How do domain names work?A domain name works like an address forwarding service. All of your Web site content sits on a computer with a unique address. This is called an IP address. An IP address is made up of a series of numbers, such as 123.23.234.45. Your domain name directs visitors to your site using this IP address. We use domain names instead of IP addresses because most people find it easier to remember a name rather than a series of numbers.
What is a name server?Name servers are the Internet's equivalent to phone books. A name server maintains a directory of domain names that match certain IP addresses (computers). The information from all the name servers across the Internet is gathered in a central registry. This makes it possible for people across the Internet to access your Web site using a familiar domain name, instead of having to remember a series of numbers It usually takes about 4-8 hours for .com and .net domains and about 24-48 hours for all other domain extensions before name servers on other networks are able to access the information after the central registry gets it. This period is referred to as the propagation period. Our name servers are:
ns3.secureserver.net
ns4.secureserver.net What do I do with my domain once it's been registered? Besides setting up your Web site, there are a number of things you can do with your domain once you register it. Sell it. Domain names can be a great investment. If you have registered a domain name that you are not using, maybe someone else can. Go to the Account Manager and set up a For Sale parked page for your domain name. Don't forget to include your contact information. Protect your brand online. The more domain names you register, the better. Prevent others from registering a similar domain name to yours—just to steal away your customers. What to do with all these names? Forward them to your main domain name. Hold on to it. Maybe you haven't decided what to do with your new domain name. Don't worry – there's no rush. You can leave it parked with us for the length of your registration. Can a domain registered elsewhere have name servers registered with you? Your domain name must be registered through us in order for you to use our system to set up name servers for it. If your domain name is with another registrar then you need to register your name server through them, Network Solutions, or InterNIC. Please contact your current registrar or one of the above companies for more information.
If I register a domain from you, will I be listed as its registrant? Any public domain registration that you register through us will have your name as the registrant, just as if you had registered it through any other ICANN certified Registrar like Network Solutions/Verisign or Register.com. You will be able to change all four contact fields for the domain name whenever you want. You can change the name servers for your domain or use the domain to register your own name servers. We do not charge for any of these services. You are free to work with your domain name however and whenever you want to.
Can I change a domain name or get a refund if I misspelled it when I ordered it? Unfortunately, we are unable to change or edit the spelling of a domain name after it has been registered.
We try to register the domain exactly as you enter it.
Should the registration succeed, you will be charged, even if the domain name you entered was not what you actually intended to type. When can I register an expired domain? Most registrars allow a grace period after a domain name expires for the registrant to renew it. That grace period can be as short as one to two weeks or as long as one year in some cases. If the current registrant does not renew it within the allotted time frame, then that domain name should become available. The actual grace period is different for each individual registrar. Once they release the domain name, you will be able to register it through us. In many cases, soon-to-be-expired domains will be put up for auction. If the current registrant fails to renew the registration within the allotted grace and subsequent redemption periods, you can attempt to obtain the domain name by placing a bid for it. I just registered a new domain name. How long until I can use it? New domains and changes to domain names may take up to 4-8 hours for .COM domain names and .NET domains and about 24-48 hours for all other domain names extensions to become effective. This is due to the number of networks involved, and the fact that several different agencies control those networks. This delay applies to all domain names and all registrars. Please allow for this delay when planning Web sites or configuring a domain name to work with your email. What is a top-level domain (TLD)? A top-level domain (TLD) is the part of the domain name located to the right of the dot (" . "). The most common top-level domain names are .com, .net, and .org. Some other popular top-level domain names are .biz, .info, .name, and .ws. These common top-level domains have certain guidelines attached, but are for the most part available to any registrant, anywhere in the world. There are also restricted top-level domains (rTLDs), like .aero, .biz, .edu, .mil, .museum, .name, and .pro, that require the registrant to represent a certain type of entity, or to belong to a certain community. For example, the .name TLD is reserved for individuals and .edu is reserved for educational entities. Country-code TLDs (ccTLDs) are for Web sites and registrants of a particular geographic location. For example: .bz (Belize), .ca (Canada), .dk (Denmark), .ec (Ecuador), .ie (Republic of Ireland), .uk (United Kingdom), .us (United States), and .zw (Zimbabwe). What is a second-level domain (SLD)? Located immediately to the left of the dot (" . "), the second-level domain is the readable part of the domain name. The registrant defines the second-level domain. It typically refers to the organization or entity associated with the IP address. For example, in www.cnn.com "cnn" is a second-level domain. Second-level domains can be divided into further domain levels. For example: www.sportsillustrated.cnn.com. These sub domains sometimes represent different computer servers within departments. More than one second-level domain name can be used for the same IP address. Can I register a domain without having a hosting provider yet? Yes, you can register as many domain names as you'd like and choose to have them parked until you find a hosting provider. To do so, register a domain name and select "Parking." If this option is chosen, a temporary Parked Page displays whenever somebody types your domain name in their browser. This temporary page will inform anyone passing by that this is the future location of your site. A parked page will be active in 4-8 hours for .COM and .NET domains and about 24-48 hours for all other domain name extensions. What do I do if I have a trademark dispute? Unfortunately, we cannot make any changes to the registrant fields without a legal change of ownership, a court order, or an order by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). If you feel that you are the rightful owner of the domain name, please contact the registrant of the domain name. If you are unable to find a satisfactory solution with the current registrant, you need to settle the issue with a court order. We do not get involved in domain disputes. We cannot make changes to a registrant field without a legal change of ownership or a court order. Discrepancies with trademark or rightful ownership are handled by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Their email address is domain.disputes@wipo.int. If a domain name is under a dispute, we lock the domain name once the WIPO notifies us. It cannot be modified or transferred to another registrar. Once we receive a court or WIPO ruling we update the domain name accordingly. What does it mean to park a domain name? When you park a domain name you are reserving your registered domain name until you have created your Web site, found a hosting provider, or sold the domain name to a third party. When you park your domain name, a temporary Web page displays whenever somebody types your domain name in their browser. Unparking (Activating) Your Domain Name Once you determine which hosting provider you will use, you must change the name server information on your account to unpark, or activate your domain name. To Unpark (Activate) Your Domain Name(s) - Log in to your Account Manager.
- Under the Domain Names section, select Manage Domains .
- Click on the domain you want to unpark.
- In the Domain Details section on the right, click the plus sign next to Namservers Summary to expand it.
- Select Click here to see details or to modify .
- If you are hosting with us, select Default Hosting Name Servers . If you want to use other name servers, select Custom Name Servers and enter the name servers that you would like your domain name to point to.
- Click Save Changes .
This change can take between 4-8 hours for .COM and .NET domain names and about 24-48 hours for all other domain extensions to take effect. Checking if a Domain Name is Available To get started, you need to check and see if the domain name you want is available. To Check if a Domain Name is Available - Go to our Home Page.
- In the Enter a domain name search box, type in the domain name you are interested in.
- Select a top-level domain from the drop-down list (.com, .org, .net).
- Click Search .
If the domain name you want is available, you can follow the instructions on the page to proceed to the next steps in the registration procedure. If the domain name you requested is already taken you, we will present you with some available alternatives. For example, you may be able to select a .info or .ws top-level domain, rather than a .com. So, you could register www.domainnamehere.info, instead of www.domainnamehere.com. |
