Support :: Domain Names

What is a domain name?

Similar to how your house address indicates where you live in the world, a domain name indicates where your web site's location is on the Internet. Generally people want domain names that are easy to remember so that others can locate their web site very easily. A domain name is an alias for a particular numeric Internet Protocol (IP) address. (An IP address is a string of four numbers ranging from 0-255 separated by periods called dots. A typical IP address could look something like: 192.134.12.212.) Every computer connected to the Internet has at least one IP address that uniquely identifies it from all other computers on the Internet. Because numeric IP addresses are relatively difficult for people to remember, the domain name system (DNS) was created to allow people to associate meaningful and easy-to-remember aliases with actual IP addresses. Since every IP address is unique, every domain name must also be unique. Domain names correspond to numeric IP addresses and the DNS matches domain names to IP addresses so that users of the Internet only have to remember domain names, not numbers.

 

What does it mean to 'register a domain name'?

There is a central registry database of all domain names on the Internet. In order for your domain name to be recognized, it must be in the registry. 'Registering a domain name' means you are associated with that domain name for the period of the registration. That is the service we provide for individuals, companies and large corporations all over the world.

 

Who should register a domain name?

Anyone planing to establish a presence on the Internet should register a domain name. Domains can be brand names, trademarks, service marks, company names, products, services, family names, your name, organizations, interests, etc. If a company conducts business over the Internet, or even if that company plans to do so in the future, they should register their domain name(s) now. Once a name is taken, it's gone.

 

What is the difference between .com, .net, and .org domain names?

The domain suffixes were originally intended to differentiate between various types of organizations on the Internet, in the following way:
.com -- businesses and commercial enterprises
.net -- network-related organizations and enterprises
.org -- charitable or non-profit organizations
However, these days, there are many for-profit organizations using .org addresses, and non network-related companies using .net addresses, so really, it's up to you to choose the name that you want, dot com names being far the most popular choice.

 

What are the valid characters for a domain name and how long can a domain name be?

A domain name can be up to 63 characters (letters, numbers or combination) long plus the 4 characters used to identify the domain extension (.com, .net, .org). The only symbol character domain names can include is a hyphen (-) although the domain name cannot start or end with a hyphen. Common symbols such as asterisks (*), under scores (_), and exclamation points (!) are not allowed.

 

Are domain names case sensitive?

No they are not, so domainname.com is the same as DOMAINNAME.com and DomainName.com. They are the same name, and can never point to two different sites. When you are looking for a domain name, you can type the name in lower, upper, or mixed case - it makes no difference.

 

Why can't I find my web page?

Approximately 24 hours after you register your domain name, you will be able to view an "Under Construction" page. This is called domain "parking". If you are reserving the domain name for future use, you do not need to take any additional steps.

 

I have accidentally registered the wrong domain name. Will the fee apply again to register the correct name?

Domain names are registered in real-time. Once you have registered a domain, the process cannot be undone. If you wish to register another one, you must pay for each subsequent domain you successfully register.

 

Who should be the administrator contact?

The administrator contact should be the person or organization who is responsible and has the rights to administer the domain.

 

Who should be the technical contact?

The technical contact is the person or organization who is responsible for the technical aspects of the domain (e.g. DNS). If you're hosting your domain with NxTek, we should be the technical contact.

 

Who should be the billing contact?

The billing contact should be the person or organization who is responsible for the domain renewal and payment.

 

What is a registrar transfer?

A registrar transfer is the transfer of a domain name from another registrar, like Network Solutions, to a new one, like Dotster.com. This allows you to take advantage of great support, free services, and low renewal costs. You can transfer your domain as long as it has been with your current registrar for more than 60 days and is not expired.

 

What happens when I submit a registrar transfer?

When you submit a registrar transfer, an e-mail is sent to the administrative e-mail address that you have set with your current registrar. In this e-mail is a link to a page that allows you either Accept or Decline the transfer. You need to accept the transfer within 5 days of receipt of this e-mail. Once you Accept the transfer, a request is sent to your registrar asking them to transfer the domain. At this point, your registrar may or may not send you an e-mail asking you to accept the transfer. Your registrar has up to 5 days to decide whether to transfer the domain or not. If your registrar has not accepted the transfer within 5 days, the transfer expires.

 

Will I be charged a transfer fee if I transfer a domain name from another registrar (e.g. Network Solutions or Register.com)?

No. All that is required is a 1 year renewal fee, which costs less than the renewal fee at Registrars like Network Solutions.

 

How long does it take to transfer a domain name from another registrar?

Registrar transfers can take up to 5 business days after you confirm the transfer via the email that is sent to the administrative contact.

How do I do a Registrar Transfer?

If your domain name was registered with Network Solutions, or you're planning to register a new domain name, you'll need the following technical information to ensure a correct domain name transfer with NxTek as your host. This information can also be used to transfer your domain if it was registered with a registrar other than Network Solutions as DNS is used regardless of your registrar.

When making any changes related to your domain name, please use yourdomain.com, not www.yourdomain.com.

NxTek should be listed as he Technical Contact and the domain owner should be listed as both the Administrative Contact and the Billing Contact.

NxTek's NIC Handle is NNY34.

NxTek's DNS Servers are as follows:

• Primary Server Hostname: ns1.nxtek.net
• Primary Server Netaddress: 206.229.27.2
• Secondary Server Hostname: ns2.nxtek.net
• Secondary Server Netaddress: 206.229.27.3

For domain transfers from another host to NxTek, the transfer process is as follows. Again, this is if the domain was registered through Network Solutions, as other Registrars' modification processes vary.

1. Make sure you have a local copy of any web-related material so you can re-upload your site in case you have any problems getting it after the domain transfer is complete.
2. This process is initiated at http://www.networksolutions.com/makechanges. Follow the instructions - the information you want to change is to Transfer your Domain Name to another ISP. Make the necessary changes to the NIC Handle and Name Server as listed above.
3. Once we initiate the domain request process is initiated, a request will be sent to the Administrative, Billing, and Technical Contacts alerting them a request for changes has been made. This done via Email. There are instructions contained in the Email on how to authorize the change.
4. Once the changes are authorized, it takes typically 1-2 business days for the changes to complete. You'll get Email notification when the changes are complete. In the meantime, please get your web site and/or Email accounts set up at NxTek so when we "claim" your domain there will be minimal, if any, down-time.
5. When the changes are complete, contact your previous Host and ask them to release your domain name from their system network.

If you have any questions or need any help, please let us know!

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