Domain Name Extensions
Which top-level domains
are available?
What do .com, .net, .org, .biz,
.info, .ws, and .us represent?
What are the rules for registration
of .biz, .com, .info, .net, .org, and .ws names?
Who qualifies for a .us domain?
Which extensions are not available,
and why?
Registering a Domain Name
How do I register
a new domain name?
How do I check if a domain
name is available?
What can I do if the requested domain
is unavailable?
What do I enter as contact
information for my domain name?
How do I renew my domain-name registration?
Can I cancel a domain-name registration?
I just purchased a domain name. How
long until I can use it?
Parking and Unparking a Domain Name
What does it mean to park a
domain name?
How do I unpark my domain name?
Forwarding a Domain Name
What does it mean to
forward a domain name?
What does it mean to forward
with masking?
Hosting a Domain Name
What does it mean to host
a domain?
Managing a Domain Name Account
How do I manage
my domain-name account?
How do I find my domain name's expiration
date?
Can I purchase a domain
without having a hosting provider yet?
What if I forgot my password?
How do I forward or redirect a domain
name to my current Web site?
How do I enter the name servers of
the hosting account I have with another provider?
The Whois Function
Will my name
and account information be publicly available?
How do I find out who owns a domain name?
Miscellaneous
What can I do if I have
misspelled my domain name?
What is the uniform dispute resolution policy?
What if someone has my trademark registered?
General Information
What is a domain
name?
A domain name is a Web address. The domain name is mapped to
an IP address (which represents a physical point on the Internet).
Thus a domain name locates an organization or other entity on
the Internet. When someone types a domain name into a Web browser,
the requested Web page will open. For example, the domain name
www.yourdomain.com locates an Internet address for "yourdomain.com."
A domain name consists of a top-level and a second-level domain.
The "com" part of the domain name generally reflects the type
or purpose of the organization or entity and is called the top-level
domain (TLD) name. The part of the domain name located to the
left of the dot (" . ") — "yourdomain" in this case — is called
the second-level domain (SLD) name. The second-level domain
name — being the "readable" part of the address — refers to
the organization or entity behind the Internet address.
Second-level domain names must be unique on the Internet and
registered with an Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and
Numbers- (ICANN-)accredited registrar.
Back
to top What is a
top-level domain (TLD)?
A top-level domain is the part of the domain name located to
the right of the dot (" . "). The most common TLDs are .com,
.net and .org. Several new top-level domains have been added
to the menu recently, including, .biz, .info, .name, and .ws.
The top-level domains have certain guidelines attached, but
are for the most part available to any registrant, anywhere
in the world. Exceptions are the restricted TLDs (rTLDs) — which
include .aero, .biz, .edu, .mil, .museum, .name, and .pro —
that require the registrant to represent a certain type of entity,
or to belong to a certain community. The .name TLD is available
strictly for individuals, while .edu is reserved for educational
entities, such as universities or high schools. Where appropriate,
a top-level domain name can be of geographic significance and
hence only available to registrants in the locale defined by
the TLD. These are called country-code TLDs (ccTLDs) and include
such top-level domains as .bz (Belize),.ca (Canada), .dk (Denmark),
.ec (Ecuador), ie (Republic of Ireland), .uk (United Kingdom),
.us (United States), and .zw (Zimbabwe).
Back
to top What is a
second-level domain (SLD)?
Located immediately to the left of the dot (" . "), the second-level
domain is the "readable" part of the domain name. The second-level
domain is entirely defined by the registrant, and often refers
to the organization or entity associated with the IP address.
For example: In www.cnn.com "cnn" (Cable News Network) is a
second-level domain.
Second-level domains can be divided into further domain levels.
For example: www.sportsillustrated.cnn.com. These sub domains
sometimes represent different computer servers within departments.
More than one second-level domain name can be used for the same
IP address.
Back to top What
is the domain name system (DNS)?
The domain name system (DNS) enables each machine connected
on the Internet to be recognized by a domain name. Every computer
on the Internet has a unique IP (Internet protocol) address
which consists of a string of numbers. Since the IP addresses
can be difficult to remember, the DNS allows a familiar string
of letters (the "domain name") to be used instead of the IP
address. So instead of typing the IP address' arcane string
of numbers you can type, for example, "www.espn.com."
Back to top What
does it mean to register a domain name?
The Internet domain name system (DNS) consists of a directory,
organized hierarchically, of all the domain names and their
corresponding computers registered to particular companies and
persons using the Internet. When you register a domain name,
it will be associated with the computer on the Internet you
designate during the period the registration is in effect.
Note that the above description applies to domains that are
registered and hosted. If the registrant elects to, a domain
can instead be registered and parked. A
parked domain name does not need a DNS affiliation.
Back to top What
is a name server?
A name server is a computer that contains a list of domain names
and the associated IP addresses. When a domain name is typed
in a Web browser's address bar, the name server associates that
with the IP address, and the correct Web site — barring any
unforeseen difficulties — opens in the Web browser window.
Back to top Domain
Name Extensions
Which domain extensions
(top-level domains) are available?
The following top-level domains are available:
- .com
- .net
- .org
- .biz
- .info
- .ws
- .us
- co.nz
- net.nz
- org.nz
- Here is a world
wide list of domain registers
Back to top What
do .com, .net, .org, .biz, .info, .ws, and .us represent?
- .com — ("commercial") The most common extension for domain
names. Often represents companies or for-profit organizations.
Most personal Web sites also use this extension.
- .net — Generally represents Internet Service Providers
(ISPs).
- .org — Usually represents non-profit organizations or
groups.
- .biz — ("business") Reserved for use by businesses.
- .info — Made for both businesses and individuals. Usage
is unrestricted, but a .info TLD indicates that the Web
site primarily is informative.
- .ws — (Web site) An all-around, universally available
top-level domain.
- .us — Country-code top-level domain available for registrants
in the United States.
Back to top What
are the rules for registration of .biz, .com, .info, .net,
.org, and .ws names?
The .com, .info, .net, .org, and .ws TLDs are globally available
and unrestricted. Traditionally, however, names in .net have
been used by organizations involved in Internet infrastructure
activities — typically ISPs (Internet Service Providers) — while
.org is frequently used by noncommercial organizations. .biz
is available to businesses only. Albeit unrestricted, usage
of the .info TLD implies that the site content is of a primarily
informative nature.
Back to top
Who qualifies
for a .us domain?
To qualify for a .us domain name you must meet one of the following
Nexus Requirements. The U.S. Nexus Requirement is intended to
ensure that only those individuals or organizations that have
a substantive connection to the United States are permitted
to register for .us domain names.
To be in compliance with the U.S. Nexus Requirement, all registrants
for the .us domain must be either:
- A natural person (i) who is a citizen or permanent resident
of the United States of America or any of its possessions
or territories, or (ii) whose primary place of domicile
is in the United States of America or any of its possessions,
or
- An entity or organization that is (i) incorporated within
one of the fifty (50) U.S. states, the District of Columbia,
or any of the United States possessions or territories or
(ii) organized or otherwise constituted under the laws of
a state of the United States of America, the District of
Columbia or any of its possessions or territories,
or
- An entity or organization (including a federal, state,
or local government of the United States, or a political
subdivision thereof) that has a bona fide presence in the
United States.
Back to top Which
extensions are not available, and why?
The sponsored top-level domains .aero, .coop, .museum, and .pro.
require the registrant to be member of or affiliated with specific
communities, and are therefore not accessible to the general
public. The .aero TLD, for example, requires the registrant
to prove membership of the aviation community. Similarly, .gov
and .mil are reserved for the U.S. Government, and U.S. Military,
respectively, while .edu is restricted to educational entities.
Country-code TLDs outside the United States are also excluded.
Back to top Registering
a domain name
How do I register
a new domain name?
Please follow the below steps to register a domain name.
Check Availability
Type the desired domain name in the search box and select the
preferred extension from the drop-down list; then click "Check
Availability" to see if the requested name is available for
you to register. If the requested domain is available you may
continue signing up the domain by clicking "Continue." You will
be presented with all available variations of the desired domain
name (i.e. .biz, .com, .info, .net, org, .ws extensions). You
can select any of the displayed variations.
If the domain is not available you will instead be presented
with any available alternate versions of the domain name. Typically,
this means that you'll be offered the same second-level domain
name, but with a different top-level domain. If you don't like
any of the suggestions, you can pick another domain name and
check its availability.
Log
In
If this is the first time you have signed up for a domain name,
you must first create an account. To do so, define your user
name and password, and submit a valid email address so that
the registrar can communicate with you. If you are a returning
user, enter your user name and password, and click "Continue."
Select Length of Registration
Select the desired duration of your domain-name registration.
In most cases, you can register a domain name for 1-10 years.
When you sign up for a domain, you do not own that domain outright.
You are in essence renting the use of the domain name for a
certain period of time.
Enter
Contact Information
Enter your contact information. This information is used for
administrative purposes and must be kept current. You can have
up to four different contacts for your domain name:
- Registrant — The person that registers a domain name.
- Administrative — The person responsible for any administrative
issues pertaining to the account. Any administrative changes
to the domain must be approved by the administrative contact.
The registrar will use this contact for any non-technical
questions regarding the domain name.
- Billing — The person responsible for all billing information
relating to the domain name. The billing contact will also
receive invoices, charges and billing questions.
- Technical — The person responsible for providing technical
data, including name-server information. The registrar will
contact this person with any questions of a technical nature.
You must complete the Registrant
part of the contact information form. Completing the Administrative,
Billing
and
Technical fields is optional. If you wish to, you can instead
elect to apply the registrant information to the technical,
administrative and billing contacts as well. Multiple contacts
are often used for companies where more than one person is in
charge of the Web site.
Enter
DNS Data For Hosting Account
Select one of the following options for the desired domain name(s):
- Park domain
- Create “Domain for Sale” page
- Use one-page Web site
- Forward domain
- Forward with masking
- Host domain
- Enter name server information from other ISP
If selecting the latter, your Web site host can provide the
name server information you need.
Confirm
Registration Details
Confirm and verify your order details, and read and accept the
registration agreement.
Shopping
Cart
Review your selections, submit the customer and credit card
information and click "Check Out." If you wish to add to or
alter the contents of your shopping cart, you may do so by selecting
"Update Cart" or "Shop More."
When you have completed the transaction, you will see a confirmation
page that displays your customer number and order number and
provides some general guidelines for account management. You
will receive an email notification confirming your order.
Back to top How
do I check if a domain name is available?
To find out if a domain name is available, enter the desired
second-level domain in the domain name search box; then select
the preferred extension (top-level domain) from the drop-down
list. Click "Check Availability" to instantly find out if the
requested domain is available. If it is, you may proceed to
the next steps in the registration
procedure.
Back to top What
can I do if the requested domain is unavailable?
If the domain name you requested is already taken you will be
presented with any available alternatives (i.e. same second-level
domain, but with a different extension). For example, you may
be able to select a .info or .ws top-level domain, rather than
the requested .com. Thus you would be registering www.whatever.info,
instead of www.whatever.com. If none of the suggested alternatives
are to your liking, you can start over again and search for
a different domain for your future Web site.
An alternative solution is to use DynaGen Advanced Search, which
will generate a list of variations of a desired domain name.
You may pick any of the available listings.
Back
to top What
do I enter as the contact information for my domain name?
Enter your name, address, phone number, email address, company
affiliation, etc. Be sure to include accurate and updated information.
The registrar relies on this contact information if it needs
to reach you with issues concerning your domain name.
You must complete the Registrant
part of the contact information form. If you wish to, you can
elect to apply the registrant information to the technical,
administrative and billing contacts as well.
Back
to top How do I
renew my domain name registration?
Follow the below steps to renew a domain name that is currently
registered with this registrar.
- Select "Manage My Account" from the menu.
- Click "Domain Names" and log in with your user name and
password. A list of your registered domains will be displayed.
- From the list, select the domain name you wish to renew.
You can also search for domain names by using the domain
search function. Another option is Quick Search, which enables
you to search for a domain name by selecting a registration
or expiration time frame (e.g. “Past 7 Days” or “Next 30
Days).
- Click “Renew Domains.”
- Select the desired renewal period from the drop-down
list.
- Click "Submit."
- Finally, visit the shopping cart to review your order
and submit your billing information.
Back to top Can
I cancel a domain-name registration?
Yes, you can perform this function from the "Manage My Account"
section of this site. To do so, click "Domain Names," log in,
and select from the list the domain you wish to cancel. Next,
click "Cancel Domains" and confirm the cancellation by clicking
"Yes, Cancel Domain(s) Now" button.
Note that canceling a domain-name registration is a permanent
action and you cannot undo this action. You may reregister this
domain later for a new registration fee.
Back
to top I just purchased
a domain name. How long until I can use it?
A certain amount of time will elapse before a domain is fully
registered and thus active on the Internet. Generally, allow
24-48 hours between purchase and activation. In the interim,
you will not be able to publish or view your site, receive email
messages or make use of your domain name. Similarly, if you
make any changes to your domain name, such as modifying the
DNS or name servers attached to your domain name, it will take
up to 48 hours before the changes are implemented.
Back to top Transferring
a Domain Name
How
do I transfer a domain name from another registrar?
Please follow the below steps to transfer a domain name from
an existing account:
Select
Menu Item
Select "Transfer Domains" from the program menu.
Type
Domain Name Type in the domain name you will be transferring
and the registrar from which the domain should be transferred;
then click "Transfer Domains." Please note that only domain
names with .com, .org, .net, and .info top-level domains can
be transferred.
Log In
If this is the first time you have signed up for a domain name,
you must first create an account. To do so, define your user
name and password, and submit a valid email address so that
the registrar can communicate with you. If you are a returning
user, enter your user name and password, and click "Continue."
Enter Contact Information
This information is used for administrative purposes and must
be kept current. You can have up to four different contacts
for your domain name:
-
- Registrant — The person that registers a domain name.
- Administrative — The person responsible for any administrative
issues pertaining to the account. Any administrative changes
to the domain must be approved by the administrative contact.
The registrar will use this contact for any non-technical
questions regarding the domain name.
- Billing — The person responsible for all billing information
relating to the domain name. The billing contact will also
receive invoices, charges and billing questions.
- Technical — The person responsible for providing technical
data, including name-server information. The registrar will
contact this person with any questions of a technical nature.
-
- You must complete the Registrant
part of the contact information form. Completing the Administrative,
Billing and Technical fields is optional. If you wish to,
you can instead elect to apply the registrant information
to the technical, administrative and billing contacts as
well. Multiple contacts are often used for companies where
more than one person is in charge of the Web site.
-
Enter Name Server Information
Enter the name server information for the domain you are transferring.
You may complete the domain-name transfer, even if you do not
know the existing name servers of the domain you wish to transfer.
To do so, select "Keep existing name servers," and we will retrieve
the required name-server information from the current registrar.
Select the desired duration of your domain-name registration.
In most cases, you can register a domain name for 1, 2, 3, 5,
or 10 years. When you sign up for a domain, you do not own that
domain outright. You are in essence renting the use of the domain
name for a certain period of time.
Confirm
Registration Details
Review and verify your order details, and read and accept the
registration agreement.
Shopping
Cart
Review your selections, submit the customer and credit card
information and click "Check Out." If you wish to add to or
alter the contents of your shopping cart, you may do so by selecting
"Update Cart" or "Shop More." When you have completed the transaction,
you will see a confirmation page that displays your customer
number and order number and provides some general guidelines
for account management. You will receive an email notification
confirming your order.
Back to top
What do I do
if I don't know the existing name servers of the domain I
am transferring?
You may complete the domain-name transfer, even if you do not
know the existing name servers of the domain you wish to transfer.
To do so, follow the
domain-transfer procedure. When prompted to enter the name
server information, select "Keep existing name servers," and
we will retrieve the required name-server information from the
current registrar.
Back to top How
can I transfer my domain name for more than one year?
When you transfer a domain your registration is automatically
extended one year. Once the transfer is completed you can renew
your domain name registration for up to 10 years. The transfer
takes 5- 7 business days. Once your domain name transfer is
completed, please follow these directions to renew the domain-name
registration:
- Select "Manage My Account" from the menu.
- Click "Domain Names" and log in with your user name and
password. A list of your registered domains will be displayed.
- From the list, select the domain name you wish to renew.
You can also search for domain names by using the domain
search function. Another option is Quick Search, which enables
you to search for a domain name by selecting a registration
or expiration time frame (e.g. “Past 7 Days” or “Next 30
Days).
- Click “Renew Domains.”
- Select the desired renewal period from the drop-down
list.
- Click "Submit."
- Finally, visit the shopping cart to review your order
and submit your billing information.
Back to top My
domain name is about to expire; can I still transfer it?
That depends on the current registration's expiration date.
Close to the expiration date, domain names cannot be transferred
between registrars. Specifically, this registrar cannot process
transfers within 10 days of a domain's expiration
date.
Back to top Parking
and Unparking a Domain Name
What does it mean to park
a domain name?
Essentially, to park a domain name means to reserve your registered
domain until you have created the site content, found a hosting
provider, or sold the domain to a third party. When you park
your site, a temporary Web page will be displayed until you
have decided what to do with the domain. Domain name parking
is often used by registrants who do not yet have a hosting provider.
Parking options include a one-page Web site that’ll inform the
visitor to the site that, for example, this page is “Under Construction,”
“Coming Soon,” or “For Sale.” You can also elect to have a customized
page displayed. To set up your parked domain, use the One-Page
Web Site Setup Wizard in the “Parked Pages” section of the account
management department.
Back to top
How do I unpark (i.e.
activate) my domain name
Once you have determined which hosting provider you will use,
you must change the name server information so that the site
is no longer parked.
To do so:
- Select "Manage My Account" from the program menu.
- Select “Domain Names.”
- Log in using your domain user name and password.
- Select the domain from the list.
- Click "Modify Name Servers."
- Enter the name server information.
- Click "Save Changes."
This change can take up to 48 hours to take effect.
Back to top Forwarding
a Domain Name
What does it mean to
forward a domain name?
Forwarding a domain name enables you to direct incoming traffic
from your domain to an already existing Web site. Thus, when
someone attempts to access your site, he or she is automatically
redirected. Typically, this option is selected by users who
are registering a new domain, but are already hosting their
files elsewhere. When the domain name is forwarded, the destination
address, not your domain name, is displayed in the browser's
address bar. This can be avoided by choosing to forward
with masking.
Back to top What
does it mean to forward with masking?
If you decide to forward with masking, visitors are effectively
kept from knowing they have been redirected.
Forwarding with masking secures that your domain name remains
in a visitor's browser's address bar when the visitor is being
redirected. That way, the actual destination address is concealed
from the user who only sees the domain name from which he or
she is being forwarded. If you are using regular forwarding,
the destination address, not your domain name, is displayed
when the visitor is redirected. So if, for example, the destination
Web page has the address http://members.geocities.com/users/username,
that address can be hidden and www.yourdomain.com can be shown
instead.
Back to top
Hosting a Domain
What does it mean to host
a domain?
Hosting (also known as Web site hosting and Web hosting) is
the business of housing, serving, and maintaining files for
one or more Web sites.
Back to top
Managing a Domain Name Account
How do I manage
my domain name account?
To manage your domain name account, select “Manage My Account”
from the program menu. The account management menu encompasses
the following items:
- Domain Names — Displays a list of registered domain names.
Select from the list to modify contact information, modify
name servers, renew domain registrations, cancel domain
registrations, and change domain ownership.
- Parked Pages — Enables setup of parked pages, including
creation of one-page Web site.
- Domain Forwarding — Enables management of forwarded domain
names.
- Customer Information — Allows you to review and update
your customer profile, including name, address, etc.
- Order History — Displays receipts from your prior purchases.
- Payment Information — Enables you to update the credit
card information on file for your account.
You will need your user name, password and/or customer number
and email address in order to perform the above actions.
Back to top How
do I find my domain name's expiration date?
If your domain is registered with another registrar:
- Go to your registrar's
Web site and do a ”Whois” lookup on your domain name.
- If you do not remember
who your registrar is, you can find the information by doing
a ”Whois” lookup here. Just click the “Whois” link at bottom
of any page.
If your domain is registered with US:
- Click the "Manage Your
Account" link
- Select “Domain Names.”
- Login with your domain
name user name and password.
- A complete list of your
registered domain names and their expiration dates will
be displayed.
Back to top Can
I purchase a domain without having a hosting provider yet?
You can register and purchase as many domains names as you'd
like and choose to have them parked until you have found a hosting
provider. To do so, register a domain name and select "Parking."
If this option is chosen, a temporary Web page will be displayed
while you finish creating your site, sell the domain, etc. The
temporary site will inform anyone passing by that this is the
future location of your site. The temporary site will be active
24-48 hours after you have completed the purchase.
Back to top What
if I forgot my password?
If you have forgotten your account password, click “Forgot your
login name or password” on the login screen. Enter the domain
name. The login information will then be emailed to your domain's
administrative contact.
Back to top
How do I forward
or redirect a domain name to my current Web site?
To forward or redirect visitors from your parked domain to an
already existing Web site, select domain
name forwarding. If you prefer to conceal the destination
for the address from the visitor and only display your domain
name, you can choose forwarding
with masking.
Please follow these directions to set up the domain name forwarding:
- Select "Manage My Account" from the program menu.
- Click "Domain Forwarding."
- Log in using your customer number or email address, and
password.
- Select ”Set Up Forwarding.”
- From the drop-down list, select the domain name you are
forwarding.
- Enter the URL you want your domain name to point to.
- Click "Save Settings."
It will take approximately 15 minutes before updates are implemented.
Back to top How
do I enter the name servers of the hosting account I have
with another provider?
Follow the directions below to enter the name server information:
- Select "Manage My Account" from the program menu.
- Click “Domain Names.”
- Log in using your user name and password.
- Select the domain name(s) for which you wish to enter
the name server information
- Click "Modify Name Servers."
- Enter the name servers.
Continue following the above directions until you have added
all name servers. Contact your current hosting provider if you
do not have the name-server information.
- Click "Save Changes" when done.
Please note that it will take up 48 hours before the updates
are implemented.
Back to top The
"Whois" Function
Will my name
and contact information be Made publicly available?
Information about who is responsible for domain names is publicly
available to allow rapid resolution of technical problems and
to permit enforcement of consumer protection, trademark, and
other laws. The registrar will make this information available
to the public on a "Whois" site. It is, however, possible to
register a domain in the name of a third party, as long as the
third party agrees to accept responsibility — consult your registrar
for further details.
Back to top
How do I find out who owns
a domain name?
If you select a domain name that is already taken, a link ("already
taken, click here for info") to the "Whois" function will appear.
You will then be able to look up the contact details of that
domain's owner.
Back to top Miscellaneous
What can I do if I have
misspelled my domain name?
Your domain-name registration is submitted as soon as you complete
the registration process. The registrar is required to pay the
registration fee at that time. Therefore, your domain name cannot
be changed after you complete the registration.
You will have to register the correct spelling if you want that
domain name. This registrar cannot offer any refunds for misspelled
domain names.
Back to top What
is the uniform dispute resolution policy?
ICANN's Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP)
defines how disputes over domain-name registrations are resolved
in the global top-level domains (.biz, .com, .info, .name, .name,
.net, .org, .pro, and .ws, as well as .aero, .coop, and .museum).
In accordance with the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution
Policy, you can dispute a claim to a domain name by following
the dispute process. The UDRP does not apply to country-code
top-level domains, except in a few cases where the local administrator
has decided to adopt it. Please see the dispute policy for more
information.
Back to top What
if someone has my trademark registered?
If you can prove that the trademark in question is yours, you
may be able to bring a dispute against the registrant. For more
information on how to bring a dispute against another party,
please see the dispute policy.
Back
to top |
