What
is a domain name?
A
domain name is an Internet address, as well as a brand for
your website. Every website is tied to a domain name. A
domain name, like "yourdomain.com", is an easy to
remember Internet address that allows people who surf the
Web to find your website. As all domain names are unique,
there is sometimes competition in the market to register
a domain name of choice before other Internet users have
the chance. In order to get your own domain name, the name
you want needs to be registered and put on record, so that
computers querying the DNS (Domain Name System) can find
your website.
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How
does a domain name get registered?
Registering
a domain first involves finding a registrar or a company
that can license domain names, and paying that company a
fee to register your domain. Next, the registrar sends your
registration information to be stored at the NSI Registry.
The NSI Registry is where all valid gTLD are stored. (gTLD
= "generic Top Level Domain" names, such as .com, .net,
and .org, but not foreign domain name extensions like .uk
or .cc). Once the domain has been placed in the NSI Registry,
it is yours until the registration expires, anywhere from
1 to 10 years depending on how long you have registered
it.
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How
do I point my domain to 24/7 Solutions Online nameservers if it is registered elsewhere?
If
you registered your domain with 24/7 Solutions Online, simply
e-mail our support department with
your information and we can modify your nameserver information
for you. In this case, when you order your server from 24/7
Solutions Online, you need to choose "Option 2: I own this
domain and want to transfer it" in the "Reserve A Domain
Name" section of the order form.
If
you registered your domain at a company other than 24/7
Solutions Online, you will need to contact your registrar
and provide them with the 24/7 Solutions Online nameserver
information. In this case, when you order your server from
24/7 Solutions Online, you need to choose "Option 3: I own
this domain, but I do not want to transfer at this time"
in the "Reserve A Domain Name" section of the order form.
24/7
Solutions Online Nameserver Information:
Primary Server Host Name:
NS1.DNSHOSTSYS.COM
Primary
Server Net Address:
XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX
Secondary
Server Host Name:
NS2.DNSHOSTSYS.COM
Secondary
Server Net Address:
XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX
NIC
Handle:
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Does
24/7 Solutions Online register
domain names?
Yes,
you can register domains with .com, .org, and .net extensions
with 24/7 Solutions Online. 24/7 Solutions Online does not
register the .edu or .gov domains, however, and we do not
register international domains. Please check our International NIC Guide for information about
registering foreign domains.
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How much does it cost to register domains
through 24/7 Solutions Online?
Registration
fees are the same no matter what length of time you register
a domain name. You will pay $30/year if you register for
1 year or 10 years!
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For how long can I reserve my domain
at 24/7 Solutions Online?
You
can register domains at one-year increments for up to 10
years.
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How
long can a domain name be?
Your
domain name can technically be up to 67 total characters
long. The 67 characters include the extension (.com, .net,
.org), but do not include the "www." Basically, if you register
a domain with a ".com" extension, you still have room for
63 characters for the domain name itself.
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What
domain name extensions can I use?
In
the United States, there are currently only five valid domain
name extensions: .com, .net, .org, .edu, and .gov. There
are a variety of other extensions that can be used from
other countries as well. For details on the available international
extensions and on any requirements that may be associated
with them, please take a look at our International NIC Guide.
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What
are the uses for the different domain name extensions?
The
domain name extension system was set up so that each of
the extensions would be used for a specific purpose. The
guidelines for .com, .net, and .org are not hard set, and
the lines between them have been blurred significantly in
recent years. On the other hand, the guidelines for .gov
and .edu extensions are generally adhered to. They are basically
as follows:
- .com
domains are to be used for general commercial or business
purposes. It is accepted practice to use .com for personal
websites as well.
- .net
domains are to be used for networked systems. This can
be a network of people, companies, communities, or computers.
- .org
domains are to be used for non-profit organizations. Sometimes
these are used for personal websites as well.
- .edu
domains are reserved for use by accredited, secondary
educational institutions only.
- .gov
domains are reserved for use by United States government
agencies only.
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My
domain registration has expired. Can I register it with
a new registrar now?
Yes,
but this can be risky. When you allow your domain to expire
with your current registrar, it can take anywhere from 1
to 45 days before that domain is fully free to be registered
somewhere else. There is no notice or warning when the domain
is set free, and someone else can sneak in and register
the domain before you have a chance to re-register it.
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Can
I change registrars before my domain has expired with its
current registrar?
Yes,
but it is more expensive to do it this way. When you cancel
your domain with its current registrar, you do not get money
back for the unused time, and you must pay the full registration
amount with the new registrar. For example, if you originally
paid for a 2-year domain registration, and only three months
has passed before you decide to utilize another registrar,
you will need to pay the new registrar for the entire new
registration period (up to 10 years with 24/7 Solutions
Online), and the old registrar will not refund your unused
21 months. Because of this, it would make more sense to
change registrars near the end of your registration period.
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