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Domain Names
DNS and Domain Parking
Post Registration
Domain Transfers
What is a
domain name?
A domain name tells people
(and the computers they use) how to find your homepage on the
Internet. Each domain name is assigned to a numerical IP
(Internet Protocol) address by your host provider. Since
people remember names better than numbers, the domain name,
eg. www.yourname.com, translates this number into words.
Why do I
need to register a domain name?
Most Internet providers
offer you a directory on their own domain. Most of the time,
they look like this: http://www.domain.com/~yourname. In
addition to having to explain the little squiggle mark (~
which is called a tilde) to your less net savvy customers,
this can prove cumbersome on business cards and letterheads,
plus it does not reflect the unique nature of your business or
homepage. Registering a domain name for your business or
organization is essential to your marketing efforts. A domain
name gives your business a unique identity on the world wide
web.
How will I
be able to tell if my desired domain name is already taken?
Before registering a domain
name you will first have to do a "whois" search to
see if your requested domain name is available. If the domain
search request returns without a match, you will be able to
register that domain name.
What if my
desired name is the same as a trademarked name?
Generally, if you've
registered the name in good faith, it's not a name belonging
to an internationally known company, and you can show that you
have a legitimate reason to use that name then you will likely
to be able to keep that name. That may not be the case if it
can be shown that you purchased the name for the express
purpose of re-selling it to a company with a legitimate claim
to the name.
How do I choose a good
domain name?
Choose a name that reflects
the intent and purpose of your web site or business. Try to
keep it short and snappy, and say it out loud, as if you were
telling someone at a party to visit your web page. Some domain
names may look good on paper, but are confusing when you try
to send someone to it over the phone. Keep in mind the image
that it conjures. Your domain name will be one of the ways
people recognize or evaluate their choices of sites for their
interests when they are searching via Yahoo or the other
search engines. When facing a large number of choices, the
snappiest domain sometimes grabs the most attention.
What are the
valid characters for a domain name and how long can it be?
The only valid characters
for a domain name are letters, numbers and a hyphen
"-". Other special characters like the underscore
"_" or an exclamation mark "!" are NOT
permitted.
Example: your name.com
(incorrect - no spaces allowed)
Example: your-name.com (is correct)
A domain name can be up to
67 characters long -- including the 4 characters used to
identify the Top Level Domain (.NET, .COM, .ORG, or .EDU). Do
not type the www. before your domain name when registering.
Why are some
domain names "On Hold"?
When searching the
"whois" database sometimes a domain name may show a
status of "On Hold" if a.) payment for the domain is
not current, b.) the domain name is involved in a trademark
dispute, or c.) the domain is pending server activation.
Why can't I
register for a domain that is already expired?
In some cases, domain names
may be kept by Network Solutions even after it has expired
because a.) payment for the domain is not current, b.) the
domain name is involved in a trademark dispute, or c.) the
domain is pending server activation. As long as it is kept by
Network Solutions, we will not be able to register it for you.
You will have to contact Network Solutions for more
information about the domain.
What is DNS?
DNS is an acronym that
stands for Domain Name Service. Each domain is assigned a
unique numeric address and DNS servers takes care of locating
and routing information to the domains so that the world can
find you. When you fill out your registration form, we give
you the option to park your DNS with us or to specify your own
DNS or the DNS of your hosting service. If you already have a
website or have found an ISP to host your website, you should
use your ISP's DNS servers when registering your domain name.
What is
domain parking?
Parking allows you to use
our DNS (domain name service) server to hold your domain name
until you are ready to use it. A DNS server is required to
register a domain name and it is usually your ISP or web
hosting provider. But if you do not have an ISP or are not
planning to use your domain name yet, you can park your domain
with us. To park your domain name, simply leave the DNS
information as default when you register and your domain will
automatically be parked. This service is free and you can park
your domain with us for as long as you wish. Best of all, your
parked domain name will be provided an under construction
page, free of charge as well.
I have
registered my domain name, now what?
After you register your
domain, you must find a web hosting company or Internet
Service Provider to host your website for you. Some good areas
to start are your local ISP, or choose one of the many free
web hosting sites available. Some people wish to only reserve
their domain name for future use. In that case you need not
find an ISP or hosting company.
If you already have a website hosted by an ISP, you can easily
set your domain to point to your ISP's DNS so that your
existing website will appear when visitors go to your new
domain name. If you already have a FREE website somewhere,
chances are that your provider will not allow you to point
your DNS setting to their server. In this case, you can
subscribe to our URL Forwarding service for $25 per year per
domain. This service, also known as domain forwarding or IP
forwarding, basically allows you to redirect visitors at your
domain name (www.yourdomain.com) to another web page address
without having to setup a new web-hosting account for your
domain name.
Once I have
a domain name secured, how long may I use it?
If there are no trademark
disputes, your secured domain name will be yours for as long
as you maintain the yearly registration fees.
How do I
change the DNS or Contact Information for my domain name?
You may change the DNS
information for your domain name by accessing the Domain Admin
Panel at our homepage. If you have forgotten your password,
just click on the Send Password link below the login screen
and your password will be emailed to you immediately.
Why doesn't
my domain show up in whois search?
You are probably still using
the out of date Network Solutions Whois Server for whois
queries. This server only lists those domains applied through
Network Solutions. Please find a more complete web based whois
server at www.nsiregistry.com or modify your UNIX based whois
query to do a whois -h whois.registrars.com domainname.com or
whois domainname.com@whois.registrars.com to get the complete
listing. Also remember that the Whois information for a domain
can take up to 48 hours to propagate worldwide, so it may not
be visible until then.
I already
have a web site at www.yourdomain.com/~me. Can I point my
domain at it?
Yes we can do this. This is
called URL Forwarding. We charge an annual fee of $15 for URL
Forwarding, also known as domain forwarding or IP forwarding.
This service basically allows you to redirect traffic for your
domain name (www.yourdomain.com) to another web page address
without having to setup a new web-hosting account for your
domain name. You will be able to sign up for URL Forwarding
through our Domain Admin Panel, which you will have access to
after you register your domain.
How much
does it cost to transfer my domain?
Transfers are charged $25
USD and is inclusive of a one year renewal fee. This means
that any remaining time you have left on your current
registration will be transfered and one year will be added to
your current expiry date.
How long do
transfers take?
It takes up to 10 business
days for transfers to complete as authorization is required
from both Network Solutions and yourself. Once a domain
transfer is requested, your current registrar will be notified
and they will send an email requesting transfer authorization
to the Administrative Contact on your current domain record.
If you authorize their request promptly, the transfer process
could take as little as 3 days to complete.
Why was my
transfer request declined?
Transfers are declined if
you do not authorize the email sent to your domain's
Administrative Contact. If, for whatever reason, you do not
have access to the email address listed as the Administrative
Contact on your domain, you will have to contact your current
registrar directly to authorize the release of your domain.
What happens
if my transfer is declined?
If for whatever reason we
are unable to transfer your domain after 30 days, you may
request for a full refund by emailing us your domain name plus
the first and last four numbers on your credit card to sales@AEGEAS.net
(note: for security reasons, please do NOT send us the entire
card number).
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