Logging on to the Internet for the first time can be a very overwhelming experience for someone. When it comes time to register a domain name and find a web host, the new Internet surfer can become very confused with all of the offers thrown at them and find some of the terminology hard to understand. I will cover some of the basics things that you need to know if it is your first time with domain name registration and web site hosting.
Domain Name Registration
In order to have a website you need a domain. You can compare it to your house address but it is in the virtual computer world. A domain name tells a computer where you are located online and how to drive to your house. Without a domain name, you will not be found online.
Before you get a hosting service for your website you need to register a domain name first. There are some hosting companies that do this for you but you are better off doing it yourself. You will save money and be in full control of your domain. You will find that there exist many domain registrars that are a little expensive, but you can get the same service for much cheaper through services like GoDaddy and NameCheap. There is no need to spend $30 a year to get a domain name.
You might want to register your name as your first domain. This can be your starting point to getting your name out on the Internet through a blog or a website and establishing a web presence. Don’t worry if you can’t get a .com name. There are many other popular extensions like .net, .org, .info or .ws that are available for you.
The registration process is very easy. First you enter the name you want. If it is available you then proceed to fill in your billing information. There are a couple of options that you can add on to your purchase like a WhoIs guard that can protect your identity and contact information from the public if someone is trying to look up the domain name owner.
That’s about it for getting your first domain name. After you register it you will get a confirmation e-mail. You can then log into your account and tell the domain to point to your web host which is known as changing the DNS servers. This simple step is all you need to do to get your website up. When you find your web host and sign up they will give your a DNS number that you can use to point your domain to your website. It is like giving the domain driving directions to your house or web host where your website is located.
Web Site Hosting
Now that you have your domain name you are ready to find a web site hosting and put up your site. First you have to decide what type of site and how many you are going to put up to determine what type of hosting you will need. You might be tempted to get free web hosting, but just be aware it will come with many advertisements on your website. You can get hosting for real cheap that is reliable and fast.
There are a couple of different types of plans that you can choose from. You can get a dedicated server which is on the expensive side, but you get a whole entire server to your self with no other websites and get tons of space to put up as many sites as you want. You probably won’t need this much power but if you are looking to start a business or anything else that requires speed and space, then this might be for you.
The other choices are reseller or shared hosting plans. With shared hosting you share the server with a bunch of other websites. It is kind of like a bunch of domains all living in one house. The domains all point to there own websites, but they all live together. This might be a good option if you are on a budget or are not looking for a lot of space for your website. You can find some really good shared plans for $20 a month and under.
A reseller plan is where you own a portion of the server and you can divide it up as you see fit. It is kind of like your own shared hosting. You own a couple of rooms in the house and you can rent it out to people or domains. This is the kind of plan you might want if you want to make some money selling web hosting or you don’t want anybody else living in your house.
You will find many web hosting companies also offer things like website builders which are a plus. These can help you build a website from scratch if you do not have any knowledge of HTML or design skills. That’s about it for domain name registration and web site hosting. Now that you know the basics, you are ready to conquer the Internet with your very own domain and website.
