Resgistering a Domain Name

In addition to Web Hosting, most businesses or individuals will want to have their own domain name to distinguish their site from the other millions on the Internet today. The
cost for registering a domain name has decreased dramatically over the past year, giving everyone the opportunity to have a unique Internet identity.

Until April of 1999, the only option for registering a domain name was through Network Solutions and the fee was $35 per year. However, as of late 1999, ICANN (The
Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) began allowing other organizations to register Top Level Doamins (.com, .net, and .org). As a result, the price of
domains names has decreased from $35 to as low as $20 per year. Currently there are over 40 ICANN acredited domain registrars and numerous other resellers who provide
domain registration.

The domain registration process is fairly simple and in fact you do not need to have a current Web Host to register a domain name. Most companies will provide you with the
ability to search for a particular domain name to see if it is available or if it has already been registered by another party. You can use the search form at the bottom of this
page to search for a domain name.

Once you find a domain that is available, you can use a credit card to submit payment. Be sure to ask the company that you use for your domain registration if you will be the
owner. In some cases, domains have been registered on behalf of others and the domain ownership becomes an issue. Also, inquire about the process for modifying your
domain name record. For example if you want to change ownership , change name servers, or contact information, there should be a standard procedure for making these
changes. In most cases you are provided with a username and password that will allow you to administer your domain name record.

Choosing the right domain name can sometimes be a difficult task, especially if your first choice is already taken. You should have several alternate domains in mind when
doing your search. Most common terms were taken long ago and some agencies report that domain names are being registered at a rate of 10,000 per day. As a result you
may have to be very creative to find an available domain that suits your needs. One tool that may help you in this process is a Domain Name Wizard. This tool allows you to
select certain keywords that you want included in your domain name and will return a list of domain names that match your selected keywords.

Once you have a domain name registered and you have selected a Web Host, you will need to notify your domain registrar so that they can "point" your domain to your Web
Hosting account. Generally, this involves modifying the name servers associated with your domain name. If you are not sure what name servers to use, ask your Web Host for
details, they should be able to provide you with any details necessary to transfer your domain to your new Web Hosting account.

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The cost for registering a domain name has decreased dramatically over the past year, giving everyone the opportunity to have a unique Internet identity.