# Computer Corner - Internet 101: Domains



## Bob Hubbard (Dec 10, 2004)

*[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Internet          101: Domains
         By Bob Hubbard

[/font]*​         [font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]_*Geek          Speak*_ is rapidly invading the mainstream. Youll          often hear people say things like Whats the URL or Do          you have a domain?. But what are they really talking about? In          this article, I will explain what a Domain Name is, why you should have          one, how to get it, and what to do next. To help you understand some of          the Geek Speak, Ive included a small dictionary of          terms at the end of the article.[/font]

         [font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]*What          is a Domain Name?*
         It is your address on the Internet.[/font]

         [font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]*Why          should I have a Domain Name?*
         Having a domain name allows you to have an easy to remember address. Think          about it. Which is easier: widgit.com/~413/business or mysite.com? Having          your own distinct domain name also looks more professional.[/font]

         [font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]*How          do you get a Domain Name?*
         Obtaining a domain name is relatively easy. You would first contact a          Domain Registrar and search to see if the name you want is available.          If it is, you then would pay a small annual fee ($10-50 usually) to reserve          it for your use. While there are many places to register, they are all          associated with the main registrar, thereby reserving the name for you.          Your registered domain name will remain yours as long as you continue          to pay your annual registration fee[/font]

         [font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]*Ok,          I got a name, now what?*
         Now you have to point it at where your website is located. Your web host          will give you the information you need to do this step. Basically, you          would tell the registrar (usually by signing into a special management          area) where the Name Servers or DNS settings          are. DNS is the Map or Phone Book          for the Internet. [/font]

         [font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Once you          have told the registrar what your DNS is, you need to wait          a day or so for the Internet to update so it knows how to find you. (If          you think Change of Address Notices and the post office,          youll be close.)[/font]

         [font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Once you          have a domain, have updated the internets map and people          can now find your site, youll need to put something in there for          them to read. Ill cover that in my Internet 101: WebSites          article.[/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]_*-Terms-*_[/font]​         [font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]*Cyberspace*          - Refers to the various information resources that are available through          computer networks and the Internet, as well as to communities          which have developed through their common use of such resources, and to          the culture which is developing in such electronically connected communities.          May also be used to distinguish the physical world from the digital, or          computer-based world.[/font]

         [font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]*Domain          name* - Domain names are the alphabetic names used to refer to          computers on the Internet. A Domain Name includes a suffix such as .com,          .org, .gov, or .edu. The suffix indicates what type of organization is          hosting the site. [/font]



[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] com -            Originally stood for commercial, to indicate a site that            could be used for private, commercial purposes, but now the best well            known top level domain, and used for a wide variety of sites [/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] net -            Originally intended for site related to the Internet itself, but now            used for a wide variety of sites [/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] edu -            Use for educational institutions like universities [/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] org -            Originally intended for non-commercial organizations,            but organizations now used for a wide variety of sites [/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] gov -            Used for US Government sites [/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] mil -            Used for US Military sites [/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] int -            Used by International sites, usually NATO sites 
           A example of a domain name is irs.gov, aol.com, etc.[/font] 
         [font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]*Internet*          - A global connection of computer networks, also referred to as the Net,          which share a common addressing scheme. (See also World Wide Web)[/font]

         [font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]*IP          Address* (or IP number) - A set of four numbers, each between          zero and 255, separated by periods (eg: 192.168.0.5). The IP address uniquely          identifies a computer or other hardware device (such as a printer) on          the Internet.[/font]

         [font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]*URL*          - A URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is an address on the          Internet. The URL for the Internal Revenue Service, for example, is http://www.irs.gov.[/font]

         [font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]*Web*           Short for The World Wide Web. An Internet system          to distribute graphical, hyper-linked information, based on the hypertext          transfer protocol (HTTP). The World Wide Web is also known as WWW or W3.          The Web is not synonymous with the Internet; rather, it is just one service          on the Internet. Other services on the Internet include Internet Relay          Chat (IRC) and Newsgroups. The Web is accessed through use of a web browser.[/font]

         [font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]*Web          site* - A collection of pages or files linked together          and available on the World Wide Web. Web sites are provided by companies,          organizations and individuals.[/font]

         [font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Internet          works on IP addresses to connect people to websites. Each domain name          is translated behind the scenes into an IP address. A domain name however          is much easier to remember than an IP address.[/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]===[/font]​ [font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]_Bob          Hubbard is an administrator of the popular martial arts portal site MartialTalk.com          and president of SilverStar WebDesigns inc., a web site design and hosting          company specializing in affordable solutions for martial artists. A student          of all the arts, he is currently studying Modern Arnis. 
         Bob can be reached at kaith@martialtalk.com_[/font]​ [font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]_
*Published *
_[/font][font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]March          2004[/font] [font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]_MartialTalk          Magazine_[/font]​ [font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]_Copyright          ©2004 Bob Hubbard - All Rights Reserved_[/font]​


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## TigerWoman (Dec 10, 2004)

My daughter just got a sales job at a domain registry/host.  Don't know if I should post it, have permission from Bob but I believe there are just three of these now as the leading two are gobbling up the smaller ones.  TW


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## Bob Hubbard (Dec 10, 2004)

I use Godaddy, a reseller of mine uses Bulk Register.  I used to use Dotster but had some problems with them.


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