for renewal on an annual basis. This, of course, will depend upon the specifics of each Registrar, and the maximum number of years that a domain name may be registered for is ten. If you should have the need to change Registrars at some point after your domain name has been registered, you’ll need to do so within 60 days, or some other specific timeframe that’s been required by the Registrar, as noted on the contract.
It’s very important to choose an accredited Registrar. Otherwise, you’re not going to have a legitimate site name, and that can cause serious problems. Any Registrar who is not accredited by ICANN – the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers – isn’t allowed to register names such as those mentioned in the earlier portion of this article. In some cases, a Registrar may make use of a reseller, but the actual contract is between those who have submitted for domain name registration and the Registrar, rather than the reseller.