Register your Domain Name

Your domain name is the address that users will enter in their web browser to access your web site like yourwebsite.com.

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.

Top-level domain names ending with… · .biz · .com · .info · .museum · .name · .net · .org …can be registered through many different companies (known as "registrars") that compete with one another. Their prices vary.

I've supplied a link for you at the end of this section. Definitely use a registrar from this accredited list. Aside from that, go with the cheapest one.

The registrar you choose will ask you to provide various contact and technical information that makes up the registration. It's pretty straightforward.

What are the benefits of registering yourself?

If you were to get "Basement Butch's web design" to do your web site, they might register your site for you and enter themselves as being the administrative contact during the registration process. Well, guess what?

They own your domain name!

If you decide to use someone else, or they go out of business, you cannot make any changes to your own domain without their approval.

You could eventually change your info and get it back but it could be a royal pain in the butt. Even if you want somebody else to write your web site or host it, you should still register your domain name yourself. After all, it's yours.

How do you do it?

When you register, you will have to provide 2 name server records.

These records point to your DNS records. Your DNS records will be created for you when you sign up at a web host. Your web host will control them. But they don't have to. You can do this yourself. (I'll tell you how in the additional step you read about on the home page)

If you select park your domain during the registration, the registrar will take care of these name server records for you. You can come back in later after you've signed up at a web host and change the records.

Most of the registrars are pretty similar. You will:

Check to see if the domain name that you want is available. At the main page there will be a blank box where you type in the domain name that you want. Your registrar will then check to see if it's available. If it's not, you will have to think of another name or you can go to http://www.nameboy.com/ and get some suggestions.

If you really want a specific domain name that's already taken by someone else, you could offer to buy it from him or her. Or if the domain name might expire soon, there are services out there that you can hire that will try to snap up the name before anybody else does. The biggest is SnapNames.

Select the length of your registration. The minimum is 1 year. You can save some money by registering for more that one year.

Fill out your contact information. This is your name, address, etc. This will ensure that you are the registered owner of domain name.

Choose any registration options. Private registration - When someone does a whois lookup on your domain name, they won't get any of your contact information. Neither will spammers! This is a good thing. Take it if you can. You will have to pay a little extra but it's worth it. Otherwise, expect junk mail at the email address that you specify.

Hosting options. Some of the registrars will offer web hosting along with the registration. The only option that you want now is free parking. This will show your web page as an "under construction" or "coming soon" site until you get it written and find a hosting company. It will also take care of the name server records that you learned about before. You want to keep your registrar and hosting company separate. This is part of your backup plan. So, just continue on through until you get to the payment screen.

Pay. The only thing left to do is pay for your registration through the registrars secure payment site. At some point during the checkout procedure you will be asked to specify a password. This is so you can log back in to your account later and make any changes that you need. You will have to log back in to the registrar after you choose your DNS hosting company so that you can change your name server records to point your DNS host.

Where do you do it?

Click here for a list of accredited registrars.

As long as you choose someone from this list, they are accredited by ICANN. Go for the cheapest.