Domain Name Infomation and FAQ Thread

[zhenjie]

This thread is to help people understand more about Domain names, registration, DNS, etc.

I myself need enlightening on various issue with domain names, so this thread helps other newbies like me understand.

This is my knowledge.

You REGISTER a domain name with a company (say reg2c.com). They will register it with another Organisation (IANAC or something ) which is the head organisation for domains names?.

I'm not quite sure what happens after that. If i have a server ready how do I use my domain. I've been suggest mydomain.com but I'm not sure how to use it.

Anymore info you like to share please do.

[Chicken]

Not exactly...

http://www.icann.org accredits various registrars to handle domain registration
(see: http://www.icann.org/registrars/accredited-list.html ).

If you don't see your registrar on this list, it is because many registrars are actually resellers of one of these companies, and often offer a lower price per single domain, than the actual registrar itself (sometimes buying in bulk, and passing the savings on to you).

When you get a domain, in order for it to resolve (go somewhere when you type it into a browser), you need to enter nameservers (example: ns1.something.com, ns2.something.com). This nameserver contains the zone file for the domain.

The zone file points the domain name to the proper server (the server in which the domain is set up), and directs subdomains, email services, etc.

The domain must be set up on a server (you can't just point it to a server and hope everything will work, it won't). The server contains a file (httpd.conf) which has all the info such as the directory of the site's files, and other needed configuration lines.

That's the short version in a nutshell...

[MotleyFool]

Well Chicken as always get it dead right... but a little bit of "beware" for newbies..

There are 3 layers to a domain name going to a site

1. Your registrar who gives you yourdomainname.com and registers it in the Internic database along with your 2 nameservers

2. Your DNS server which stores your nameserver info [a domain can have multiple nameservers and also these can be changed without needing to either change the registrar or the other domain details] and also the DNS info [where your mail should go, where subdmain.mydomain.com should point to etc]

3. Your web server(s) [or host server(s)] where this DNS info take you to ...

It is quite possible to have your nameservers & DNS with the registrar [or some other third party like zoneedit] and then set up your site in a commercial web host [this gives you complete freedom to move from host to host]

But when you are registering, please make sure that you get a password and control panel to change your nameservers as and when you like. If your registrar is not giving this find some one else who does [enom.com, dabot.com]

If you are trying out a host, rather than changing the nameservers , keep your DNS yourself and send your domain to that host's IP.. that way you can move more freely [there are some disadvantages with this too]

It is also possible to host your site in 2 servers and use DNS to send your visitor to the second site if the first is down.. [recommended for high availability sites etc]

DNS is the real key to webhosting...

Everything else is easy
Cheers
Balaji

[cheatpark]

Also you must pay more than the cost of the domain name for it to be hosted. Like to put a website onto it. If you're not given ftp details then you just have the domain name and not webspace.

[Chicken]

Originally posted by cheatpark
Also you must pay more than the cost of the domain name for it to be hosted. Like to put a website onto it. If you're not given ftp details then you just have the domain name and not webspace.

Very good point, and something that confuses people all the time.