What is a domain name?
A domain name is a group of letters, numbers, and hyphens,
such as "yourdomain.com" where "yourdomain" can be almost anything.
A domain name should be relatively easy to remember. The domain can be
used as the address for your web site and as your email address, such as
info@yourdomain.com.
Why do I need a domain name?
All domain names are unique. It is your identity on the World Wide Web.
For businesses and organizations, a domain name can help brand your
products and services. For individuals and clubs, a domain can identify
your affiliations, relationships, or can just be your online personality.
What characters can you
use in a domain name and how long can it be?
Letters and numbers are
always valid characters in a Web Address. Hyphens may also be used in Web
Addresses, but may not begin nor end your Web Address. Spaces and special
characters are never permitted in Web Addresses. The special characters
include, but are not limited to, these special characters: ! @ # $ % ^
& * ( ) ? _ (underscores)"
Domain names are not case sensitive, therefore
YourDomain.Com
and yourdomain.com are NOT different.
The number of characters you
can use in your domain name has increased to a total of 67, including the
extension .COM, .NET, .BIZ, .ORG or .INFO. Now you've got even more options for
establishing your Internet identity!
"www." and
http://www. are not counted as part of the 67 characters allowed.
An example of a
valid domain name is:
67-character-web-addresses-are-available-from-frontpageshosting.com
What is DNS and how does it work?
DNS stands for Domain Name System and is the system that the Internet uses
to find the information on the web.
When someone types in a Domain Name into a web browser their Internet
Service Provider's (ISPs) DNS computer looks into its cache for an IP
(Internet Protocol) address associated with that domain name. If the ISP
does not have an entry cached it sends a lookup query to a top level DNS
computer to return the DNS location associated with the domain name
back to the ISP. Once the ISP's computer finds the IP address it can
access the web site.
IP addresses are typically 12 digit numbers which identify a computer
on the internet. IP addresses are like street addresses. They refer to
specific servers and their physical location on the network. Domain names
are like the names on the mailboxes, they are associated with people and
with content.
What is an IP address?
The Internet Protocol address or IP Address is a numerical identifier for
a computer (server) attached to the internet. An IP Address is four
numbers separated with periods and is typically a 12 digit number.
Do I need to have a server to register a
domain?
Yes. As part of the application process registrars, like
the first registrar - Network Solutions,
requires two domain name
servers to link to your domain name. When you sign up for service with FWHN, we file an application on your behalf using our server
information. There is no additional charge for providing the use of our
domain servers.
What are Top Level Domains
(TLD) and what do they mean?
The Top Level Domains (sometimes called Generic Top Level Domains) are the
last two or three letters in a domain name. Web sites outside of the
United States may have two letter country codes (for example: .jp for
Japan or .au for Australia).
Top level domain signifiers
.com / .net / .biz / .org / .info - available to the public
.edu - (educational institutions only)
.gov - (government institutions only)
.mil - (military use only)
2 letters - Denotes a country/region of the world
See the CNET Article -
Net
name body OKs seven new domains
.BIZ / .NAME / .INFO / .PRO / .MUSEUM / .AERO / .COOP
How can I find our if a domain name is
already registered?
Using our
Domain Search
you can look up any domain name instantly and checks its
availability. |
