Domain Hosting - Your Success Lies on Choosing the Right Company

No matter in which business you are involved in it certainly demands a website of your own. In today's Internet Age, a business cannot make as a brick and mortar alone. This is why domain hosting would be an important term for you to learn and understand. Many hosting providers offer domain hosting today at very cheap and affordable prices. What you have to do is to find the best with unlimited domain hosting offers, as well as security and maintenance. However, do not be lured in by the Multiple domain unlimited hosting, stick to the single domain unlimited hosting as many multiple domain hosting providers oversell their servers. Just like on an airline when the airline oversells the seats on the plain, then they have to make special offers to have people volunteer to take the next flight. Well with hosting, there is no next flight and the oversold servers cannot keep up with demand, so your site will not be reachable.

Picking out the best hosting among so many is a very big problem. Many things need to be considered, mainly the companies are offering you and what services will be best for you. If you are thinking about owning several sites, then you must look for a multiple domain hosting. All of your sites will be maintained under one panel. Be sure the hosting company provides you adequate space, sufficient bandwidth, strong security, regular maintenance and last but not the least a very spontaneous customer service. Your domain registration should be seamless and many hosting companies also offer secure web certificates. You need to look at everything and ensure you are relying on the right hosting company. And remember, watch out for domain hosts that are trying to offer unlimited hosting with multiple domains, multiple domain hosting should never be unlimited hosting.

Domain hosting is essential for every sort of business; it doesn't matter if you own a hot dog stand or a multimillion dollar investing firm. Your domain hosting provider will provide you with a domain name such as.com,.net etc., if possible get a.com as it is the most recognized. But many web hosting companies are giving you the opportunity of hosting many websites with a single account. This is undoubtedly a risky feature.

What is multiple domain hosting? It is actually in high demand if you have several websites and you want to reduce the costs remarkably. You are running your several websites under one control panel. Only one hosting account is needed if the company offers you unlimited hosting "run". Let me ensure this is clear. In multiple domain hosting you are to select a primary domain and then define the other sites as sub domain and this will reduce your total maintenance cost. It also offers you the optimum utilization of your space and data transfer rate (bandwidth).

Before registering with domain hosting companies, be sure you are the owner of the domain. Read the terms and condition carefully, all web hosting companies are not created equal; depend on a quality company like Gossimer instead. Many web hosting companies offer an unlimited bandwidth and space. But most of the space and bandwidth is not utilized by the customers. The load on the server is kept down because the basic website requires very few resources and this feature allows the hosting company to spread the load amongst a larger customer base.

Many cheap domain companies may offer you unlimited bandwidth, unlimited space and many more eye attractive offers. Is it possibly true? The answer is No. you have to understand they are not for a community service. Most of them offer you a shared server. So security is a big question. Moreover, if you carefully examine the website hosting terms and condition you will be able make sure you understand the entire thing and will not lose your domain because the host decides to claim it. Their offers most often indicate some limits of traffic or something. So, don't run after the free offers.

If you are about to decide for a domain hosting company the last thing to check are the security facilities. You should make sure about your authorization of ownership, your unique domain name registration, the validity of your domain registration and the check out whether the terms and condition of the domain hosting provider are favorable for you or not. Do not look for the multiple domain hosting offers. It is worth the additional cost to host each domain name separately.

Domain hosting is the primary step of bringing your site into the global arena. So your business success lies immensely on choosing the right domain hosting company. Keep the words above in mind. Stay focused.

http://www.gossimer.com/website_hosting_linux.html

How to Position A Domain Name To A Website Hosting Account

If you are a new Internet business owner, you likely have spent a good deal of time trying to determine what domain name will be best for your operations. To this end, you may have taken the steps necessary to determine the availability of a particular domain name. In fact, finding that it is available may have made you very pleased. Not registering the domain name upon your first visit, you return a couple of days later... to find that someone else has registered the domain name you wanted in the interim.

Of course, this all could have been a coincidence. Nonetheless, in this day and age, a more likely possibility may be that another entity actually tracked your search for a particular domain name and intentionally registered that domain name itself. Those entities that are now engaging in this insidious practice are said to be domain name spying. In fact, there now appear to be operations that solely engage in domain name spying.

The reality is that there is nothing new about operators interfering with a bona fide business's attempts to register a domain name. Cybersquatting involves registering a domain name confusingly similar to another trademark and then offering to sell that domain name to the trademark's actual owner for a greatly inflated price. There are other practices that interfere with legitimate attempts to register domain names, including domain name tasting and domain kiting.

Domain name tasting is a process that takes advantage of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) policy that allows a five day grace period in which a domain name can be returned. A domain name taster registers numerous domain names in order to generate advertising income from short term ownership to determine which domain names might be most profitable over the long haul. If the registrant finds that certain domain names don't meet his or her goals, the domain name simply is returned.

Domain kiting actually takes the tasting concept a step further. Through kiting the ICANN grace period is abused. As with domain name tasting, the registrant will return a domain name at the end of the ICANN five day grace period. The different between kiting and tasting is that when the registrant returns the domain name, the registrant will then quickly reacquire the same domain all over again. In short, a registrant engaging in kiting will retain ownership of the domain name in question over an extended period of time and will never pay for that ownership.

Understanding domain name tasting and kiting, a reader can appreciate how domain name spying is an outgrowth of these practices. The difference rests in the fact that domain name spying is intended to target those domain names that someone else or another business enterprise has a specific interest in owning. At this juncture, it is not specifically known how a domain name spy gathers information relating to another business checking on the availability of a domain name.

Some victims of domain name spies may have at least some recourse through trademark and cybersquatting laws. However, if a domain name spy does not violate these laws, a business actually may have no remedy at this juncture.

If you find that you have been victimized while checking the availability of domain names, you probably will end up with two choices:

1. select another domain name

2. pay the domain name spy a premium for the domain name you actually do want

The best way to avoid becoming a victim of domain name spying is to purchase immediately any domain that you may have an interest in. Remember, if you elect not to use a certain domain, you have five days to return that domain name with no charge to you.

http://www.masudco.com/

25 Easy Steps To Recover A Downed Domain (Don’T Panic)

If you are one of the many businesses that have Windows Server 2008, then you may have had the unexpected pleasure of having a Domain Controller fail on you.   Now if you do not know what the domain controller is then you are in for a treat.   The domain controller is only the most important computer within your Windows Server 2008 domain.   But, on the other hand, you may have had a technician install this beast of a computer.   I put this lightly.  The domain controller is a power server but it does not have to be put on a very powerful box.   What you do need to do is make sure that it is redundant.   So, what should we do if the domain controller does go down and we have another domain controller?   Well, first, I want to tip my hat to you.   Not many companies know the importance of having more than one domain controller in their environment.    Let's digress a little.   Why do you want to have multiple domain controllers?   See, the domain controller does several different things.   It has roles such as the Schema master, Domain Naming Master, RID Master, Infrastructure Master and PDC Emulator.   These control the overall environment.   Let's go over some definitions.   Don't go to sleep on me.  We will be getting to the good stuff soon enough.Schema Master

Now you are asking, what is a schema?  The schema is just a database.  If you have used Excel or Access in the past then you have been exposed to a database.   The schema is a database.   Now the schema is composed of Classes which are the Tables and Attributes which are the fields.   So, the Schema Master controls the updates to the schema.   So, you can say that this is relatively important server.   It only controls every entry that we make into the Active Directory Domain Service utility called ADUC which is short for Active Directory Users and Computers.   This role is located on the first domain controller that is added to the Forest by default.   There is only one Schema Master per Forest.  When you update the schema which is known as extending the schema, you need to be in the same Forest as this domain controller.

Domain Naming Master

So, what is the definition of a domain?  A domain is a logical grouping of computers where the domain controller is the central repository for accounts, security and policies.   The Domain Naming Master is in charge of keeping track of the adding and deletion of more domains within the environment.   This role is located on the first domain controller that is added to the Forest default.   There is only one Domain Naming Master in the Forest.

 

PDC Emulator

Remember the old Operating System know as Windows NT 4.0.   It was the predecessor to Windows Server 2008.   Well in the old days which is really little over 10 years, the main domain controller was known as the Primary Domain Controller.   So, that is where this role comes into play.   It takes the place of the Primary Domain Controller.   The main service that it controls is time.   If this puppy is not functioning right then you whole environment will suffer.  This role is located on the first domain controller that is added to the Forest by default.  Now unlike the other roles, the PDC Emulator is located in every domain in the Forest.  But, there is only one per domain.   This is one of the most important servers in the Domain.

RID Master

The unique identifier for a database is known as the primary key.  Well the primary key that provides uniqueness within Active Directory Domain Services is the SID which is known as the Security ID.   The RID Master controls the RID Pool for the domain.  The RID is the Relative Identifier.   When we run out of RIDs then we will not be able to add additional security principals such as accounts.   Here is a tip do not recover this server.   If you bring this server on at the same time as another RID server then you will have a majorly messed up domain.   This role is located in every domain in the forest but only one per domain.

Infrastructure Master

This is an odd animal.  The main purpose of the Infrastructure Master is tracking movement within the domain.  This needs some clarification.  We are not talking about Big Brother.  Well, maybe.   The Infrastructure Master tracks the moving of an object (account) from one OU (Organizational Unit) to another or domain.   Now the reason I call this an odd animal is because it should not be on the same server as the Global Catalog.   Ok, I know we are about to go over the threshold limit of the human mind.   But, the Global Catalog has a copy of every attribute in the Forest.   This will be covered in another article.   Back the Infrastructure Master, this role is also located in every domain and there is only one per domain.

Whew, I know that is a lot to remember.  But this is important.  See, remember our problem…. The domain is down.   If you only have one domain controller is contains all of these roles.   HELLO, can you see where we are going with this.   Make sure you have more than one domain controller per domain.  Ok, here is another topic.  Replication.  No this is not cloning but similar.  The domain controllers in the Forest replicate there information to each other.   This introduces another term multi-master replication.    This just means that they have the same settings as the other guys.   Anyway, we come into work and find that the #1 domain controller has bit the dust.   Don't panic we can fix this.   Take a coffee break and realign your thought process.  

So, we have a pretty bad situation.  Users cannot logon; email server is down, yada yada yada.   So, here is the good stuff.    How do we get our domain back up and functioning?   Call me of course.   Just kidding.   This article is here to instruct you on how to recover from this disaster.   Before can do this we need to use one of two tools ADUC (Active Directory Users and Computers) or ntdsutil.   Of the tool tools, ntdsutil will allow us to everything that we need to do.   Ok, are you ready…..

To the Rescue Recovering From Disaster

Step 1.  Go to the second domain controller  (will Call this Jupiter)

         Logon with administrative credentials

Step 2.  Bring up the command prompt 

 Type cmd at the run command prompt  or access it from the Accessories menu under Programs on the menu

Step 3.  Type ntdsutil at the command prompt and press Enter

Step 4.  Type roles at the ntdsutil prompt and press Enter

Step 5.  Type connections at the roles prompt and press Enter

Step 6.  Type connect to server  Jupiter at the connections prompt and press Enter 

         You will be presented with a message saying you are connected and using current credentials

Step 7.  Type quit at the connections prompt and press Enter

 This will return you to the roles section

Step 8.  Type seize Schema Master at the roles prompt and press Enter 

 This will take over the Schema Master role and give it to Jupiter.  

Step 9.  Type seize Naming Master at the roles prompt and press Enter 

 This will take over the Domain Naming Master role and give it to Jupiter

Step 10. Type seize PDC at the roles prompt and press Enter 

 This will take over the PDC Emulator and give it to Jupiter

Step 11.  Type seize RID master at the roles prompt and press Enter 

 This will take over the RID Master and give it to Jupiter

Step 12.  Type seize infrastructure master at the roles prompt and press Enter

Right now you are probably saying that is a lot of steps.   We are complete with the first part.  WHAT, there is more?  Hold on don't get ansy this will have take only about 5 hours.  Just kidding.  This whole process will take about 10-20 minutes.   You will be the savior of the network.   All righty then, on to the next part.   By the way, the steps that are shown can be re-ordered when it comes to seizing.   The commands are not case sensitive either.  

Cleanup Time

Now in the beginning of the article, I pointed out each of the different roles and their purpose.   Well we forcibly took over the roles.   The other domain controller is still offline but still theoretically has those roles.   If we were to bring that domain controller up again there would be major confusion.   Also, Active Directory Domain Services does not know who to replicate changes.   The KCC (Knowledge Consistency Check) is looking for the partner.  The partner is no longer available.   We need to clean up this mess and quickly.

Step 13. Type quit at the roles prompt and press Enter 

         This will take us back to the beginning.

Step 14. Type metadata cleanup at the ntdsutl prompt and press Enter 

 This routine will get rid of the SRV records lingering in DNS and also records of the other domain 

controller in Active Directory Domain Services database the Schema.

Step 15. Type select operation target at the metadata cleanup prompt and press Enter 

 We need to identify the downed domain controller.

Step 16. Type list sites at the select operation target prompt and press Enter 

 This will list the sites within the Forest

Step 17. Type the # associated with the Site which the downed domain controller is part and press Enter 

 This will select the site which has the records for the downed domain controller

Step 18. Type list servers in the site at the select operation target prompt and press Enter 

 This will list the domain controllers  that are in the Site

Step 19. Type the # associated with domain the down domain controller and press Enter 

 This will select the domain with the downed domain controller

Step 20. Type quit at the select operation target and press Enter 

 This will take you back to the Metadata Cleanup section

Step 21. Type remove selected server at the metadata cleanup prompt and press Enter 

 This will remove the records within Active Directory Domain Services

Step 22. Type quit at the metadata cleanup prompt and press Enter 

 Takes you back to the beginning of ntdsutils

Step 23. Type quit at the ntdsutil prompt and press Enter

 Quits the ntdsutil utility

Step 24. Check ADUC , DNS etc

 Ensure that you can open ADUC.  You may have to change focus of the domain controller.  

Step 25. Take old domain controller off line and reinstall Windows Server 2008 and dcpromo it

Wow, what an ordeal.  Just think if you did not have another domain controller within your Forest.   Do yourself a favor and make sure you have more than one domain controller in your environment.    There is a lot more that we can teach you.  But, we will leave that for another article.   Right now, go get that cup of coffee, high five your staff and relax.  Your domain is back up and running.  Now go change some passwords and play Halo at your desk.  Oops, did I say that.  See you later.

http://www.ideadudes.biz/

Understanding the Domain Name Registration process

Domain Name  Registration is the most basic step in setting up a website. Like every individual has a unique name, the website also requires a name so that it can be distinguished from others and can be referred to on the internet. By registering a name for your website you basically give an identity to your website on the web. 

Most of us somehow think that selecting a domain name is a very easy task, right? Just think of any name and get it registered. This can be a good option if you are planning to use it for your own personal blog. But if you are seeking to register the name for your business website, a good amount of research must be done in order to pick the most suitable name. Therefore it is always advised to a user to carefully assess the name before registering it. Here are some useful tips that can help you to register a great name for your business website. 

Ideally the name should be short and simple, so that it is easier for others to recall. It is mostly recommended that a user must think of a generic name, as these are considered very easy to remember. But as the internet industry has expanded considerably in the last few years, most of the generic names are no longer available for registration. Long and hyphenated names are generally not recommended for registration as they tend to confuse users. Moreover, people seldom remember lengthy names. So what to do? You can try to register a name that is either your company’s name or a name that is related to your business. In fact it is generally suggested to select a name that reflects about your business. This is considered very important as by doing so you can increase your visibility on search engines and have a high ranking on them. 

The process for registering a name is very simple and similar to any online purchase. You can simply visit a website of a registrar, Check Domain for its availability, pick an extension that is available for registration and make a payment. Now you would also be wondering about how to find a suitable registrar. Most registrars offer features like domain parking, locking and access to DNS (domain name server) control panel when you Buy Domain Names from them. These companies are generally the ones that are mostly recommended for registering domains. 

http://www.net4.in/net4app/aspx/domains/searchDomain.aspx

10 Commandments of Domain Name Value

Domain Name 10 Commandments - BEFORE you choose or buy a domain name; understand the ten issues involved in choosing the right domain name the first time. First, the list that we work from when conducting a custom Domain Name Analysis (DNA). Then the explanations of each commandment follow.

TEN COMMANDMENTS OF INTERNET DOMAIN NAME VALUE
1 - The name shall have Development Value
2 - The name shall have .Dot value
3 - The name shall have Brand Recognition
4 - The name shall be Search Engine Friendly
5 - The name shall be Linguistically Viable
6 - The name shall have Traffic or Revenue
7 - The name shall have Industry Strength
8 - The name shall have Sales Value History
9 - The name shall have Intrinsic Value
10 - The name shall have Market Potential

1 - Development Value
A names base line value is based on the ability to use it. One of the primary issues we address in our DNA (Domain Name Analysis) is - Can this name be built into an instantly recognizable site whose name becomes synonymous with its content?
2 - .Dot Value
Dot.com's are, and probably always will be, more valuable than any other .dot designation. Even Dot.net's, and Dot.org's are by their very nature worth less on the open market. There are many reasons for this. One reason involves search engine rankings. Other issues pertain to the consumers hard to break habits. Note that .com is the internationally recognized extension for serious Internet business sites.
3 - Brand Recognition
Simple, familiar words work better than complicated, hard-to-spell ones. Short, catchy names in attractive industry segments are also very valuable. Kleenex is an example of brand recognition in the brick and mortar world. The brand name Kleenex was originally associated with facial tissue made BY KLEENEX ONLY. Because of powerful brand recognition however the name Kleenex came to literally equal ANY brand of facial tissue. "Will you hand me a Kleenex please". This is one of the areas where we rely heavily on our point of contact research and specialists experience with domain names. It is an area we do not analyze via computer algorithm. Rarely will any name receive an excellent valuation under this commandment unless it meets the above criteria AND carries the .Dot com extension.
For explanations of the rest of the Commandments 4 - 10, visit http://extraordinaryartist.com/domain-name.htm It's FREE and will ensure you don't make a mistake right up front when trying to establish a viable Internet Business.

Buying Domain Names Like a Pro

If you want to be taken seriously as an online presence, domain name registration is a necessity. You can choose a domain name and register it through many different domain name registrars, but from there it can get tricky. The original registrar will create a record on its domain name servers to tell other computers where to find your website address. Once you choose a web hosting company, you'll have to get the DNS record switched over to your new host, which can be confusing if you've never done it before.

The easier way is to choose a web hosting company and register for a web hosting account that includes a free domain name registration as part of the account package. Registering a new domain name - especially registering your first domain name - that way streamlines the process so that you don't have to worry about switching name servers and adjusting the records - the web hosting company does it all for you. You just tell them your desired domain name and the tech folks at the company will do the rest.

Before you take the plunge, though, be sure to ask the web host whether they register a domain name under your name or theirs. Some companies register all domains under their own name, which can become a problem if you're dissatisfied with your hosting experience and decide to move your website to another host. When the domain name is registered in your name, you control where the site is hosted. If the web hosting company registers it under their own name, they hold the control. If you want to move your site to another host, you may have to pay for them to release it. If you've spent time building up your web site visibility, or have invested in advertising materials that feature your website address, it can feel like your domain name is being held hostage. Avoid the issue altogether by asking up front what their policy is when a customer wants to move a domain registered through them to another hosting company.

In addition to control of your own domain name, you should look for a number of other features in a web hosting company. Find a host that offers a full package, including storage, email servers, databases and easy installation of blogs, photo albums, content management systems and other popular website features - all for one low, monthly price. Avoid a la carte packages, which may seem lower at first glance but charge you extra for basics like email servers, blog setup, databases and access to applications like blogs, content management systems, photo albums and email forwarders.

While you're at it, choose a web hosting company that allows you to host multiple domains under one hosting account. Once you understand how easy it is to set up your own website, you may decide that you need more than one. While most hosts only include one free domain name with a web hosting account, many will allow you to add additional domain and host other websites on your account. In most cases, you can register a domain name through any registrar and host it on your current account at no additional cost.

http://www.gossimer.com/domain.php

International Domain Names with Internet Explorer 7

IDN stands for Internationalized Domain Name, also known as multilingual domain names. It allows you the possibility to use more characters in domains names, besides letters and numbers. It uses characters available in other alphabets, like accents and uses a non roman style ( non English ) languages.

What browsers support IDN names today?

Only the latest version of Internet Explorer 7 and Firefox 2 support IDN Names directly entered into the browser.

IE6 and earlier versions will not support IDN's.

What TLD's or ccTLD's support IDN?

First of all what I am saying with that question is what extensions can be registered like and IDN.

Here is a list of the ones that I have registered:

.com

.net

.tv

.cc

.jp = Japan

.cn = China

.de = Germany

.gr = Greece

.tw = Taiwan

Do all Registrars support IDN registrations?

No, as of writing this Enom.com does and so does Domainsite.com There are others that do but most do not. Please check with your registrar BEFORE you register any or you will get stuck with a long name that has no value whosoever.

What IDN's should you register?

You should use the same principles that you have learnt while registering English domain names. Go after the higher paying ppc terms first. Make sure if there are more than one way to say a word in any language that you get them all as you never know which ones will have the most traffic. I have registered quite a few dual meaning words and it's never the one I think that has the most traffic.

Most IDN's with Google over 1 million will have some traffic unless you get ridiculous generic terms like 'the' - which have no value whatsoever.

Also, as with English domains, dig a bit deeper. If loans is taken in the language you want go for things like home loans, car loans, boat loans and so on.

How to find and register IDN's?

There are many ways to find and register IDN domain names. The best way is obviously if you speak the language but even then you must be careful. Just like in English some common words will not actually be used and a short form may be used. In English most people know the word automobile but rarely would use it. Most would use the word car.

This can be illustrated by the two overture scores:

1572 automobile.com

18016 car.com

Now this does not mean automobile is not a good IDN to register, it just means go after the one that is more likely to be typed in a browser.

Now if you don't know anyone that speaks a language you are going after, your only choice is to use a good translator software, I suggest you use logos.it

When you enter a word it gives you results in multiple languages at one time and makes it really easy to get a keyword in multiple languages.

I have found that just like domains, the one I think will get the most traffic, surprisingly won't, but the languages I have never heard of get some traffic.

Now let's see how you go about registering IDN names:

Let's go to logos.it and look up the Russian word for weasel as an example. Take that word and so now I go download the IDN Domain Conversion Tool located at dnforum.com under the tools menu, then open it up and paste the russian word into the space under the heading IDN Domains and hit the ok button. You will get a code called a PUNY code which is: xn--80aa3ac5a, then take that and add a .com on it and you will end up with this xn--80aa3ac5a.com. Now check a whois or try to register xn--80aa3ac5a.com and see if you get it. To keep it organized and try to keep my domains in one place I register most of my IDNs at Enom. There are other choices if you like. You can take the actual ID code and go to and type in the IDN and it will tell you if it's available without doing the PUNY conversion but you should know how to do it anyways.

If I find an IDN like xn--f9b5b1c6b7k should I register .com or .cn or both?

This really depends on how strong the term is, if it's a great term and you have the $, by all mans register them both. If you don't my suggestion is get the .com. You will need to do some research here as every country operates differently. Some countries are big on their ccTLD's while others go for the .com first and only if that's taken will grab their ccTLD after that.

Personally, I have been registering the .com's and if it's a great term I get the ccTLD for that country if its available.

To learn more about IDN Names visit the Domain Name Forum where all the domain experts hang out and chat.

Are all the good IDN names taken?

Absolutely not, take your time and do some mining and you will find gold in them mountains.

Remember don't expect miracles from IDN domains now, the miracles will come once most of the world has a browser that can support it.

Should you expect to make $ from your IDN's now?

No, if you are lucky you will have a few that make something. I have registered thousands of these and at least half have traffic so that's good enough for me to know the future will be great for these. Be patient they will be worth it in the long run.

Is there anything else I should know about IDN's?

Yes, there is lots more, please take the time to learn about Domain Names and feel free to ask and post your questions as there are many IDN experts at dnforum.com and they will usually answer you within a few minutes.

I hope this helps some of you get started in what should be an interesting area of domains.

WHOIS Domain Name Search

 

 

Have you ever tried looking for a domain name with the use of the WHOIS domain name search? If yes, then great for you! But for those who haven't heard about the WHOIS domain name search, then you should read on for you to discover the wonder of this particular thing.

On the Internet, every domain registrar maintains a WHOIS database containing all contact information for the domains they 'host'. This WHOIS database contains information about a domain name including name server, registrar and full contact information. Internet Network Information Center (InterNIC, http://www.internic.com) maintains a central registry WHOIS database that contains only the registrar and name server information for all .com, .net and .org domains

So, when we perform a WHOIS domain name search, we are using a WHOIS tool to look up contact information for a domain name from one of these WHOIS databases on the Internet. The WHOIS database will return the registration information that is intended for domain names. The name and the contact details for the domain name holder and the domain name administrator will be presented. It is important to know that the contact information for domain names under the hands of the WHOIS domain name database may vary depending on the registrar.

WHOIS Tool

You can use the following tools to run a WHOIS domain name search:
? http://who.godaddy.com/whoischeck.aspx
? http://www.checkdomain.com

The Use of WHOIS domain name search

1. Check Your Own Domain Name: Many experts said that it is necessary when you do a WHOIS domain name search on your own domain name, you should verify that your contact details are accurate. If you encounter errors in the domain name details, you could fix errors on your domain names by contacting your web hosting company.

2. Website Background Check: You can find out how long a website has been around, who owns it, and where that company or individual is actually located by doing a WHOIS domain name search. You will be able to spot a scam operation by comparing the information you find from the search with the information that is shown on the website. For example, if a website claims that it has been in operation for many years but your findings show that the domain name they use has just been created a week ago, you may not want to trust this website.

In some cases, you may not get any information from WHOIS domain name search if the domain name is protected by domain name protection service.

Domain Name Protection

Some web hosting companies provide domain name protection service that will help a website owner to protect his or her privacy. Domain name protection service protects website owner's identity from domain-related spams. With this service, only the domain name protection service contact information will be shown in the WHOIS domain name search. Website owner's contact information is kept completely private. The website owner still owns the domain name. He or she can cancel, sell, renew or transfer the domain.

Think Before You Purchase Domain Names

Here we will try to give you some tips that may be help you to purchase domain names you need.

Purchase domain names in the extension that is as much relative to your business organizational model as possible. For example, .ca means your business is based in Canada and .de clearly explains your German location. However, there are global domains, such as .com or .net.

Be careful when choosing a domain name registration service provider. Some of them are scammers and after you tell them the name you want to register, they do it themselves and then make you buy it from them. They may also charge you for more money than you though from the initial offer. Do some research - scammers are usually mentioned at least once on the Internet. Telephone support availability is a good sign your domain name registration service provider is a serious business and it is simply comfortable to settle up problems instantly by placing a call. Besides that, look for accreditations, for example from ICANN. Serious companies try to gain as much accreditations as possible so that it improves their image and guarantees their security. If a domain registration service doesn't have any accreditations, it shouldn't be considered to be a scam or alike, but it is a warning sign.

Try using keywords when choosing your domain name. Some search engines, like Google for example, do take keywords in the domain name into account so this may help you rank a little bit higher in search results. However, choose the shortest name possible so that it is easy to spell and remember.

 

Make sure you purchase domain names that are not potentially dangerous to be sued for. Avoid trademarks infringement and don't try to squat someone's domains. This is simply not fair and may cause problems.

If the domain name you want is available in several extensions, we recommend you to consider buying as much of them as possible so that no one can take advantage of your success.

Let's imagine you've found a company you like. Hit Google to search for example for "domain registration" or "domain names purchase". If you find information about the company your chose in the first several pages of results, it means the company has been operating in domain registration business for quite a long period of time. If you can't find any traces of the company in search results and/or observe it only in AdWords, for instance, this is just another reason to check everything once again.

Therefore, when you purchase domain names, remember to go through careful planning and research. Choose the companies you trust not only because you want to. Register domain names that will appeal to your visitors and won't infringe someone's rights...

Buying Domain Names Like a Pro

If you want to be taken seriously as an online presence, domain name registration is a necessity. You can choose a domain name and register it through many different domain name registrars, but from there it can get tricky. The original registrar will create a record on its domain name servers to tell other computers where to find your website address. Once you choose a web hosting company, you'll have to get the DNS record switched over to your new host, which can be confusing if you've never done it before.

The easier way is to choose a web hosting company and register for a web hosting account that includes a free domain name registration as part of the account package. Registering a new domain name - especially registering your first domain name - that way streamlines the process so that you don't have to worry about switching name servers and adjusting the records - the web hosting company does it all for you. You just tell them your desired domain name and the tech folks at the company will do the rest.

Before you take the plunge, though, be sure to ask the web host whether they register a domain name under your name or theirs. Some companies register all domains under their own name, which can become a problem if you're dissatisfied with your hosting experience and decide to move your website to another host. When the domain name is registered in your name, you control where the site is hosted. If the web hosting company registers it under their own name, they hold the control. If you want to move your site to another host, you may have to pay for them to release it. If you've spent time building up your web site visibility, or have invested in advertising materials that feature your website address, it can feel like your domain name is being held hostage. Avoid the issue altogether by asking up front what their policy is when a customer wants to move a domain registered through them to another hosting company.

In addition to control of your own domain name, you should look for a number of other features in a web hosting company. Find a host that offers a full package, including storage, email servers, databases and easy installation of blogs, photo albums, content management systems and other popular website features - all for one low, monthly price. Avoid a la carte packages, which may seem lower at first glance but charge you extra for basics like email servers, blog setup, databases and access to applications like blogs, content management systems, photo albums and email forwarders.

While you're at it, choose a web hosting company that allows you to host multiple domains under one hosting account. Once you understand how easy it is to set up your own website, you may decide that you need more than one. While most hosts only include one free domain name with a web hosting account, many will allow you to add additional domain and host other websites on your account. In most cases, you can register a domain name through any registrar and host it on your current account at no additional cost.

How To Point A Domain Name To A Website Hosting Account

Once you register a domain name, you need to point it to your hosting account in order for your website to display. How is this achieved? It's not all that difficult.

Pointing a domain name is also known as "delegation". A couple of other examples of jargon you'll need to know about in connection with delegation are the terms are "name server" or "DNS server"; which are essentially the same thing.

A DNS (short for Domain Name System) server translates a name into numbers. You add your website host's name server numbers to your domain name's settings. That tells the Internet browser or other application where to search for the website for the related domain. At the other end, the web hosting server receives the request, looks at which name it is associated with on the server, searches for and then retrieves the right pages. All this happens automatically and incredibly quickly.

Each domain name needs to have the details of 2 name servers recorded. These are known as primary and secondary DNS servers. The secondary setting is there just in case the primary server is not functioning or is inundated with requests.

So, how do you get these DNS server details?

When you opened your website hosting account, your host probably provided the details in a "welcome" email. The DNS server details will usually follow this sort of format:

ns1.srv2320.com.au (primary DNS or name server)
ns2.srv2320.com.au (secondary DNS or name server)

If you no longer have these details, just ask your web host for them - they may even be listed on their web site.

You'll then need to visit your domain registrar and log into your domain name administration interface. When logged in, search for options such as "delegation" or "nameserver" - try the domain registrar's help or search feature if these aren't apparent.

In the nameserver editing screen, there should be 2 or more boxes where you enter the nameserver details. Note that only the first 2 need to be entered in most cases, the rest can be left blank. Be sure that the primary DNS server goes n the first box and the secondary in the second.

With that done, save the changes and you should be set.

Bear in mind that it can take up to 24 hours for the new information to propagate throughout the Internet. During this "propagation" window, in some locations your domain name will be linked to your website hosting account and in other location it may not be until later on during this phase. Once this 24 hour time frame is over, the name should be fully associated with your web hosting account from any point on the planet. Author Resource:- Michael Bloch currently consults for Domain Registration Services, an Australian registrar - start your domain name search or review their website hosting plans.

How to Sell Domain Names for profit

There was this person who purchased an outdated music player in the hope of earning profits by selling it. The end result was as expected and he was not able to the sell the same just because it had no resale value.

His friend was much brighter and had an eye for the future. Because he was sure that they would be in demand in the future, he had stocked up on a particular item. That the second person managed to sell off his goods at an enormous margin is obvious. The concept is the same as far as selling domain names are concerned.

Look at the length of a domain name while purchasing it. The shorter the name, the brighter are your chances of selling it because nobody has the time to type in long names and nobody can remember them too. To sell a domain at a good price it should have a good page ranking and should already have lots of visitors coming to the same.

You should keep this thing in mind while purchasing. One of the best ways to make money on domains is to purchase a site that has a low page ranking and is not optimized properly for the search engines. By spending a bit of money and time a professional can boost the page rankings of that site and then you can sell it off for a good profit.

If done properly, selling domain names… which is a lucrative business… shall help you earn lots of money. The reality is that there are many individuals who earn their living by selling domain names. By purchasing domains with a short name and selling it off immediately for a reasonable profit is how some people make fast money.

However, the real trick lies in holding the domain for some time and enhancing its page ranking during that period. This procedure enhances the amount of profit gained by disposing off domain names by a great margin. Domain names are up for sale on a number of sites and you can buy them from there. After you have enhanced their page rankings you have the option of selling them off on those same sites. You can also try out your luck on various domain related forums.

Simple Steps To Getting Cheap Domain Names

Whether you are into a big or small business enterprise, it does not matter when it comes to availing a domain name for your business’ web site. To register a domain name is one of the major steps in building a web site. This name is actually your main identification online. Once internet users see you web site address with your company name on it, then you must have grabbed yourself a good internet address. Most web site owners these days are particular with having their company’s name, niche or important keywords in their web site address. Yes, it is now possible to get cheap domain names since there are individuals or companies on the internet that sell these online addresses.

Do not fret because even if some names are cheap, they can still be professional and sophisticated. The tag price is not really a basis on how a domain name will fare online. Getting cheap but really good internet address is like hitting a jackpot as well. So, you may conclude that the best domain names are not exactly those that are highly-priced. However, you have to be careful when you search for cheap domain names for there could be people or companies that will mislead you. After web site owners get cheap domain names for their web pages, they can now focus on designing and developing their pages.

The designs should basically be based on the niche that you are into. Your web pages must be congruent to the products or services that you are promoting. Further, you also must keep in mind the preferences of your target customers and site visitors. For profitable domain names, you have to ensure that the name that you will register is easy to remember for internet users. It is important that people will get to remember your web site address better. So, go for easy to remember names. This will make it convenient for internet users and at the same time, you can also get more traffic when more people get to visit your page. Another technique there is to have keyword-enriched but cheap domain names. Many online marketers believe that it is quite an advantage if you have your keywords included in your internet address.

They think that having these keywords on your address can make search engines detect your web site quickly. However, this is a wrong theory. There is no guarantee that you will get better search engine rankings even if you stuff your address with keywords. There is even no assurance that people will flock your site. Thus, don’t easily believe what you read on the net or what you are told so especially when it is not really backed-up with a research or a study. If you think you are not ready to choose your address online then you can get yourself a guide to choosing domain names.

These kinds of resources will surely give you insights in choosing the best online address for your business. At the same time, you may also learn the other benefits like making money out of your address on the net. There are certain ways you can earn from these names actually but that’s a different issue. What’s more important now is that you learn how to get cheap domain names that will perfectly represent you and your business in cyberspace

Your Domain Name: Why It Matters and How to Take Care of It

You can't overstate the importance of owning your own domain name. It's your own piece of virtual real estate on the World Wide Web, Just like property in the real world, your domain can become a very valuable piece of real estate if you develop it. Far too many business owners just don't see the potential that their domain name has. They forget to use it in their marketing materials and sometimes even forget to renew it, losing their grip on what could have been some prime property.

The following are some pointers on choosing and using your domain: Choose Wisely When it comes to your online presence, your domain name is synonymous with your brand. Decide carefully on your domain name, since it's going to change everything about your marketing efforts from here on in. A short name is always better, since it's easy to remember.

If your brand name doesn't have the advantage of being brief and catchy or you anticipate that it will take a while to become widely known then you may want to combine it with a keyword related to your business. Try not to choose a name which is very similar to another website which is already up and running; you could end up with some of their traffic and vice versa - traffic which probably isn't doing either of you any good. Domain Extensions What domain name extension you decide on depends on where your business is located, where your largest markets are and of course, which are available. You could choose .com, .com.au, .net, .org and so on depending on location and availability.

If your most important market is in Australia, then .com.au makes sense; it demonstrates to consumers that you are registered as a business in the country. If you're trying to sell worldwide, then .com is the way to go. Of course many of the good .com domains are already taken. If you can, buy both the .com and the .com.au extensions to protect your brand from a competitor setting up shop using a near identical domain name.

Domain Registrar Buy domain names only from a domain registrar with a good reputation. There may be someone cheaper, but you may end up with more trouble (or additional fees) than those savings are worth! Look for good customer service and complete access to your domain for easy account management. Free transfer to a different domain registrar if you find their service unsatisfactory is also something to look for.

Marketing Your Domain Keep your website in the minds of consumers by using it in all of your advertising and marketing materials, company letterhead, business cards, etc. Make sure to change your contact information to reflect your new domain based email address as well - this has a much more professional appearance. Don't Let Your Domain Expire! If your domain is an integral part of your business, forgetting your domain renewal could be disastrous. It's best to renew your domain in advance of the expiry date to ensure that your site has no outages and your email service is not interrupted.

If you let your registration lapse, someone else (probably a competitor) is likely to buy it. Any reputable domain name registrar will send you a domain renewal notice by email to remind you that your domain will be expiring soon. Watch Out For Scammers! There are con artists everywhere and the web has some who sell phony domain name services. These include fake domain renewals and what is called "blackmailing", where a scammer contacts you to say that they have a domain name for sale which is similar to your own - and that someone else is interested.

They'll offer to sell you the domain name at an inflated price of course. If you've received such an offer and suspect a scam, report it to your current domain registrar and ask them what to do. The end result here is that you should select your domain name carefully and then watch over it as you would any other part of your business as you develop this piece of cyberspace real estate into a valuable and profitable part of your business...

http://www.suncoastinternet.com.au/

Domain Name Registration Period - Does It Count?

There is some common advice on the Internet that if you register your domain name for a longer period than the customary 1 year, for example a 2 year or even 5 year period, that it will give you an advantage in the Search Engines. Is this really true?

The length of your domain name registration has a minor effect upon the rankings. All that you really gain from registering for 5 or 10 years as opposed to 1 or 2 years is the added convenience of not having to register your domain name again. In theory, if you register for a longer period of time, Google will place a higher value on your page through Trustrank.

In theory, Trustrank is ranking indicator for your domain that takes both the age of the site as well as the length that it has been registered for, into consideration. There is no hard evidence that Google actually HAS a Trustrank algorithm. Even though there was research done by Yahoo on the concept of Trustrank, and Google has previously registered a trademark for the name, the two has nothing to do with each other and Google has even dropped the trademark. Search engines therefore do not take the length of your registration period into account.

The only age related factor in search engine ranking is the actual age of the site but even this could be due to the fact that due to the mere age of the site, the site has had more opportunity to collect links back to it and would therefore of course do better in the search engines due to that. Once again, the idea that links from well established sites count more than from new sites has nothing really to do with the actual age of the site where the link is coming from, but more with the reputation of the site itself.

After all, some link farms have been around forever, not so? But do make sure that you re-register your domain name soon enough. There are groups of people that scan for soon to be expired domain names with the intention of buying them and exploiting their established business. Luckily most registrars have a grace period of about 45 days available that you can use to re-instate a domain that was deleted due to negligence or by mistake. If you really want to stay ahead of the competition, you might consider registering or renewing your domain name for 100 years.

Currently, Network Solutions (www.netsol.com) is the only registrar offering the 100 year option, which costs $999.00. GoDaddy (www.godaddy.com), currently offers to renew or register a domain name for 10 years, at a discount of $6.95 per year. But all in all, the most important thing is to get a good quality name.

Choose a name that is short, easy to remember, easy to say and easy to spell and use it to build your brand and identity on the web. Good domain names are not easy to get these days but with a little creativity you can still come up with a good name. After all, nobody knew what a 'Google' was in the days BG, Before Google!
http://www.internet-web-hosting.co.za

Is Domain Squatting A Great Business for You?

Domain squatting is a very unconventional and yet very successful business if you know how to go for it. You can earn good money by selling domain names that you have kept parked. Domain name squatting has resulted in some big money for the people dealing with it! It is a great business to opt for if you want to make some money with very less effort. Market speculation is very important for this and if you are not careful with what you are doing, you may end up with a lawsuit.

Here is some information that will render better awareness about this business. How To Select Domain Names And What Does It Cost Registering a domain name is quite cheap. Moreover, if you are not happy with it, you can cancel it within the first 5 days and get a full refund of the money you spent. However, it can get you a huge amount of money.

Domain names have been sold for as high as 8 million USD in the past! While it is parked, you can even use it to earn some money through advertisements like the pay-per-click programs. Even this can generate some good money for you while you wait for a good offer to come your way.

Try to utilize the forwarding and redirection service of your domain registrar for this. How Else Can You Use The Domain Name While It Is Parked You can even opt for affiliate marketing with your parked domain. Simply use your domain to divert traffic to other sites that have similar content that relates your domain name.

For example, if your domain name is www.greatshoes4u.com, you can tie up with a shoe company and direct your traffic to their website when a user visits your site. This can generate you good money as well. While you wait, check the demand and the market value of domain names similar to yours on the various auctioneer sites.

When you feel that the market is ready to offer you good money for your domain name, make your move and sell your domain name at the price that suits you. The important thing to consider is if you are selecting the proper domain names that will get you good money when you sell them.

Speculate this with intelligence and then choose a domain name that you think will work the best. This will enable you to make good profits and save you from wasting your money on names that will never see any demand...

http://www.richardmoog.com

THE PERFECT DOMAIN NAME

We all know the Internet is an endless spring of community, entertainment, commerce and information. Unlike traditional mediums (print, TV, radio, brick and mortar businesses), the web promotes interaction by enabling everyone with a computer and a connection to cautiously dip their toes or cannonball full force into the world's biggest pool party.

Encouraging that do-it-yourself spirit in each of us are an endless line of designers, programmers and hosts who are anxious to assist even the most technically timid to sprout wings with their own site. However, you'll never make it out of the nest if you don't have the perfect domain name for your site. And thus, the search begins.

Before wasting time by throwing darts at names on a wall, it's best to maintain focus and recognize a few naming parameters. First off, it's paramount that the domain name doesn't confuse potential visitors. Strive for a site name that sounds exactly like it's spelled so you don't need a search engine to find it.

A quick trip to Alexa's Top 100 U.S. sites shows there are few exceptions to this rule. With most basic words already spoken for, be prepared to get creative, mixing words together or coming up with an appropriate onomatopoeia. While it's a good idea for a domain name to describe the site, it's equally important to come up with an original name that is catchy enough to be passed along at the water cooler. Look no further than domain names Yahoo or Google.

While these names really don't reveal much about two of the web's most visited sites, they're easy to recall and short on syllables, making it simple for first-timers to find. If you're after serious traffic, commit to securing a “.com� name. It only takes a quick trip to Alexa to discourage any thoughts of settling for less popular “.org,� “.net� or “.info.� Of the Top 100 traffic-ranked sites in the United States, only 10 ended with something other than “.com.�

At the end of the day, why argue with 90% of the country's most-visited sites. Now that you're armed with these factors, head over to your favorite domain name registrar. Don't get too discouraged when you discover the fabulous names you've painstakingly researched are already spoken for. This is your opportunity to recruit family and friends to get involved by emailing them your naming guidelines.

Don't be surprised if someone who isn't invested in the project suggests the perfect, available name. The company I work for recently survived the re-naming process and we still have the bruises to show for it. Originally named RadioFire.net, we're a site that allows people to discover unsigned music artists in their own communities and across the country.

With a complete redesign underway to amplify a more community-oriented experience, our design firm said the “.net� name had to go. The “.com� version of our domain name wasn't available, so we followed the steps above. After much brainstorming and research, we feel we've hit a home run that will elevate our site's experience. Curious? You'll have to stay tuned for the re-launch. In the meantime, dive into your own website with a great domain name...

http://www.echoboost.com

The Neccessity of a Domain Name

When you decide to set up business on the internet you do need a domain name. Your site’s name identifies your business online among all others. Think of it the same as the sign out front for a brick and mortar business.

How to select a name to identify your website Give some thought to choosing your domain name. Something short and memorable is best if you can get it. This is not always possible. Much has been written about whether or not adding dashes make a difference in SEO and other factors. I have not seen that it makes a difference.

If you need to add hyphens to get the name you want, I haven’t seen that adding them has any adverse effect. Your domain name should reflect what your online business is about. If your business website is focused on dog training, you certainly want to fit dog in somewhere. This helps searchers know that your website it about dogs, and it also helps with SEO.

As time goes by, and your online business website begins to get links here and there around the internet often it will just be referred to by your domain name. Including your main keyword will be a real plus. Each time a search engine sees your site’s url on another website, even if there isn’t explanatory text the search engine will pick up your keyword in relation to your site.

There has also been a lot of fuss about the length of a domain name and hyphens being difficult to type in. How often do you actually type in a url? Let’s be real. Most people either click on a url, or they simply copy and paste.

How hard is that? If getting a good, meaningful, domain name requires a little extra length or hyphens, I don’t see that it is a big problem. Short is always better, but do what you need to get your keyword included. How long should you register a domain name for? If you are serious about building a successful internet business, you should register your domain name for a minimum of two years. More is better.

There is some evidence that registering for more than a year gives you an edge with the search engines. It is thought that this gives the search engines a reason to believe that your business will be around for a while.

Domain names can be purchased for under ten dollars a year. This is a very low expense considering that the cost is for an entire year. At ten dollars a year, it would cost you roughly 83 cents per month to give your internet business a worthy and relevant name. If you can’t afford that, then you can’t afford to be in business online.

Keep track of when your domain name will expire, and renew in advance. You don’t want to lose it. There are people who watch for expirations and will snap them up. I know this for a fact. A domain name I once owned was bought by speculators. At the present time this exact name is being offered for over six hundred dollars online.

If you use a credit card and set your domain name up for automatic renewal, do be on top of when your credit card expires, and go back to your registrar and update your credit card information. This is how I lost mine.

My credit card renewed, but the registrar had no way of knowing that and could not use my information as it was. So they did not renew it. A good domain name is a real asset to an online business. Protect yours...

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