Domain Hosting

The domain name of your web site, what you type into the browser (ex: www.hostingprimer.com), is one of the most important parts of it. This name is the first thing your customers or audience may see, it can serve as your business name or provide an idea of the content within.

There are two main parts of a domain name:

The top level domain or TLD which is the right most part, such as .com, .net, .us, .ca, .org.
The second level domain is the main part or identifying word/phrase. Hostingprimer is the second level domain of "hostingprimer.com".

Then there are canonical (cname for short) or sub-domains which are optional and under your control, some common examples are "www." or "ftp." or "forum." etc, these can be created any time after registration and used to specify different areas or functions of the site.

When registering your main focus is finding a suitable second level domain name which identifies your website, and pair it with the top level domain of your choice. Not all top level domains are equal, the top three (.com, .net, .org) are inexpensive to register yet also the hardest to find a suitable names for because of how popular they are, these TLD's can also command higher resale prices. Some of the more obscure or country specific TLD's may carry higher prices but are generally less saturated making it easier to find good domain name. Domains are registered for a minimum of 1 year at a time.

Find a good Domain Registrar

Where you register is also important, you may sign up with a hosting provider offering a free domain names with their plans but then find out you have no control over your new domain other than asking the hosting provider to change things for you. What happens if they suddenly go out of business or you need to upgrade to another server and you have to move your web site?

Registering the domain separately from your hosting plan at a registrar that offers a good control panel or domain manager will give you full control over the domain name. Places specializing in domain registration can also have extra features and services for free such as dynamic DNS, e-mail forwarding, and domain locking.

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