Here's
how you register a domain name.
- It's
best to choose a hosting company first before registering
your domain name. Have the hosting company register or transfer
your domain name.
- You
can check the availability of a domain name at http://www.networksolutions.com
or http://rs.internic.net/cgi-bin/whois or any of the registrars
listed by http://www.internic.com.
- You
can register your domain name yourself through domain name
registration services. Internic provides a list of ICANN-accredited
registrars (the organization governing domain names) at
http://www.internic.com/regist.html.
When submitting a registration or transfer, the registrar
will ask for the name of two domain name servers that contain
your IP address. Your host will give you that information.
Once your domain name has been registered or transferred,
it takes approximately 72 hours before it becomes active.
Fees
for domain name registration
Each
domain name registration service or registrar, sets its own
price for registering domain names. Fees range from $10 to $35
to register a domain name for one year. You can register a domain
name for one or two years. Some registrars offer free or discounted
registration services in connection with other offers, such
as Web hosting. Make sure they are reliable. Receiving a $10
discount is not worth the delays and hassles you may encounter.
Ask your professional Web designer for a referral. To keep your
domain name, you need to renew the registration and pay a renewal
fee each year.
Parking
a domain name
If
you want to reserve a domain name but don't have a hosting company
yet, you may have to pay a fee to a hosting company or registration
service to hold or park your name. Some registrars charge $40
and others offer parking for free. Make sure they are reliable.
| IMPORTANT
TIP: When
registering your domain name, make sure you are both
the billing contact and administrative contact. If your
hosting company lists itself as the billing contact,
you won't have much leverage to keep your domain name
if you decide to switch hosts. |
Changing
hosting
When
changing hosting companies, you can keep the same domain name
and email address (connected to that domain name e.g. www.Webmaster@fivestarWebdesign.com).
You simply transfer your domain name to a different hosting
company.
It
is important to protect your business and product names by
registering them as a domain name before someone else does.