Beginner's
Domain Guide
- What
is a domain name?
- What is an IP address?
- What are the components
of a domain name?
- How long can a domain
name be and what are the restrictions?
- What is a DNS?
- What is a registry?
- What is a URL?
- What if the name I want
to use is already taken?
- How long should the registration
process take?
- Once a domain is registered,
who "owns" the domain name?
What is a domain name?
A domain name is used to identify the location of a website
on the Internet. Here are some domain names you might be already
familiar with:
netnation.com - worldindia Communications
microsoft.com - Microsoft
ucla.edu - University of California Los Angeles
What is an IP address?
Every computer on the Internet has a numeric address called
IP-Address that is used to identify the location of the computer.
An example of an IP address is 204.234.212.1. This kind of
addressing system is cumbersome and hard to remember for humans.
Having a domain name will eliminate the need to remember an
IP address.
What are the components
of a domain name?
A domain name consists of two or more words separated by a
period. The last word (the far right) is called a "top-level
domain". Here are some common top-level domains and their
use:
.COM
Used
for commercial entities. It is the most popular top-level
domain. Anyone can register a .com domain.
.NET
Originally used for networking organizations such as Internet
Service Providers and backbone providers. Today, anyone
can register a .net domain.
.ORG
Designed for miscellaneous organizations, including non-profit
groups. Today, anyone can register a .org domain.
.EDU
Four-year, accredited colleges and universities.
Country
Codes
Other top-level domains include those for countries (.CA
for Canada, .UK for the United Kingdom, .HK for Hong Kong,
etc.), which are based on the International
Country
Codes
Other top-level domains include those for countries (.CA
for Canada, .UK for the United Kingdom, .HK for Hong Kong,
etc.), which are based on the International Standards Organization's
3166 standard for country abbreviations.
To the left of the top-level domain is what
is called the "second-level domain." In worldindia.com,
"worldindia" represents a second-level domain within
the top-level domain of .com.
It is also possible to have a domain name
in the form of something.worldindia.com. In this case the
"something" is called a "host" name or
a "sub-domain". It is not necessary to register
a host or sub-domain with a registry before being able to
use it.
TOP
How long can a domain
name be and what are the restrictions?
A domain can have a maximum of 26 characters including the
extensions (.com, Net, etc). A domain name can contain numbers,
letters or a dashes. A domain can not start or end with a
dash.
What is a DNS?
DNS stands for "Domain Name Server". It translates
domain names into IP addresses that computers understand.
For example, if someone wants to access worldindia's website
(www.worldindia.com), the DNS will translate the domain into
the IP address 204.174.223.32, which will allow the computer
to locate worldindia's web server.
What is a registry?
Organizations similar to InterNIC are called Registries. They
register domain names into central computers which are accessed
by individual DNS servers. InterNIC is responsible for the
domains .com, Net, .org, .edu and .gov. Other common registries
include Nominet for .uk, and CaNet for .ca. Some registries
like InterNIC charge an annual fee (which doesn't benefit
EasyHost). InterNIC currently charges $70 for 2 years.
What
is a URL?
It
stands for Universal Resource Locator. Some people refer to
it as a web address (although URL is not limited to the web).
An example of a URL is http://www.worldindia.com. Please note
that a URL is a unique identifier. No two websites can have
the same URL. This is the reason why you should register your
domain name before someone else does.
TOP
What
if the name I want to use is already taken?
You can choose an alternative domain name, or if you feel
that you a right to that domain name you could follow InterNIC's
domain dispute policy
and try to regain your domain name. Please see
How
long does it take to register a domain name?
If
the information provided is correct, it should take less than
24 hrs. Please check the whois database at http://www.worldindia.com/cgi-worldindia/whois.cgi
to see whether your domain name is registered or not.
Once
a domain is registered, who "owns" the domain name?
The domain name is owned by the organization that is on the
whois database. We register a domain names in such a way to
make it easy for customers to move domain names to their favourite
web hosting or ISP company in the future.
| For
further details contact at Support
|
TOP
|
