Why should I register a domain name for my business?
If you seriously plan to put your business on the World Wide Web, it's best to promote your brand identity by registering your own domain name. It gives your business a more professional look, and perhaps more importantly it makes your Web site easier to remember for your customers. The difference between www.yourcompany.com and www.aol.com/users/y/yourcompany/index.html can be a lost customer.
How do I register a domain name?
You can search for and register your very own domain name directly from Network Solutions Web site, or you can have your Internet Presence Provider do it for you. Since many IPPs perform this service at no charge when you open a Web hosting account, this latter option may be the best choice for you.
Can I register more than one domain name?
You can register as many domain names as you like, although each one requires a separate registration fee. Some companies may benefit from having several domain names that are virtually hosted to go to the same site. For example, XYZ Corporation could have XYZ.com, XYZCorp.com and XYZCorporation.com all take visitors to the company's home page.
Who controls domain name registrations?
Currently, Network Solutions, Inc. oversees domain name registration for the .com, .net and .org top-level domains, although the U.S. government recently cleared the way for a limited number of other companies to perform this service in the near future.
How much does it cost to register a domain name?
Network Solutions, Inc., the company in charge of overseeing domain name registration, charges $70 for two years of registration. Thereafter, the cost is $35 per year. If you register your domain name through your Internet Presence Provider, they may charge an extra fee (although some companies, such as Virtualis.com, include this service for free in their Web hosting packages).
How does e-mail work with domain names?
When you register a domain name, you can then set up as many e-mail accounts under that domain name as you wish. For example, if you registered mycompany.com, you could create
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
,
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,
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
and so on.
What do the different suffixes (.com, .net, .org, .mil, .edu, .gov) mean?
The different suffixes on domain names (also called "top-level" domain name) reflect the purpose for the company or entity. For example, ".com" reflects commercial entities, ".net" denotes a company that provides networking services, ".org" stands for an organization (often a non-profit association), ".mil" is used for military commands, .edu denotes an educational institution, and ".gov" is used for governmental organizations.
What if someone has already registered my business name as a domain name?
If your company name is trademarked, and someone has registered your domain name (perhaps with the intent to sell it back to you at a profit), you may want to seek legal advice. Otherwise, you will probably want to be creative and come up with another domain name. For instance, if www.mycompany.com is not available, try www.my-company.com or www.mycompany.net.
Where can I go to find out if a domain name is available?
You can go directly to Network Solutions' Web site to look up a domain name?s availability. Many Web hosting providers also provide a domain name search engine on their Web sites. For example, see www.virtualis.com/vr/virtuali/domain_search.asp.
What is an IP address?
Each computer, or host, on the Internet has at least one address that uniquely identifies it from all other computers on the Internet. This is known as an IP (or Internet Protocol) address. When you type in a domain name in your browser, your host seeks out the IP address of that domain name