What is a domain name?
Domain names are simply a human-friendly way of pointing your web browser to the right server where your website is located.
For instance if you type in www.netdata.co.uk this is translated by a database into an IP address which computers understand (eg. 82.34.166.197). Your web browser is then directed to the appropriate server where your website is hosted.
Who controls these domain names?
When you buy a domain name through www.buyyuordomainname.co.uk for instance, it is registered on your behalf through either Nominet (if it is a UK domain) or ICANN ( if it is a .com, .org or .net etc.).
Both Nominet and ICANN act as a kind of companies house for domain names. They keep a central database of domain names and who owns them, but ultimately the domain is yours for the period of registration.
Which domain should I choose?
There are two main things to consider when buying a domain. Firstly, the actual domain itself (ie. netdata.co.uk) and secondly the domain extension (ie. .co.uk or .com etc.).
Domain Names: Your domain name can make a significant contribution to your listing in the search engines. So try and think of a name that incorporates what you do. So if your company name is Blacks & Co. and you sell widgets then www.widgets.co.uk would be preferable from a marketing point of view, as this is what people would be searching for. You can register as many names as you want, so you could register your company name as well and simply have your hosts point it to your main website.
Domain Extensions: If you operate solely in the UK then a .co.uk is fine, however if you want your presence to be multinational then a .com is better. Other domain names such as .tv, .biz and .net are also available so you can try searching for these if others are taken.
If you are a non-profit making organisation then you can try the .org extension.
What do I do once I have bought my domain name?
Once your agent has registered your domain name you will require somewhere to host your website. There are many hosting packages available depending on your requirements. Service levels and prices vary across the internet, but, as with most things, you generally get what you pay for. So our best advice is to do some research about what's on offer and talk to the company if you can.
Once you have set up your hosting package and your website you can then get the registration agent to point your domain at the appropriate host server.
Your registration details
There are four main parts to your registration details. 1) The Registrant 2) Admin Contact Details 3) Technical Contact Details. 4) Nameservers
The Registrant Details should always be that of your company or yourself. This gives you control over the domain, the ability to move it elsewhere etc.
Admin Contact Details are generally the same as the person you bought your domain from, but they can be whatever you want. You should always make sure that the email address you provide is current and will be active for a long time where possible, as any requests regarding transfer, renewal etc. will be sent to that address.
Technical Contact Details are as above but if you have somebody else hosting your site it may be worthwhile making them the technical contact details
Nameservers are the servers where your website is held, in order for your domain to work properly these must point to the right place. Your should find these out from your website hosts and your registration agent will be able to point them in the right direction. For instance our nameservers are ns1.netdata.co.uk and ns2.netdata.co.uk .
Amending your registration details
Your domain name is your own for the period you registered it for and you have the right to do with it what you will. The company who registered your domain should always be willing to change your registration details, and this should usually not incur any costs.
Renewing your domain
Once the registration period (usually 2 years) is over you will have the option to renew the ownership of your domain. You will be notified via email well in advance of the renewal date. However, if you do not respond then there is generally a period of grace of 3 weeks or so after the renewal date whereby you will still have the chance to renew. After that the domain will become available to the open market again.
How do I find out what my registration details are?
The registration information for your domain name is freely available on the web. Simply click here type the name into the search box below, choose the appropriate extension and press 'SEARCH'. Once the results are returned then select 'whois' to find out your registration details. |
