A domain name is your address on the Internet. Just like dialing a phone number or writing an address, your site has its own identity. This enables consumers and clients to directly contact your site. When you register your domain name, you are entering your name in a directory of all names and numbers on the Internet.

Register Your Domain

Your web hosting provider will sometimes reserve the name for you, or you can purchase it through a registrar. Each computer is given a number, IP (Internet Protocol) address but the domain name system gives you an address easier to remember.

Domain names are managed by ICANN (The Internet Corporation of Assigned Names and Numbers). The registrars you sign up with are accredited by ICANN. Domain names are normally identified by their extensions, .com, .net, .org, etc. This is their identifying code. Some websites may offer different extensions that are not approved by ICANN. These extensions rely on software, but if you do not have the correct software you cannot use them.

Registering with Your Web Hosting Provider

Basically, the web hosting provider allows you to post your web page on the Internet and make it available to all users. Their job is to put your page in a place to be easily found by anyone interested. You rent their technology to use space on the World Wide Web. They help you set up your website according to your needs. They will help you with a basic HTML page, or more dynamic pages that use PHP hosting and MySQL hosting.

Some web hosting providers will allow you to register your domain through them as well. If you are doing it for a hobby, you may just want a small site with cheap hosting so it might be easier and less costly to use their service to register your domain name.

Costs and Contracts

Registrars will need contact and technical information for the registration. They will keep a record of the contact information and then submit the technical information to a central directory. This registry gives other computers access to your information in order to find your website or send you email.

Also, there are many registrars in a variety of price ranges that provide this service. Sometimes they offer free registration services in connection with web hosting. Each registrar sets the price for registering your name and prices vary widely, from a few dollars a month to hundreds per year. There is affordable web hosting and registration available on many websites.

There are differing lengths of contracts with registrars. Most offer terms in one-year increments with a total registration period of ten years. You have the ability to change registrars when you want 60 days after you sign up. In some ways, there are advantages to using an independent registrar. If you decide to change web hosting providers, you would not have to change your registration.

Time to Register

When opening a new web page, you will need to choose a name and then find the right place to register it. There are a variety of companies that can assist you. All you need is the time to look over the choices. Use the resources on the Internet to compare and decide what companies to choose as your web hosting provider and registrar.