Domain Name FAQ
Q. What is a URL?
Q. What is a domain name?
Q. What characters and length can I use for
my domain name?
Q. What credit cards do you accept?
Q. How do I register a multilingual domain
name?
Q. What do .com, .net, .org... stand for in
an Internet address?
Q. Are .com, .net and .org my only choices
when registering a domain name?
Q. What is a name server?
Q. Who should register a domain name?
Q. I don't have a Web site, can I still register
a domain name?
Q. What if the domain name I want isn't available?
Q. Who owns the domain name?
Q. Why does my newly registered domain name
show up as "available" on another registrars' WhoIs?
Q. What if I misspelled my domain name?
Q. What if I forget my password?
Q. How do I change my account information?
Q. How do I change contact, billing or
administrative information?
Q. How do I renew my domain name registration?
Q. How do I change my name servers?
Q. How do I register name servers?
Q. How do I park my domain name?
Q. How do I forward (redirect) my
domain name?
Q. What is 'WhoIs'?
Q. When is 'WhoIs' updated?
Q. What
is a URL?
A. A URL, which
stands for Uniform Resource Locator, is your complete Internet
address. It is the string of information, such as http://www.hostlane.com,
that directs people to specific locations on the Internet. In
the same way that an address written on an envelope directs the
post-office to deliver a letter straight to your door, a URL typed
into an Internet browser leads directly to the location of a specific
resource on the Internet.
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Q. What is a Domain
Name?
A. The Internet
is a very big place. In order to organize it and move traffic
around every machine is assigned a number. This number isn't easy
to remember so to make it simpler a host name can be associated
with that number. But now you need to organize host names on the
internet. Domains are used to organize host names on the internet.
Domains also make it easy to remember and retrieve information.
With a domain you can establish a 'place' on
the internet for goods, services, information, or just to be cool.
Common uses for a domain name are for setting up a website like
www.yourdomain.com or email services like questions@yourdomain.com.
Want to know more? The internet has plenty
of information on how to manage and use a domain name.
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Q. What characters
and length can I use for my domain name?
A. Only a few rules
must be followed when registering your domain name:
- You can have a name that is 63 characters long not including
the extension. Therefore the root of the word can be 63 characters.
- Use only letters, numbers, or dash ("-")
- Cannot begin or end with a dash
- Domain names are not case sensitive
- Domain names cannot include spaces
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Q. What credit
cards do you accept?
A. At this time
we accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover. We
have also found that debit cards will occasionally work but they
should not be relied upon.
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Q.
How do I register a multilingual domain name?
A. Y The first
screen you see will ask you to select the language which you desire
to have your domain in.
- At the bottom of the screen click on the gray button: NEXT
- You can now select the domain or domains that you wish to
register.
- You can select many domains in the bulk check section or one
domain in the single check section.
- If you're reserving domains in the bulk check section you
must add the .com, .net, or .org tld.
- Click on the “CHECK” button to continue.
FINAL NOTE: As part of the NSI multilingual
test bed all registration attempts will incur the appropriate
yearly charge whether or not the domain is secured in your name.
All domains will come up as still available until NSI performs
the final resolution. The domains will be registered on a FIRST
come FIRST serve basis.
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Q. What do .com, .net,
.org... stand for in an Internet address?
A. These three
extensions—.com, .net and .org—are top-level domain
names in the hierarchical Domain Name System. They are probably
the most popular and most widely recognized top-level domain names
on the Internet. With Dotster Inc., you can register any valid,
available domain name you choose within these three top-level
domain names.
Here is some information about the .ws and .tv domains. They
are owned by the countries of Western Samoa and Tuvalu. They sold
the rights to use the .ws and .tv as a top-level domain. .ws and
.tv are 100% globally accessible, and they can be viewed by anyone
accessing the internet from anywhere in the world. Additionally,
everyone, regardless of location, has the ability to register/administer
.ws and .tv domains.
All top-level domains and the guidelines by which they function
were created 20-25 years ago. Every country was granted one top-level
domain with the exception of the US which was also given the .com,
.net, org, .edu, and .mil top-level domains. While .com is the
most popular extension, every top-level domain has the ability
to work in exactly the same way. The true difference between .com
and other top-level domains is purely marketing and exposure.
.ws and .tv are alternatives to .com.
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Q. Are
.com, .net and .org my only choices when registering a domain name?
A. Hostlane.com
currently registers domain names ending in .com, .net, .org along
with the newly added .ws and .tv tld's. As other extensions become
more widely used on the Internet, we will offer those to our customers
as well. We'll keep you posted through updates on our home page.
If you would like to register Country Code Top-Level Domains (CCTLDs)
please visit the IANA CCTLD Database for more information.
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Q.
What is a name server?
A. Computers read
Internet addresses through a series of numbers called Internet
Protocol (IP) numbers. Because these numbers would be difficult
for people to remember, user-friendly Internet addresses were
developed using combinations of words and numbers. A name server
is a computer that has the capability to translate, or resolve,
the domain names we see and use in our browser windows into IP
numbers.
For more help with name servers please see "How
do I change my name servers?" and "How
do I register name servers."
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Q. Who should register
a domain name?
A. Anyone who wants
to establish a presence on the Internet or wants to secure the
name for future use or resale.
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Q. I don't have
a Web site, can I still register a domain name?
A. Yes. You can
register a domain name at any time and start your online identity
by using our name servers until you have access to name servers
of your own. The free use of our name servers will point your
domain to our "Future Home" page until you return to
your account and specify otherwise.
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Q. What if
the domain name I want isn't available?
A. If you search
for the availability of a name on HostLane.com and it is not available,
it means that someone else has already registered that domain
name. HostLane.com can only register domain names that are available.
Each Registrar is required to keep a searchable whois database
on their site for domains registered by their customers. To find
the correct whois search you should query for particular information
related to a registered domain.
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Q. Who owns the
domain name?
A. The owner of
the domain name is the registrant information entered into our
database at the time of the original registration. To find out
the registrant information for a domain name, please visit our
WhoIs Search.
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Q. Why
does my newly registered domain name show up as "available"
on another registrars' WhoIs?
A. When you register
with us, your request is immediately sent to the NSI shared registry.
They update their whois database only once a day, so if your registered
domain misses the current update you will have to wait up to another
24 hours before your domain shows up. The DNS information update
process is similar except this happens worldwide and can take
up to 72 hours for completion.
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Q. What
if I misspelled my domain name?
A. Please take
extra care during registration to make sure that everything is
as it should be. All registrations are final and fees are non-refundable.
If you have made a mistake you have three choices:
1. Keep the domain you have registered and develop it.
2. Have us delete your ownership from the domain. (No refund)
3. Register the new name and have one of them redirected to the
other.
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Q. What if
I forget my password?
A. Please visit
our Forgotten Password Page.
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Q.
How do I change my account information?
A. Login to your
account. In this area you will be able to change your billing
information, administrative contact, technical contact, and name
servers.
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Q.
How do I change contact, billing or administrative information?
A. Making changes
to different aspects of your account is a relatively simple process.
Simply login to your account by entering your username, password
and domain name. You will then be able to choose from a number
of possible actions and be given specific instructions online
on how you can complete any changes you need to make. The only
change that you will not be able to make is changes to the Owner
information. In order for us to change the Owner information (excluding
the Owner/Organization name which is considered an Ownership Transfer)
you will need to email us from within your account with a list
of the current information and the changes you would like made.
If what you are seeking is an Owner Transfer, then please visit
the following URL for more information. Ownership Transfer
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Q. How do I renew
my domain name registration?
A. If you would
like to renew your domain, please log into your account. When
you get to the 'Your Account' Welcome! page, Click on the link
'Domain Renewal' : Renew or extend the registration period of
your domains. Remove or Add the domains you would like to renew.
Now all you have to do is follow the steps that the Web site gives
you.
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Q. How do
I change my name servers?
A. Follow these
simple steps:
- Log into your account.
- Click "Manage your domains
- In the drop down box, choose the domain you want the name
server information to change for.
- Click the button "Manage..."
- On the left side of the screen you will see some links, click
the one that says "Name Servers."
- At the bottom of the page it will list your current name servers.
"Remove" the old ones in turn.
- "Add" the new name servers in turn. Enter the name
server names NOT the IP address. Name server names will be something
like ns1.nameserver.com
- Click update.
- Now wait up to 72 hours for the change to take place.
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Q. How do I register
name servers?
A. You first need
to two IP addresses usually provided by your ISP.
- You need to log into your account and click on the link to
manage domains.
- Select your domain from the text box with the drop down arrow.
- At the bottom portion of the screen there is a link "Name
Server Registration", click on that link.
- You are then prompted to add the first part of the name server
extension. I strongly suggest that you use the ns1 and ns2 beginning
extension. The rest of the name server appears by default as
your domain name. Whatever you do DO NOT enter www for the beginning
extension for your name server.
- Enter the IP address in the text boxes directly below the
name server name, EXACTLY as the ISP has given them to you.
- Then click on the word "Continue" with the arrow
through it and your name server is registered. You can then
register the second name server.
To change name servers please see "How do I change my name
servers?"
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Q.
How do I park my domain name?
A. You are also
able to park your domain on our future home web server. This service
is free and you can park the domain for as long as you like. Simply
change your name servers to 'ns1.dotsterinc.com' and 'ns2.dotsterinc.com'
from within your account.
If you need help changing your name servers
please see "How do I change my name servers?"
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Q.
How do I forward (redirect) my domain name?
A. You have two
options for forwarding. Your first option offers free forwarding
with a banner ad. Your second option offers redirection for only
$5 a year and no banner ad.
You can forward your domain by:
- Log into your account.
- Click Manage your Domains
- Select a domain.
- Under 'Other Options'... Click URL Forwarding.
- Read the directions and enter the URL or IP address that you
want your domain to forward to.
Don't forget the http://www. when entering your URL. In 24 hours,
your domain will be pointed to your Web site or IP Address.
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Q. What is 'WhoIs'?
A. The 'WhoIs'
feature is a search engine connected to a database of domains
registered. When you search for a domain name, it will return
the domains registration information if the domain was registered
through Dotster. The registration information that is listed includes
that for the Owner, Administrative, and Technical contacts. Also
included is the domain's name servers. To see this in action please
visit our WhoIs search.
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Q.
When is 'WhoIs' updated?
A. When you register
with us, your request is immediately sent to the NSI shared registry.
They update their WhoIs database once a day, so its possible for
your domain to just missed the current update. If this happens
you will have to wait up to another 24 hours before your domain
shows up. Domain name searches at all registrar sites are updated
IMMEDIATELY after registration so that no domain name can be registered
more than once. WhoIs lookups take between 24-48 hours to update.
You still might not find your records at some sites because each
registrar is only required to maintain WhoIs records for domain
names that they register. They are not required to maintain WhoIs
records for domain names registered with other registrars.
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