Domain Registration: What is it? How does it work?
Hello and welcome,
We've developed this page for those new to domain registrations and the Internet in general. Here you will find answers to your questions regarding domain registration.
- What is a "domain?"
A domain is an address on the internet. It's a word or phrase without spaces ending with .com, .net, .org, etc. It's what allows you to find what you are looking for, and easily return later. Most people have an address book that lists people's names and then their street address, phone number, etc. A domain is all these things combined. Imagine if you could find your friends house, phone number and address just by remembering their name. That's what a domain name does for people on the Internet.
- What is a "webpage" or "website?" Is it the same thing as a "domain?"
No. A "webpage" or "website" is a collection of documents and files located on a computer called a "server" which has a connection to the rest of the Internet. A "domain" is the directions on how to get to that server and view those documents. In the physical world a "domain" is like your street address and your house would be like your "website."
- Can I buy a domain for a gift?
Sure. All you need to know is the domain name the person wants. Some possibilities might be their name, their business name, their favorite saying, whatever is available. You will find many domains already taken and you might have to spend some time thinking it over, but you can usually find something that works well. While it is true the registration process requires contact information when you register a domain, our system allows you to put your information in now, and then change it to the recipients information later! It also makes a great gift because most places charge $35/year. Register a domain for them for 3 years and they will think you spent more than $100 on them, when in fact, you only spent $59.85! :-)
- What is the process?
It's a real easy 2 step process. 1. Fill out a form specifying the domain name, along with contact information. 2. Pay for it. After that, you can then administer the domain from your own control panel. That's it, easier than sending e-mail.
- Why do we have to "Register" "domains?"
The best way to answer this is ask a question: Would the telephone system be what it is today without a directory being published? When you "register" a domain, you are entering it into a giant database (called the DNS, Domain Name System) that computers use to find each other on the Net. The way you put your domain into that database is to "register" it.
- What is a "registrar?"
A "registrar" is a company or individual that helps maintain the DNS. You pay your money to them, or their agent, and they enter your domain into the database for you. This is what we do.
- What are the restrictions for domains?
Up to 63 characters long, only numbers and letters, plus a hyphen, "-", and must end in a .com, .net or .org. You can register it for 1 year, or up to 10 years at a time. At the end of the term you register it for, you will have to renew it.
| Some valid domains: |
yourname.com
your-company-name.net
anywordorphraselessthan63letters.org |
| Some invalid domains: |
mom&dad.com
anthing
thisone.com.net
baddabingbaddaboom-.com |
- What's the difference between a "domain" and an "URL?"
A "URL" contains a "domain" in it. But a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is more than just an address, it's an instruction set to the computer, telling it what to do at the domain address specified. For example: the URL to this page is http://www.opt2.net/domainhelp.shtml. The domain name in this URL is "opt2.net". "domainhelp.shtml" is the file name on our server. The rest of the URL is instructions to the computer. The "http" tells your computer the type of document it's looking for; "www" means it's located on the "World Wide Web" etc.
- Is the "www" part of the domain?"
No. It's an optional part of the URL.
- If I register a domain, do I have website?
No. You've reserved the name so no one else can use it, but until you get a server and connection (ie, webhosting) you just have the address for your future website. You can still use the domain in other ways. See below.
- Then what good is "registering" a domain?
First and foremost, it keeps others from registering it. But it also has some other benefits such as email. When you register your domain with Opt2.net, you get up to 50 free email accounts. This allows you to start using the domain even before you have a website, without the cost of a webhosting company. You will be able to setup anyone@yourdomain.com and have it forward to your current email address. You will also have your domain "parked." (see next question.)
- What is "domain parking?"
Domain Parking is taking a domain that has been registered, but does not yet point to a website, and pointing it instead to a "domain parking" web page. This is the typical "under construction" page you have seen on the Internet. However, Opt2.net offers two kinds of "parking" pages. You may park it at a generic page, like this or at the WebWormHole.com page. If you park it at a generic page, you will be able to put a small text message on the page. If you park it at the WebWormHole, you will have a complete portal associated with your domain. This will allow you to start building traffic from the start, even before you have a website. You will also have "domain tracking" to see how many people are using your domain.
- What is "URL Redirect?" Do you offer it?
URL Redirection is a service that will redirect, or forward, a webvisitor from a domain, to another domain or website on the Internet. Yes, we offer it.
- That seems counter to what a "domain" is for. Why would anyone use such a service?
At first, it may appear that way. However there are some great uses for URL Redirection. For example, webhosting is usually $9.95-$99 per month. However there are many companies that will give you "free" space to put up a website. If the website is very basic and has a small amount of traffic, there is no reason to spend the money for webhosting, and people use this service all day long. The down side is that the URL to your "free" website is usually quite long and difficult to remember. Something like:
http://www.freepages.com/~user/y/yoursite.html.
If you use URL redirection, you can register something like:
http://mycoolname.com
and then have it redirect or forward uses to the http://www.freepages.com/~user/y/yoursite.html page. This makes finding your site easier and you will get more people coming back, in addition to finding you in the first place. :-)
- What is a "sticky redirection?" Do you offer it?
Yes, we offer it. "Sticky URL Redirection" is a redirection that keeps your domain in the address bar of the visitors browser. People use it to keep the visitor from knowing they are being redirected. Depending on the site, sometimgs you want the URL to be just the domain name, or sometimes you want the visitor to know they are being redirected. We offer both options, you are free to choose what works best for you.
- Why use Opt2.net to register my domain?
Price, features, payment options and best of all, customer service. We started doing the domain registration business because: 1) we register a lot of domains and 2) we saw a real gap in the marketplace when it comes to customer service. Most sites were so complicted to use, we'd spend hours trying to find the right form. Others charged and arm and a leg. Our system is very simple: 2 steps, and if you have any trouble at all, we are online about 20 hours a day. Just email us. If it's during normal business hours you can call 520 888 0110, but you'll probably get a faster result by email. :-)
- Is this really the best deal? Can I find a better place to register my domain?
We have searched the net, and one thing we do know, and that is our market. No one offers what we do for the price we do. Nobody. Yes, we could waste millions of dollars on television advertising and raise our prices 300%. But would you get a better registration? No, you'd just spend more money. Network Solutions got to be who they are not because they offer a superior product, but because they had a government granted monopoly. That has ended and as a result the price to register a domain has gone from $100 three years ago, to as low as $9.95 today for volume purchasers. (Our current prices are on our order page.)
- Okay, what do I do next?
If you know the domain you want, and know it's available, click the order button.
If you want to search to see if your domain is available, click the search button.
If you are still looking for a domain, or are undecided, check out our new service, the DomainWormHole!
Otherwise, learn more about our service and benefits here and advanced domain FAQ here
