What is a Domain Name?
Domain names are used to identify acomputer or computers on the Internet. These names are commonly (and some whatmistakenly) referred to as “web addresses” since they appear as a component ofa Web site’s URL (Universal Resource Locater). The most common types of domainnames are host names that provide more memorable names to stand in for numeric IP (Internet Protocol) addresses. As a general rule, the IP address and the server name are interchangeable.
What is DNS?
DNS stands for Domain Name System.This system is in place to organize and identify domains. Essentially, DNS provides a name for a domain's one or more IP addresses. For instance, the domain name www.example.com might translate to 198.102.434.8. This makes it much easier to remember URLs and email addresses.
DNS follows a strict hierarchical structure. Every domain name ends in a top-level-domain (TLD) name, which is always either one of a small list of generic names (.com, .net, .org), or a two-character territory code (.us, .uk). Top-level domains are sometimes also called first-level domains. In addition to the top-level domains, there are second level domain (SLD) names. These are the names directly to the left of .com, .net, and the other top-level domains. Finally there are the third-level or higher domain names. These domains are immediately to the left of a second-level domain and are commonly referred to as subdomains. There can be virtually no limitation on the number of subdomains. Each level is separated by a dot or period symbol between them. An example of a working domain with four levels is www.blog.example.net.
What is the difference between a domain name and a URL?
A URL (Uniform Resource Locator) contains not only the domain name, but also describes the protocol used to assess the domain name. The following example illustrates the difference between a URL and a domain name:
What does it mean to register a Domain Name?
When you register a domain name, you are inserting an entry into a directory of all the domain names and their corresponding computers on the Internet.
How do I register a Domain Name?
A domain name can be registered through many different companies known as Domain Registrars. The registrar you choose will ask you to provide various contact and technical information that makes up the registration. The registrar will then keep records of the contact information and submit the technical information to a central directory known as the "registry." This registry provides other computers on the Internet the information necessary to send you e-mails or to find your website. You will also be required to enter a registration contract with the registrar, which sets forth the terms under which your registration is accepted and will be maintained. Most registrars charge a small yearly fee ($10), although some domain Hosting sites will waive the fee if you host with them (for more on hosting domains see our Hosting FAQ).
Do you have any tips for registering a Domain Name?
At epikós, we recommend GoDaddy fordomain registration because they are relatively inexpensive and easy to use.
Before you can register a webaddress, you have to see if it’s available. GoDaddy has a search box to find an available domain name. The most popular level domains are .com, .net, and .org, but as the second level domain names become taken, .biz, .info, .name, and .tv are becoming much more popular.