Register domain name. That's it.
April 10, 2009 8:58 AM   Subscribe

I want to register two domain names that I think I may use at some point in the future. I don't need hosting just yet. This is probably obvious to some, but I couldn't find a definitive answer. How do I go about it?
posted by dicetumbler to Computers & Internet (19 answers total) 7 users marked this as a favorite
 
Best answer: go to nearly free speech, make an account, put $15 in your account, buy the two domain names. All finished.

If you decide to upload something, you will start paying for hosting. If you upload nothing, there is no payments for hosting.
posted by ttyn at 9:03 AM on April 10, 2009 [1 favorite]


Correction: it's $8.59/domain name registration. So you will need to put $17.18 in your account.
posted by ttyn at 9:04 AM on April 10, 2009


Best answer: Some sites focus only on domain registration, while others do registration and hosting. Most times you'll get the best deal when you register and sign up with a host (usually a year or two of free domain registration). You can always change where the domain goes later.

GoDaddy, while obnoxiously designed, has some good domain registration only prices, now stating they offer $1.99 domains (maybe for Dot Coms only)
posted by filthy light thief at 9:07 AM on April 10, 2009


Best answer: Step 1 is deciding what domain name registrar or reseller you want to use. I use PairNIC.com, although it's not the cheapest; I trust them not to go out of business or do anything shady with the domain names. A 5-year registration with them is $13/year; one year would be $19.

There are businesses that will register your domain for as cheap as, I think, $7.99 per year, but there have also been terrible situations with registrars going out of business, or various shady/lazy/very very inconvenient business practices, and a domain name becomes incredibly important once you build a web site around it. For me, it's worth it to work with a company I trust.

The exact process you follow depends on the registrar you use; they generally all have different web-based systems, forms, etc. for their signup process.

Do you know what registrar you want to use?
posted by amtho at 9:07 AM on April 10, 2009


Or, you can head to www.godaddy.com and register them for about the same price. Don't get any additional extras when you check out. I've used them for all my domains for a few years now and have had GREAT experiences with any issue I've ever had to get in touch with them about (hosting options, moving domains, things that just looked ... off). I do recommend them, just as a happy customer.
posted by mr.anthony337 at 9:08 AM on April 10, 2009


www.godaddy.com - forgot link.
posted by mr.anthony337 at 9:08 AM on April 10, 2009


Best answer: FWIW: Some folks don't like using GoDaddy due to the politics of its owner.
posted by bottlebrushtree at 9:17 AM on April 10, 2009


You just need a domain name registrar. Just don't sign up, if they prompt you, for hosting (or any other add-on. All you need is the name reservation). I use namesecure.com. I've never had any problems with them.
posted by wheat at 9:35 AM on April 10, 2009


Oh, geez, I'd never really looked at GoDaddy's politics or anything. The Guantanamo Bay thing is one thing, but the objectification of women and overall tone of the home page is a bit off-putting:

"If you are not already, you need to be thinking this way. We have a new Go Daddy Girl! You ain't seen nothing until you've seen Danica & this sexy Vegas cop...." [from Bob Parson's blog and also currently quoted on the GoDaddy.com home page]. Also: "Power comes from thinking this way" before more about Danica Patrick (a sort-of trailblazing woman in NASCAR) and "sexy cop in Vegas desert." There seems to be a rotating message in that left-column spot.

Sorry if this seems like a derail, but the OP is having to choose a domain name provider, and maybe this is relevant.
posted by amtho at 9:37 AM on April 10, 2009


GoDaddy, while obnoxiously designed, has some good domain registration only prices, now stating they offer $1.99 domains (maybe for Dot Coms only)

It's only $1.99 for the first year, after that it goes up to the normal rate.
posted by delmoi at 9:49 AM on April 10, 2009


Best answer: Look at the godaddy tag here & you'll see some painful exchanges with them. I think they've held domains ransom after alleged spamming. I like NFS though.
posted by Pronoiac at 10:01 AM on April 10, 2009


Best answer: After I decided to quit GoDaddy, I ended up going with NameCheap. They're awesome.
posted by qvtqht at 10:03 AM on April 10, 2009


Seconding NameCheap. Good service, and just as cheap and a heck of a lot more professional than GoDaddy.
posted by musicinmybrain at 10:52 AM on April 10, 2009


3rding namecheap.
posted by misterbrandt at 11:26 AM on April 10, 2009


Metafilter is registered at dotster.com, so that's who I chose. When I sold a domain name, the buyer used godaddy, and they were a huge pain, slowing down the process considerably.

You have to use a domain registrar to buy and hold onto the domain name. The domain name has to be available. Registering and maintaining available domain names is actually quite simple. If someone else owns the name you want, it's a whole different story.
posted by theora55 at 12:56 PM on April 10, 2009


Response by poster: Okay, so it looks like I'll be choosing one of the name registrars mentioned here. Then, when I decide to upload to these addresses, I assume I can take the name to a hosting company?
posted by dicetumbler at 2:40 PM on April 10, 2009


Best answer: The domain name registrar (such as GoDaddy) will allow you to point your domain name at an IP address. When you decide to start using these domains, you purchase hosting somewhere, they give you an IP address, and you go to GoDaddy (or wherever) and fill in the IP address.

Note: you shouldn't have your DNS and hosting with the same company. It causes all sorts of hassle if you try to move away from them. If they're separate companies, it's easy to move away from one. The extra cost of paying two separate companies is well worth it.
posted by mohrr at 3:11 PM on April 10, 2009 [1 favorite]


Best answer: Seconding mohrr - you can certainly have your domain name registered with one company (a registrar or domain name reseller), and have your web hosting with another company.

The registrar puts your domain name in the domain name "registry", which is essentially a global, distributed database whose function is to connect the domain name (mywebsite.com) with an IP _address_. The address tells the world, when they look up the name in the database, how to find the physical computer that's hosting your web site, e-mail, and whatever other services use that domain name.

In other words, the entire function of the registry is to tell what actual computer (web hosting company) your site is on. And to tell you what actual computers other people's web sites are on.
posted by amtho at 6:32 PM on April 10, 2009


To clarify, my earlier recommendation for NFS is for nearlyfreespeech. Note that the proxy contact thing - keeping your contact info off the public records - is a penny a day. It avoids junk mail & telemarketers, & I think it's well worth it.
posted by Pronoiac at 12:51 PM on April 14, 2009


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