What is a Domain Name?

A domain name (also known as a "domain") is a unique name that identifies places on the Internet. An example of a domain name is domain.com. Domains can be used as part of a website address (e.g., www.domain.com) or they can form part of an email address (e.g., info@domain.com). Domain names allow you to use descriptive words to better enable people to remember your website or email address. People register domain names in order to 'stake a claim' to a particular name, whether for business or personal reasons.

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What's the difference between .com, .net, and .org domain names?

Originally, the three letter extensions after the dot - Top Level Domain (TLD) - were meant to denote whether the domain name was being used for business (.com), charity/non-profit (.org) or for a technology based company (.net). However, with the explosion of the Internet (and specifically, the world wide web) as a new business medium, the lines were blurred, and companies and individuals alike started cross-registering domains (ie. domain.com, domain.net, domain.org) just to protect their interests. Now, .com, .net, and .org names (the generic Top Level Domains) can be used for any purpose.

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What does it mean to "register" a domain name?

There is a central registry of all domain names on the Internet. For your domain name to become a part of the registry, your domain name needs to be added to that registry. "Registering" a domain name means you are associated with that domain name for the period of the registration. In the early days of the Internet there was only really one choice, as Network Solutions held the monopoly on the registration of .com, .net, and .org domain names. In 1999 the domain business was deregulated and thus, while one group may have control over the "root registry" for a particular namespace, any organisation can register domains if they have been accredited with ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers).

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Who can register a domain name?

Anyone can register a domain name. It does not matter what country you live in or if you currently have a website. Domain names can be registered for periods ranging from one year to ten years, at costs which vary from registrar to registrar.

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Do I own the domain I register?

Yes. You are listed as the owner and administrator of the domain name. You are free to sell, keep or change any information concerning your domain name. But technically, domain names are not truly owned they're leased out on a first-come, first-served basis, and remain with the initial lessee until either
(a) the lessee does not renew the name, or
(b) a business with a trademark of the same name demonstrates a greater claim to the name than the lessee can demonstrate.

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What does "transferring" a domain name mean?

Transferring means changing the registrar of your domain name. If you have registered with another registrar, you do not have to renew your domain name with them. You can transfer your domain to any other company, to take advantage of their offerings instead. You are still the owner of your domain, and retain full administrative control at all times. Transfers must be done prior to the domain's expiration.

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Do I automatically have a website once I register my domain name?

No, just because you own the domain doesn't mean you've got a server configured to serve a website at that domain, or to handle email for that domain. The next step is to find a web host to physically store, on their server, the pages you want published on your domain - unless you have an existing site and wish to point the domain there, via URL forwarding.

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What is "URL forwarding"?

In simple terms, URL forwarding enables you to resolve your domain name to your free Web Hosting space provided to you by your ISP (or other provider), so that visitors to your domain name will be redirected to your existing website address. Some URL forwarding services do not include any POP email addresses ending in your domain name. Also the destination web address (eg. www.your-isp.com.au/~yoursite) may be seen in a browser once people reach your existing site, and Search Engines will not see your domain name as having its own top level directory (the case with normal Web Hosting).

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What does "web hosting" mean?

Web hosting is a service provided by companies known as Web Presence Providers. When a company or individual creates a Website, the files of the Website must be on a server with: a direct connection to the Internet, Domain Name Service (DNS), and many other technical configurations in order for the site to be accessible on the Web. Hosts provide the server, its network connection, its configuration, and its upkeep. It is much more cost-effective to rent server space from a Web Presence Provider than to buy your own server computers, T3 connections to the Internet backbones, and hire technical staff to keep the servers running properly.

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Where do I host my website?

When you register your domain, you are not restricted to any particular web host. You can select any web hosting provider you would like. However, I personally recommend Tas Hosting, my choice for web hosting.

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