Domain Name Registration

domains for beginners

myth Once you've registered a domain name, you own it.

Legally, you only own a license to use the domain - you do not gain title to it. However, for all practical purposes, the end result is the same. As long as the name has nothing to do with someone else's trademark or legal right to own the name, you own the domain name that you registered through us. Pay special attention to the "Organization" field when registering your domain name - the "Organization" field becomes the Registrant, the party to which the domain name is legally licensed.

In addition, unless you hand the role over to someone else, you will also be the Administrative Contact for your domain, which means that you are the person who can speak on behalf of the organization for which the domain name is registered. You should be able to answer non-technical questions about the organization's plans for the name. You should also be able to represent the organization regarding use of the name.

We recommend that you familiarize yourself with the respective Terms, Conditions and Policies issued by the Registrar. This agreement should list some of the conditions by which your domain name will be maintained and highlight their policy name disputes, including possible trademark infringement issues.

myth A domain name registration automatically means you get to post a web site and set up email accounts.

A domain name registration merely allows you to reserve a domain for later use with a hosted web site or hosted email accounts. So, a domain reservation alone does not make it possible to post web pages. For that, you need something more.

Imagine that your city allows people to reserve street names for their homes. You could choose any street name you want, pay the city a fee, and reserve that name so that no other street in the city could share that name. That's a lot like registering a domain name.

However, just because you've paid the city to reserve the name of the street, that doesn't mean they're going to hand you the title to property as well. If you want to actually pave a street, well, then you've got to go and find yourself some land. So you negotiate with someone who has a nice plot of land he's willing to sell you. That's a lot like finding a virtual host or internet presence provider (IPP). IPPs allow you to use their servers, which are connected to the internet 24 hours a day, to store your files so that anyone can access your web pages, any time. And, unlike most landowners willing to sell you land, the IPP will often also help you to send and receive mail that is addressed to your domain.

But wait, now. You've got yourself some land, but the whole idea was to have a home that stands at the address you've chosen for it, right? Well, now you've got to build it. You can either take a quick course in construction, buy a do-it-yourself homebuilder's kit (which we liken to buying a web authoring tool, or hire a construction company (which we liken to a web designer to build the structure for you.

So you see, a domain name registration is just a license that allows you to use your domain name with your web site. To be able to put pages on the web, there are a lot of other things you need.

myth You have to have a web site to register a domain name.

Nope! In fact, there are lots of domain names that have been registered but are waiting for their registrants to find a use for them. They are "parked" on nameservers. Most registrars offer "parking" services for those who are not quite ready to post their sites under their new domain name. Some charge extra for this service, and some include it in their registration fees. Check with the registrar for its policy.

myth The registration provider screens domain names for trademark infringement.

It is solely the responsibility of the registrant to be sure that the domain name he or she registers does not infringe on another party's copyright.

myth If I get the name first, I get to keep it forever.

Domain names are licensed, not bought. The licensing fee (or NIC fee) is payable yearly. Some registrars do allow you to prepay your NIC fee for anywhere from one to ten years.

You may wish to consider the all pros and cons before you decide to prepay your domain name far into the future. As new registrars are added to the pool, competition increases and prices are often lowered. It could be that in two years the standard or average fee has become as low as $10 per year. If you've prepaid your domain name for ten years $35 per year, you will have lost about $200.

When the renewal date for the domain name comes about, the current registrant is given the first opportunity to renew the domain name before others are given a chance to grab it. Just be sure that your registrar always has current contact information for you so that when the time comes you get that renewal notice!

myth Registering with a domain name reseller isn't a real domain name registration.

If you register your domain name through a domain name reseller who works with an ICANN-accredited domain name registrar, the domain name registration is just as real. In this situation, you are bound to the service agreement of the reseller as well as the service agreement of the registrar with whom the reseller works. A reseller should be able to tell you with what registrar they are registering their domains.

In many cases, registering your domain name through a reseller can be advantageous. Doing so can give you another set of Customer Service Representatives to work with who are often easier to reach than those at the registrar and are willing to share with you, the registrant, their knowledge and advice about dealing with the registrar. Although the reseller is not authorized to maintain your domain name or alter your records in any way, it should be able to direct you to the proper location where you may maintain your domain name records.

myth You can only register your domain name with Network Solutions.

ICANN has opened the domain registry to additional registrars. At this time, there are more than 30 ICANN-accredited domain name registrars of gTLD (com, net and org) domains. This has opened the door to competitive pricing as well as a greater concern for the end-user's satisfaction with the services provided by the different registrars.

myth InterNIC and Network Solutions, Inc. are the same entity.

The following is taken directly from the InterNIC Frequently Asked Questions page:

The InterNIC is a concept for an integrated network information center that was developed by several companies, including Network Solutions, in cooperation with the U.S. Government.

Under a recent agreement with the U.S. Government, Network Solutions is making the transition from the use of the word "InterNIC" in connection with its products and services. InterNIC is a registered service mark of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

myth If I move or change my email address, the registrar will find me when it's time to renew my registration.

Most registrars' service Terms and Conditions require that you keep your contact information up to date. When your domain name is up for renewal, they will usually send one and only one invoice/reminder. If you do not renew your domain name, it could be held by the registrar and be made unavailable for your use or even purged from the database and made available again for anyone to register. Be sure to keep your contact information current at all times!

Here's a hint about changing your email address in the database. If you know what your new email address will be, change it while you still have access to the old email address, especially if you are the Administrative Contact. Some registrars (such as Network Solutions) use the Administrative Contact email address as authentication of identity of the person who is modifying the domain records. Because the Administrative Contact is the only party with the power to authorize such modifications, the registrar may send a follow-up message to the Administrative Contact, asking that person to verify the request before the modification will be made to the database. If the Administrative Contact does not respond, the modification is not likely to occur.

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