Where to Register Your Domain Name

You'll need a domain name register before you can start pointing traffic to your site. ICANN (the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) is the international organization responsible for the administration of domain names. ICANN has given the day-to-day tasks of domain name registration to companies called registrars. Registrars are responsible for accepting applications and registration fees for new and existing domain names.

Finding A Domain Name Registrar
All registration companies must be accredited by ICANN to legally register domain names. You can go to the ICANN Web site (www.icann.org/en/registrars/) to find a list of legitimate registrars.

You can expect to pay anywhere from $5.00 to $35.00 to register a domain name for one year. Registration companies vary in the types of services they provide, so it's worth the effort to shop around.

Places to Register a Domain Name

• NetworkSoultions (www.networksolutions.com/) The granddaddy of registrars, NetworkSolutions was the first company authorized to register domains names. Today the company offers Web hosting, site design services and e-commerce packages as well as domain-name registration. Pricey, but expect a wide range of options available from a single source.
• Register.com (www.register.com/) Another well-known name in domain-name registration, Register.com offers a wide range of services, but also charges a premium price for simple registration.
• GoDaddy.com (www.godaddy.com/) This popular registrar (almost as famous for its commercials as its services) is popular for a reason: premium services (like domain parking and e-mail forwarding) at budget prices.

The Registration Process
Once you've chosen a registrar, the actual registration process is straightforward. You'll need to provide billing and contact information. Your contact information will appear in the public Domain Name System database unless you choose to keep it private, which is usually a premium option with an extra fee.

You'll also need to provide some information about the servers where your Web site is hosted. Specifically, you'll need the IP addresses and names of the primary and secondary Domain Name Servers (DNS). Most Web hosting companies will provide this information in the support or FAQ sections of their sites. If you don't have a hosting service yet, you'll need to investigate parking your domain, which involves creating a temporary page that announces your site is coming soon. Some registrars do this for free, others charge for it.