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Domain Name Registration 101 |
DOMAIN NAME REGISTRATION
What is a Domain Name?
A Domain Name is the URL (Universal Resource
Locater), or online identity, that identifies your website address. For
example:
www.e-mediaservices.com is the URL for this website.
What is a Domain Name Registrar?
A Domain Name Registrar is the company
that sells and maintains your domain name. Some of the more
popular Registrars include:
How do I choose an extension?
Extensions are categories of Internet domain names, detailed below.
Choose one that will best fit your website:
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.com represents the word "commercial," and is the most widely used
extension in the world. Most businesses prefer a .com domain name because
it is a highly recognized symbol for having a business presence on the
Internet.
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.net represents the word "network," and is most commonly used by
Internet service providers, Web-hosting companies or other businesses that
are directly involved in the infrastructure of the Internet.
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.org represents the word "organization," and is primarily used by
non-profits groups or trade associations.
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.biz is used for small business Web sites.
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.info is for credible resource Web sites and signifies a "resource"
web site. It's the most popular extension beyond .com, .net and .org.
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.us is for American Web sites and is the newest extension. It has
the largest amount of available names in inventory.
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.tv is for rich content/multi-media Web sites, commonly used within
the entertainment or media industry.
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.ws was originally designated as the country code for Western
Samoa, but is now commonly used as an acronym for "Web sites." It is
unrestricted and may be registered by anyone, from any country.
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.name is the only domain extension specifically designed for
personal use. It is commonly used for easy to remember e-mail addresses
and personal web sites that display photos or personal information about
an individual.
How do I register my Domain Name?
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Go
to any one of the four Domain Name Registrars at their web address listed
above. Follow the step-by-step instructions to register the domain
name you wish to buy. If the desired name is not available,
suggestions will be given by the Registrar. Be sure to choose a name
that is related to your website and will be easy to remember.
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List your complete contact information. It is important that you be
listed as the "Registrant" (or Owner) of your domain name. If
you have a web designer or company register your domain name, BE SURE TO
TELL THEM TO LIST YOUR NAME AND INFORMATION AS THE REGISTRANT. If
someone else is listed as the owner of your domain name, you may have
problems if you decide to make changes to your account or transfer your
website to another web hosting company.
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Be
sure to list yourself as the "Billing Contact" so you will receive
notification of your Domain Name renewal. You will be notified by
e-mail with the e-mail address that you provide at the time of your Domain
Name registration, when your Domain Name is up for renewal. When
your receive this notice, don't wait to renew, because you can lose your
domain name after the expiration date.
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Have your credit card ready. Domain Name Registrars only take credit
cards for Domain Name registration.
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Most Registrars also offer web hosting and web site design, for an
additional fee. You can ignore these other features while
registering for your Domain Name.
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Once registration is complete, you will receive via e-mail, your User
Name and Password for your account. Keep a copy of the
e-mail for your records.
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Typically, your order will be processed in 24-48 hours. Once your order is
processed, you can go to the Registrant website and click on "WhoIs",
(usually located at the top of the web page) type in your domain name, and
your registration will appear. Make a copy of this for your records.
Note: "WhoIs" is the online
record of a domain name registration. Example: Go to
www.networksolutions.com and click on "WhoIs", located at the top of
the page, then type in a domain name in the "Enter a search term" box,
then click on the "Search" button. The record for that domain name
will appear.
IMPORTANT: Your renewal notice
will be sent to you via e-mail from the Domain Name Registrar. Be
sure you don't delete this notice, and pay it as soon as possible, or your
domain name may become inactive for non-payment. Sometimes when a
domain name goes inactive, there's a possibility that someone else will
purchase the name and it will no longer be available to you. |
