| |
| |
|
Domain Name Information |
|
|
|
What is a Domain Name and Why Would I Want One?
In this article we will cover the basics of what a domain name is, how they work and why you need to have at least one. I am going to try and avoid complicated computer terms and stick to explanations that should be easily understood by someone without a computer science degree. What is a Domain Name? Before we can go into what a domain name is I'm going to tell you why we need them as the answers compliment each other. The Internet is just a really big collection of connected computers (a network). For the purpose of explaining domain names you can think of the Internet a bit like the phone system and just like the phone system every computer on the Internet has it's own phone number except an Internet phone number is called an IP addresses. This address is made up of up to 12 digits in the form 123.123.123.123, computers use these IP addresses to send information to each other over the Internet. When the Internet was first created it quickly became clear that these IP addresses were not easy to remember and another method was need to make these addresses more human friendly. The solution to this was the Domain Name System (DNS). Basically the DNS is a really really big phone book for computers. When you type a web site address into your web browser it checks the DNS for that website name and finds the IP address. Once it has the IP address it can then send a message to that computer and ask it for the web page you wanted. Ok so you know a domain name is part of a web site address but which part? Lets look at a website address so we can identify and discuss what bit of it is a domain name. http://www.itxcel.com/index.html The above address is the home page of the itXcel web site. It can be split into 3 main parts. The first part is http:// this just tells your web browser what kind of information it is going to get and how to get it. The last part is /index.html this is name of the files on the remote computer that you want your browser to get. The bit in the middle www.itxcel.com is a domain name. This is the name that your computer sends to the DNS to get back the IP address. So you know what a domain name is and that there is a phone book called the DNS to change your easy to remember domain name into an IP address that you computer can understand. The Internet phone book (DNS) is special in that everyone on the Internet needs to be able to use it. This makes the DNS very very big (100+ million addresses big). Due to the size of this phone book it needed to have a carefully organised and managed structure. Domain names themselves are split into different levels like a hierarchy. The DNS system uses this hierarchy to search the DNS for the IP address of the domain name it is trying to find. The last bit of a domain, in the previous example the com part is called the top level domain. There are a large selection of top level domains like com, net, org and info. There are also very similar endings called country level domains like uk and de. Each of the top level and country level domains are managed by a different organization, sometimes these are companies or non profit organizations and sometimes governments. In the domain business these organisations are referred to as the registries. Each registry looks after it's own part of the domain name system. If you decide you want to use a domain name in the top level domain com, like mycompany.com you would have to have this name assigned by the registry that manages that top level domain (for .com a US company called VeriSign). The process of being assigned a domain name is called domain registration. Domain registration is more like a lease than a purchase. You are renting the second level domain (the mycompany bit) from Verisign for a specific amount of time normally between 1 and 10 years at a time. Most of the organizations that allow you to register a second level domain charge a fee for each year that you register the domain for. With almost all domain names you are also given the option to renew your registration (lease) when it is close to running out (expiring). Once you have registered a second level domain you are free to create as many third level domains (sometimes called sub domains) as you like. In our previous example the www is a sub domain of itxcel.com. Most of the registries that manage these top level domain names do not allow individuals or businesses to register domains directly with them. To register a domain you need to use a company like itXcel. We act as a registrar and send all the required information and the registration fee to the registry. Registrars are useful as they hide the differences that exist in each of the registries from the customer and provide a simple step by step process for registering a domain. A registrar also allows you to manage and track all your domains from one place rather than having to deal with a different company for each top level domain. OK so I know what a domain name is, Why do need one? Can you image what a nightmare it would be if you had an email address like myname@123.246.128.255 or a web site address http://123.246.128.255/? These addresses are possible but not very easy to remember. Now if you register a domain name you could create an email address like myname@mycompany.com and a web site address like mycompany.com. These are much easier to remember and look 100 times more professional. One of the important points about registering a domain is that once done you have an exclusive right to use that domain for as long as you keep the domain registered in your name. If you do not renew a domain at the end of it's registration period it will again become available for registration by someone else. For this reason even if you don't want or need a web site at the moment, it's still a good idea to register a domain as soon as possible. Just imagine if your competition registered the domain name of your company or product. Although there is a process in place to retrieve these domain it can be long and complicated. It is definitely simpler to spend a little money up front to secure your chosen domain names. About The Author Ewan Bain is the general manager at itXcel Internet Limited - Based in the UK itXcel provide Internet services, including domain name registration and web site hosting to small to medium sized businesses and home users. To find out what domains are available and to quickly and cheaply register them visit http://www.itxcel.com now and enter your desired name in the domain search box. For further information please visit our website.
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
5 Tips For the Perfect Domain Name What is a domain name? A domain name is the location of your website on the Internet. Your domain name will be what you become known by online so it's important to get it right. The Sub-Domain - An Affiliates Friend It's surprising, at least to me, the amount of Affiliates who aren't aware of the value and flexibility that the 'sub-domain' can give their promotional website activities. Set up in the right way, a single domain through a host who includes multiple 'sub-domains' in their hosting package can fill ALL the online needs of even the busiest and most diversified Affiliate. Information on Domain Names It's been two years since John started his online business. He is very much satisfied with his current web host whose services he acquired one year ago. Domain Name: Why Do You Need One Anyway? I come across sites all the time that are obviously hosted for free. Why obviously? Because they have no domain. How To Buy And Sell Domain Names Part Time For Profit Part 2 Let's just take a quick glimpse at what we've done so far:We've used www.wehavethem. The Value of a Good Domain Name Domain names to the internet are the as necessary as wheels on a car. All websites need a domain name; it is how your website is found on the internet by your potential customers. How to Register an Expiring Domain Understanding the process and options involved with registering an expiring domain can be a confusing task. How, Where, When?This article will explain the basic steps to researching an expiring domain name, and the many different options (or should I say necessary steps to insure success). How Can You Choose the Best Domain Name? It's all in the NameThe domain you use for a particular site can have a huge impact in the way that humans and search engine spiders perceive it. Domain names were once so expensive that only those wanting to protect a brand or who could afford them owned them, now they are commonplace and if you know where to look, you can pick up a domain name for free. Understand the Domain Name System Ever wonder why DNS systems came into existence? Efficiency. Every computer has a distinct IP address, and the Internet needed an elite method for obtaining these addresses and for managing the system as a whole. Its Raining ccTLDs By now you've probably noticed the onslaught of unfamiliar domain name extensions popping up here and there. Like most domain name professionals, you've probably sat at your computer pondering whether or not you should kick out the extra cash to register some of these domain names. Why El Cheapo Domains Will Cost You Money You want your own online business? Good because it's one of the most fun things you can do with your spare time and can be very profitable.Remember that just because it's an online business doesn't mean that you should treat it with any less professionalism or seriousness than you do your daytime job. Domain Name Secrets Revealed If internet is about interactivity between websites, domain name is the door for that interactivity. It is your online identity, very much like the name of your best friend, what is his very own personal identity. Before You Register a Domain Name for Your New Online Business... Recently I made a mistake that may cost a great deal of traffic to my new web site.Let me explain. Instant Traffic Using Expired Domains Every day thousands of domains 'expire' and are put back into the pool of available domains that anyone can register. They can be very valuable if you are looking for a quality domain for your online business, or if you want to re-sell them for profit. All-time Record of Domain Registrations The number of registered domains has reached an all-time high of more than 60 million domain names worldwide.Figures show that country code Top Level Domains (ccTLDs) are the fastest growing market, while general demand for new domains remains strong. What You Need to Know About Choosing A Domain Name Aside from the nuts and bolts of where to register your domain name and purchasing a good economical hosting service, there are a few things to know about buying a good domain name, that only experience can teach. Here are a few tips to get you started on the right foot:1. Detagged Domains What is a DETAGGED domain name? We get asked this question regularly.Only UK domain names can be detagged. Your Domain Name, Your Business Address Would you purchase anything from someone with a "@yahoo.com" or "@hotmail. Free eBook: Business Domain Names Since every website needs a name, Dr. Steve Baba has written a free ebook that will help you obtain a brandable, memorable domain name at a reasonable cost, which will contribute to your brand equity and profits. Whats in a Domain Name? You've decided to start up your own website. You've weighed all of your options, and have come to the conclusion that you want to purchase web space for your site.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
