A domain name establishes your presence on the web. Briefly, a domain name is what comes after the "www." in an Internet address.
Owning a domain name carries a number of advantages, including portability, credibility and enhanced search-engine exposure. Third-party companies host most Web sites. As long as you own your domain name, it's a simple matter to transfer the name to a different Web host should you decide to make a change. Whether you own a business or a blog, a reserved domain name carries much more credibility than a generic, third-party or shared name. If you own your own domain name, you can customize it to reflect the search-engine results where you'd like your Web site to appear.
Finding A Domain Name
The first step in registering your domain name is to find a unique name that hasn't already been registered. A simple way to see if a name has been registered is to use a "whois" application available on most registration Web sites.
Simply type in the proposed domain name and click search. You'll be notified if the domain is available. If not, you may be able to find the owner's name is and if the domain name will be available soon. A quick search for "whois" will give you a list of sites that provide this service.
Registering Your Domain Name
Once you've settled on a unique, available name, you'll need to register it with ICANN (The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers). ICANN is responsible for maintaining the database for Internet domain names. You won't deal with ICANN directly, but will work instead with an accredited registrar.
A domain-name registrar handles the applications for and administration of domain names. There are thousands of registrars available around the world. Check the InterNIC site (www.internic.net) for a list of accredited registrars. In the United States, registrars charge between $6.00 and $30.00 annually for registration.
When you register, you'll 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 hosting companies will provide this information in the support or FAQ sections of their sites. Many hosting companies can even automate the registration process for you.
If you don't have a Web site host yet, many registrars will park the domain name by giving it a temporary IP address until you have settled with a Web hosting company. Shop around for the best deal; although many registrars will park your domain for free, others charge a fee.
To give your Web site a professional feel, you should buy domain names. This is a simple process, and shopping around can net you some savings. |
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 | What is a domain name? Why do we need them? Think of a phone book without any names, and how hard it would be to use. |
A domain name register is needed before you can open your Web site with a unique domain name. Registrars are easy to find, but prices and services vary, so it pays to shop around. |
