Domain Name Registration
A domain name is what you type into a browser to navigate to a page, http://www.yoursite.com for example. Securing a domain name is the first step to building your own website.
Even if you're not quite ready to build your website, it is often a good idea to purchase a domain to ensure that it is available when you are ready. Certain registrars such as GoDaddy will let you backorder a domain name or bid on those that being sold by the owners. Additionally, even without a website you can still receive email addressed to you@yourdomain.com.
Web Tutorial Zone recommends GoDaddy as the best value domain registrar although several other options are compared below.
| GoDaddy | iPowerWeb | Yahoo! | Network Solutions | |
| Top Level Domain | $8.95 / year | $8.25 / year | $9.95 / year | $34.99 / year |
| Privacy Protection | $8.95 / year | N/A | $9.00 / year | $9.00 / year |
| Domain Backorder | $18.95 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Domain Parking | FREE | FREE | FREE | FREE |
| Domain Masking | FREE | N/A | requires banner | N/A |
| Domain Forwarding | FREE | N/A | FREE | N/A |
| Email Forwarding | 100 FREE | N/A | FREE | $25 / year |
| Automatic Renewal | FREE | FREE | FREE | FREE |
 |
|
|
| |
| * All prices exclude the mandatory $.25 ICANN registration fee. | ||||
Top Level Domains
A domain name consists of two parts: the label and the extension. While there are over 20 available extensions, .com (commercial), .org (organization) and .net (network) are the most popular available to the public and are known as "Top Level Domains." Other options include .biz, .us, .info, .name, .ws and those specific to a country such as .uk, .us or .mx. The extensions .edu and .gov are reserved for educational and government institutions, respectively.
FREE DOMAIN NAMES
Privacy Protection
When you register a domain, your name, phone number, street address and email address are listed publically in the WHOIS directory and is available to anyone. Adding privacy protection to a domain name will ensure that your personal information remains private.
Domain Backorder
Ofter, the domain name you want is not available. In this case, some registrars offer a backorder service and will attempt to register it on your behalf as soon as it expires and becomes available.
Domain Parking
If you don't have a web host lined up when you register your domain, many regristrars will allow you to "park" your website on their servers, usually displaying a page advertising the registrar, until you have found hosting.
Domain Forwarding
Domain forwarding is the process of directing, or "pointing," one domain name to a different website. For example, if you purchase the domain name mysite.com and forward it to thissite.com, anyone who types mysite.com into their browser will automatically go to thissite.com.
Domain Masking
Domain masking is similar to domain forwarding only, once a user is forwarded to the destination site, the original domain name is still displayed in the browser's url bar so that it is not evident that forwarding has taken place.