domain names? .....need help with info

excuse my internet ignorance guys, but what's the story with these? ....does one "have" to buy a domain name? ...is there a reliable, longlasting & free method for creating one of your own?

thanks

 

when you register a domain name, it associates a web address with an ip, so people can enter in www.benisthecoolestguyintheworld.com and go to your site, instead of having to enter the ip address of your server.

not required, but you can find plenty of registers out there for less than $10 a year

 

okay, so the web address (xx.com) is the 'domain name', and the link is to my IP...does this change if i change internet service or specific computer?

i do find a lot of registers out there ....i also find several posts/blogs/opinions, that say to be wary of many registers, as they commonly 'dissappear' over-night?

so this is an actual service provided? ....vs just someone with dibs on that name, who i must buy from to use?

thank much

 

the service provided is maintaining the tables of what ip the web addresses are associated with.

www.networksolutions.com 12.99/year been around forever.


Are you wanting to host this on your personal computer?

 

great! ....a long term reliable method is what i'm looking for ....but, no not from my own computer, i want it to be there even if/when i change computers, move towns, travel, etc.
$13 / yr is pretty cheap
...so this is for use one specific name (xx.com) only, right? ...from there i then build a website/page!?

thanks again

 

i think networksolutions also offer hosting, but i usually just get hosting elsewhere and transfer the domain name (very easy to do)

currently using 1 and 1 hosting, very cheap, pay about $60 every 6 months. Only had to deal with tech support once, was on hold less than two minutes.

 

hmm...okay, i was thinking someow these were things that should be (maybe?) free gto do, iven they reside on the open net, but i understand better now....the domain name is a service provided (as you said), and the web hosting, is actually hosted by that companies computers/servers, right?

the networksolutions does indeed have both listed ....$20/year now for a domain name (still cheap)...

....interestingly, they have a $7/month for web host basic option ....included domain name (1), 300GB space (is total of my webpage memory to use?), 3000GB tranfser, 25 FTP accounts (not sure what a FTP is?) and 1000 email boxes (wowzers! just need one i think?)

edit: oops....this is based on 3 years term (they had a scale-slider at bottom of screen i didn't notice)

okay, so after this, then i can build a webpage using the host provided tools.....

....hope i'm getting this right!? LOL

 

You purchase a domain name. Network Solutions is fine; personally, I use GoDaddy. That will run you probably 10-15 bucks a year depending on the bells and whistles. *Just* the domain - a .com - is up to ~$11 I think at GoDaddy.

You will also need hosting. 1and1 was mentioned, Hostgator is good, Network Solutions is also probably fine for what you're looking for. All of those assume that you're on a "shared" web server - one server will host a lot of domains, all segmented off on a per customer basis. A shared server will cost ~$10 per month. A dedicated server that you run on your own, if you have a bunch of traffic and have someone who can manage it, will cost at least $100 per month. Shared is fine for 99% of the people out there.

After you secure hosting and a domain name, you need to set up the DNS record. Usually, this just means pointing the DNS server for your domain to the hosting company's DNS server. The hosting company does the rest of the actual entry when it creates your domain on the shared server. DNS is what maps yourdomain.com to the aa.bb.cc.dd server ip address.

 

www.bluehost.com
$10 to register the domain
$4.95 for unlimited hosting (as many domains as you register). Unlimited
bandwidth, virtually unlimited storage.

Jedi

 

LOL i should have titled thread "domain name 101"

okay, so reliable service (i.e. networksolutions, etc) i get my domain name and web hosting (example package deal)....
....my biggest thing is reliability, so longterm service providers are good IMO

is the DNS not something i then do on the domain name service webpage?

thx

 

have they been around very long Jedi?

 

At least the five years all of my domains have been there... great service,
never had an "outage".... never an issue of any sort, but CHEAP. That $4.95
a month for UNLIMITED hosting of as many domains as you can buy is
pretty cool. And having the hosting and registration linked is a HUGE save
in "hassle factor"

Jedi

 

gotcha...yes, i like the two in one service, packaged and saves some $ too...

.....once i decide/buy a service (say package deal), do i set up the DNS myself, like on thier webpage?

thx

 

If you're using Network Solutions for both the domain registration and the hosting, it's very possible you won't have to modify any DNS settings.

 

the DNS service is provided by the register (network solutions, etc) you just update the records with the ip address your hosting company provides.

 

1. Create a www.bluehost.com hosting account
2. Purchase domain name ($10)
3. Wait for it to distribute around the world (24 hours)

Done!

 

okay, so if going with a 2-in-1 service package, then (more then likely or 100%) the DNS issue takes care of itself .....good stuff

i will check into each of the services you guys posted ...this has been a huge help ....thanks guys!

 

DNS will all be handled. Register domain + host domain = DONE. They do the rest.

Jedi

 

garnet...

You can buy the domain name anywhere and have it pointed to any server you want. (even in your home) personally I separate the purchase of the domain name and the hosting.... SOME HOSTS (the number is small and getting smaller every day) will swipe your domain name if you do not re-up it the exact day it expires. -- Using most all of them will make it more annoying to change hosts than if you buy from a regular registrar.

If you want domains cheap and reliable, you can buy from godaddy with a coupon and it is usually 7.49 a year (google godaddy promotion code and the first link is fatwallet.com. In that thread they always have the latest codes.)

As long as you keep the domain current, you own it forever. Where ever you buy the domain, you can set the 'dns' to your name server. (usually ns1.YourHostingCompany.com) This is sorta like a phone number or address for your server... it tells the internet what sever your website lives on.

Hosting is a different issue. You can pay 5 bucks a month to $50,000 depending on need. I have several VPSs that run about 50 bucks a month and each can host dozens of decent size sites. If you're a newbie buying the domain and hosting at Bluehost is probably not a horrible idea. They automagially handle the DNS for you. You can transfer the domain later but be aware it is a pain.

So the bottom line is, if you want a single domain or two and don't expect to be host hopping, bluehost makes your life easy. If you want more flexibility later in life, consider separating the two transactions.

Lastly, having owned a hosting company since ~1995, I'd recommend bluehost with no problem. (even though technically they are kinda sorta my competition ;-) Good bang for the buck.

BTW .coms now resolve basically instantly, no more waiting 24 hours to use your site.

 

Bluehost.com seconded ..... fantastic web hosting company with a ton of great services for novices and experienced users alike. I've been using them for about 5 years now and have always had a very easy time dealing with their customer service.

I have 4 domain names with them and pay for hosting. I pay about $100/yr all-in.

 

great....thanks guys, i have a much better understanding now....i was googling these too, but links only provide 'so much' concise info