Registering a domain doesn't automatically make your Web site appear when visitors enter your domain into a Web browser. You have to upload your Web site to a computer that hosts the site and assigns a numeric address, called an IP address, to your domain. Your domain and associated IP address are stored in a database with every other domain and associated IP address. When visitors enter your domain into a Web browser, your domain works like an address forwarding service by forwarding visitors to the IP address where your Web site is stored. We use domain names instead of IP addresses because most people find it easier to remember a name rather than a series of numbers.
When you register a domain, you do not have to create and upload a Web site. You can also:
Sell it. Domains can be a great investment. If you have registered a domain that you are not using, maybe someone else can. Log in to your Account Manager and set up a For Sale parked page for your domain. Don't forget to include your contact information.
Protect your brand online. The more domains you register, the better. Prevent others from registering a similar domain to yours—just to steal away your customers. What to do with all these names? Forward them to your main domain.
Hold on to it. Maybe you haven’t decided what to do with your new domain. Don’t worry – there’s no rush. You can leave it parked with us for the length of your registration.
For new .COM and .NET domains and updates, it may take up to eight hours for changes to become effective. It may take up to 48 hours for changes made to all other domain extensions to become effective. This is because of the number of networks and agencies involved. Delays apply to all domains and registrars. Please allow for this delay when planning Web sites or configuring a domain to work with your email.
A domain name is a Web address, such as coolexample.com, that is linked to an IP address (which represents a physical point on the Internet). The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is the governing body that coordinates links between IP addresses and domain names across the Internet, so you can find Web sites by entering domain names instead of IP addresses into your Web browser.
For example, think of an IP address as an address for a house or business, such as the White House. The address, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is comparable to an IP address, and the name you know it as, the White House, is comparable to a domain name.
A domain name consists of a top-level and a second-level domain. A top-level domain (TLD), or domain extension, is the part of the domain name located to the right of the dot (coolexample.com). The most common domain extensions are .COM, .NET, and .ORG. Some other popular domain extensions are .BIZ, .INFO, .NAME, and .WS. These common extensions have certain guidelines, but are usually 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 registrants to represent a certain type of entity or to belong to a certain community. For example, the .NAME domain extension is reserved for individuals, while .EDU is reserved for educational entities.
Country-code TLDs (ccTLDs) are for Web sites and registrants of a particular geographic location, such as .BZ (Belize), .CA (Canada), .DK (Denmark), .EC (Ecuador), .IE (Republic of Ireland), .UK (United Kingdom), .US (United States), and .ZW (Zimbabwe).
The part of the domain name located to the left of the dot (coolexample.com) is called the second-level domain (SLD) name. The second-level domain name is the "readable" part of the address and refers to the organization or entity behind the Internet address. Second-level domain names must be unique on the Internet and registered with an ICANN-accredited registrar. As an ICANN-accredited registrar, you can register domain names through us.
The second-level domain is the readable part of the domain name that is located immediately to the left of the dot. For example, the second-level domain in coolexample.com is "coolexample." You define the second-level domain when you register most domains. However, there are some registries that restrict the second-level domain, such as .UK domains. Domains with this extension must include .CO. For example, coolexample.co.uk.
Second-level domains can be divided into further domain levels (for example, www.one.coolexample.com). These subdomains sometimes represent different computer servers within departments, but they can be created for any purpose. More than one second-level domain name can be used for the same IP address.
Nameservers are the Internet's equivalent to phone books. A nameserver maintains a directory of domain names that match certain IP addresses (computers). The information from all the nameservers across the Internet is gathered in a central registry.
This makes it possible for visitors to access your Web site using a familiar domain name, instead of having to remember a series of numbers.
Nameservers on other networks can access information at the central registry up to 8 hours after registering .COM and .NET domains and up to 48 hours for all other domain extensions. This period is referred to as the propagation period.
The nameserver you use depends on when you set up your hosting account. Our nameservers are:
ns51.domaincontrol.com
ns52.domaincontrol.com
When registering your domain with us, we park your domain on our parked nameservers so a temporary page displays when visitors go to your Web site. After determining which hosting provider you want to use, you can change your domain's nameservers to unpark and activate your domain name. You can purchase a hosting account with us to use our nameservers, regardless of where you registered your domain. Update your nameservers according to one of the following:
If you purchased your domain registration and hosting account with us, use our Default Hosted Nameservers.
If you purchased your domain registration with us but are hosting your domain elsewhere, your hosting company should provide at least two nameservers for you to enter through our Domain Manager. Some hosting companies also provide an IP address for nameservers, but we do not require an IP address.
If you purchased your domain registration with another registrar but are hosting your domain with us, point your domain to our nameservers. Check with your domain registrar for specific instructions on how to set your nameservers.
After updating your nameservers, it takes about 4 to 8 hours for other networks to access information for .COM and .NET domains and about 24 to 48 hours for other networks to access information for all other domain extensions.
NOTE: To set .ca nameservers for .ca domains, you must also enter an IP address. For example, if you set your .ca domain's nameserver to NS1.COOLEXAMPLE.CA, you must also set the IP address. You can enter up to nine IP addresses per nameserver. For more information, see Setting Nameservers for .CA Domains.
If you have a hosting account with us, the default nameservers you need to use depend on the day you set up your hosting account. Use one of the following sets of nameservers:
Unfortunately, we are unable to change or edit the spelling of a domain after it has been registered. We try to register the domain exactly as you enter it. Should the registration succeed, you are charged, even if the domain you entered was not what you actually intended to type.
You do have the option of cancelling the domain so that it is no longer registered to you, but cancelling does not entitle you to a refund of any part of your registration fee. Cancelling a domain is a permanent action.
Most registrars allow a grace period for registrants to renew expired domains. 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 may become available after any grace and redemption periods during which the registrar and registry may hold the domain. The actual grace period is different for each individual registrar. Once the domain becomes available, you can register it through us.
In many cases, soon-to-be-expired domains are auctioned. If the current registrant fails to renew the registration within the allotted grace and subsequent redemption periods, you can attempt to acquire the domain by placing a bid for it.
A dedicated IP (Internet Protocol) is a unique Internet address dedicated exclusively to a single hosting account. Normally, several hosting accounts reside on a single server and share that server's IP address. Dedicated IP addresses are usually used for large SSL-encrypted secure Web sites and particularly large and/or traffic-heavy sites. Most shared hosting users have no particular need for a dedicated IP address.
However, a dedicated IP address for your hosting account enables you to:
View your Web site via its IP address.
Access your accounts by FTP or the Web when the domain name is otherwise inaccessible, such as during domain name propagation periods.
Ensure faster response during periods of high traffic load.
Set up SSL protection on your Web site.
Most shared hosting users have little need for a dedicated IP address. However, a dedicated IP address does provide certain advantages.
Generally speaking, a dedicated IP allows you to:
Yes, you can register domains before you find a hosting provider. We automatically park domains you register with us. A temporary parked page displays when visitors go to your Web site. The parked page indicates you are reserving the site until you find a hosting provider and upload your site.
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, please contact the domain registrant. 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.
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 accordingly.
